Croatia is an important wine-producing country on the Adriatic Sea, at the western end of Europe's Balkan Peninsula. Formerly Part of Yugoslavia, it borders Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro.
Export trade, although modest, has grown over the past two decades. The main Croatian styles are Dry white wines of Grasevina (WelschRiesling) and Malvasia, and rustic, Full-bodied red wines.
These wines are usually made from the Plavac Mali Grape.
White wine accounts for about two out of every three bottles produced in the country. In the interior regions, only 10% of the total annual production is red wine. The multitude of indigenous varieties that were once common here has declined alarmingly in recent decades.
Grasevina (Welschriesling) has Long been the preferred white variety in Croatian vineyards. It is supported by the regional specialties Bogdanusa, Grk, Posip and Vugava. The first is so reliable and prolific that it is called a "godsend". The second, Powerful and aromatic, was once considered the Viognier of the Rhone Valley.
Originally from Bordeaux, Sauvignon, or Sauvignon Blanc, is reputed to be one of the best French grape varieties for white wine. It is a white grape variety, not to be confused with Sauvignon Gris and its pale yellow color, or with Cabernet Sauvignon which produces red wines. Particularly famous thanks to Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc is cultivated as far as New Zealand, where it produces great wines whose reputation is well established.
white wines from the region of Croatia go well with generally quite well with dishes of rich fish (salmon, tuna etc), shellfish or vegetarian such as recipes of tuna nuggets, hake with small shrimps for cookeo or light tuna-tomato quiche (without cream).
On 19 September 2021, the Cumbre Vieja volcanic ridge in the island of La Palma, Spain began a massive, three-month long eruption, that was a catastrophic event for this westward island in the Canarias. The volcanic fumes caused breathing problems as well as the cancellation of flights and fruit harvests, including grapes. Despite 7,000 people needing evacuation from the flow of the lava, there was only one fatality during the entire eruption. As the lava flow eventually covered over 1,000ha, mo ...
Spanish police were investigating after thieves broke into the cellars of Michelin-starred Coque via a next-door property and stole prized bottles of wine from the top Madrid restaurant. Around 132 bottles have been taken, according to an initial count. The full value of the wines stolen was still being assessed but it was estimated to be at least €150,000, said Cristina Pérez Olmos, communications director for Coque. Some bottles had been in the cellars for many, many years and could be hard to ...
The agreement formed part of a bilateral trade agreement between the European Union and the Kiwi government. It affords sparkling winemakers in Veneto trademark protection, ensuring that fizz produced in other countries cannot be labelled ‘Prosecco’ in New Zealand. This represents another symbolic victory for Prosecco producers in Italy. In December 2021, the Consorzio di Tutela Prosecco DOC celebrated a similar agreement in China. The Consorzio launched the application for GI protection in Chin ...
