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.
White Riesling is a grape variety that originated in France (Alsace). It produces a variety of grape specially used for the elaboration of wine. It is rare to find this grape to eat on our tables. This variety of grape is characterized by small bunches, and small grapes. White Riesling can be found in many vineyards: Alsace, Loire Valley, Languedoc & Roussillon, Lorraine, Provence & Corsica, Rhone Valley, Savoie & Bugey, Beaujolais, South West.
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 papillotes of simple salmon steaks, pasta with scampi or summer tuna quiche.
