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Croatian wine house

According to an ancient legend, when God distributed benefits, Dalmatians got grapevine... because, at a place where sun burns the rocks, where soil is thirsty, where rocky ground prevails, hardly any crop may survive. That is exactly Dalmatia and that is where grapevine found its homeland.

The entire political, economic, and even artistic history of Dalmatia is related to winegrowing. Since prehistory, grapevine, along with olives and fishing determined the destiny of the inhabitants of the central Dalmatia. The most recent research has shown that Illyrians who lived in these regions knew grapevine already in Bronze Age and Iron Age. However, the true development of winegrowing in central Dalmatia is related to the first Greek settlements on islands. We still have a record from that time (Scholars' Feast) evidencing that in the former colony of Issa, today the island of Vis, wine was produced that compared to other wines proved to be the best in the Antiquity. With the arrival of Romans to these regions, the winegrowing significantly improved. Wine was exported from Dalmatia to all regions of the powerful Roman Empire.

As Croats arrived and settled in Dalmatia, they accepted winegrowing and soon caught up with their teachers, Romans. According to written documents, special attention at the Croatian court in Middle Ages was paid to wine. This is shown by the fact that there was a court officer called royal wine procurer, who was in charge of production and procurement of wine for the royal court in the period from Prince Mutimir to King Petar Krešimir IV. Development of winegrowing in central Dalmatia in late Middle Ages was under great influence of independent town-states (Split, Trogir, Hvar, Omiš, etc.). Free towns adopted fundamental legal standards, statutes on winegrowing and protected it accordingly. With appearance of phylloxera, a hazardous grapevine pest, in European vineyards, the interest in Dalmatian wines grew and large exports to France and other countries started, providing great benefits to local population. However, when the disease attacked the grapevine in central Dalmatia as well, vineyards were ruined on massive scale and many families living of wine trade were brought to the edge of subsistence.

The most severe period in the history of Dalmatian winegrowing was worsened

Zagora

The winegrowing sub-region of Dalmatinska zagora is located in the Adriatic hinterland separated from the sea by two mountains, Mosor and Biokovo. Frequent images here are lonely vineyards in the middle of stone wasteland. Along the slopes of Biokovo, grapevine grows in little Karst valleys, fighting with stone in search of soil, for which it frequently climbs around the rock, forming unusually picturesque vineyards.
Descending down the step-like slopes of Biokovo, we leave behind the Karst and stone. The eye usually finds pleasure in the image of a beautiful green carpet, Imotsko Polje valley, with mostly plantation- like vineyards. The most prevalent variety is Kujunđuša, of unknown origin, but as it is so frequently grown on Imotski winegrowing hills, it is considered an indigenous variety of this region. Local people call it "the queen and the saint". Wine of this variety is harmonious, and its bouquet has elements of both continental and southern wines (bottled by Imota Imotski and Grabovac Proložac). New impulse for the winegrowing in this region was provided by vineyards around Proložac (seat of Grabovac winery) with new plants of indigenous and European varieties of grapevine. Through the mountainous vineyards scattered in valleys between rocky slopes, we arrive to Vrgoračko Polje valley called Jezero (Lake) as once it was partially under water. Still nowadays, at times of abundant rains, the valley is for the most part flooded. Not once local people harvested
grape out of a boat. In the green scenery of mostly plantation-like vineyards, traditional varieties are cultivated (Medna, Zlatarica, Blatina, Trnjak, Plavina, etc. are bottled by Imota Imotski and Opačak Makarska), and newly introduced varieties (Vranac, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc. are bottled by Vinoplod d.d., Šibenik).

Island of Brač

The most impressive vineyards of the island of Brač are along its southern slopes, above Bol. Vineyards found their shelter on the small sloping valleys and terraces, and part of them is pressed between the cliffs steeply descending towards the beautiful beaches. For their steepness, vineyards are in perfect position towards sun. Looking at the steep vineyards from the tourist centre of Bol, with a glass of dark red, dense Plavac of pleasant dryness and special bouquet, you may enjoy the specialties of the island. Top-quality wine from grapes growing on these positions is bottled by PZ Bol, Hrvoje Baković and Jakov Carević.

Island of Hvar

The island of Hvar is excellent for winegrowing due to its mild Mediterranean climate with the greatest insolence in Croatia of 2697 sunny hours per year. Winegrowing of Hvar may be divided by soil and varieties in two different parts: winegrowing along the southern slopes of the island and in the valley of Stari Grad – Jelsa. Walking among the vine plants in the valley takes you back to the history, as first vineyards were here planted, in years before Christ, by inhabitants of the Greek settlement of Pharos, remains of which are at the edge of the valley. Today, the indigenous white varieties are prevalent: Bogdanuša, Cetinka, Mekuja, etc. that are rare in other areas, as well as Maraština, Trbljan, etc. According to a legend, the wine called Bogdanuša (bottled by Dalmacijavino Hvarske vinarije Starigrad and Plančić Svirče) for its exceptional quality was usually consumed for religious holidays, from where it derived its name.

Wine of this variety is of greenish-yellow colour, full, harmonious, with a pleasant slightly bitter taste. Maraština is of specific yellow to gold-yellow colour, fine aroma, full and very harmonious taste. Completely different, much more savage and picturesque, are wine-growing areas on the southern side of the island. They may be reached from the valley only by a narrow tunnel near the vineyard in Pitve. To experience this winegrowing heaven completely, it should be seen from the sea, as along the craggy hillside, the vineyards are precipitately diving towards the sea. Many vineyards are difficult to reach, let alone cultivate them manually, which is the only option here. These savage positions are refined and encircled by the picturesque villages of Ivan Dolac and Sveta Nedjelja, where you can enjoy in ruby, ardent Plavac, of harmonious taste with a slight dose of 51 bitter. Top quality wine obtained from grapes on these positions is bottled by Dalmacijavino Hvarske vinarije under the label Faros, Zlatan Plenkovi} under the label Zlatan Plavac and PZ Svirče labelled as Ivan Dolac. On the southern side of the island, but more towards the west, there is Milna, a winegrowing oasis of white varieties, mostly Maraština and Trbljan (bottled by Luviji-Bracanović and A. Tudor).

The largest town on the island, Hvar, is also located on the edge of pearl vineyards. One of the town attractions is an artistic painting presenting pitchers and glasses full of dark, red wine, creating impression in a spectator that an unknown painter was inspired exactly by the wines produced in Hvar vineyards.