Croatia boasts a rich history of winemaking that dates back anywhere from 4000 to about 2500 years ago, depending on who you read. In any case, Croatians are very proud of their wine and call it ‘nectar of gods’.
Much more recently, in 1976, nine of the best French winemakers pronounced a Chardonnay of 1973 vintage from Napa Valley the best white wine during a blind test. It was crafted for Chateau Montelena by a Croatian-born wine-maker Miljenko "Mike" Grgić. His Chardonnay bottle, his suitcase with which he traveled to America, a blue beret, a textbook from the Zagreb University and several other personal belongings are today part of the permanent exhibition of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington.
Today, Chasing the Donkey website claims, there are over 130 of native grape varieties in Croatia, showcasing the country's rich biodiversity and distinct regional identities. Here is a most recent list of must-try Croatian wines, such as Graševina, Pošip, Malvazija, Teran and Plavac Mali.
Plavac Mali provides the foundation for many of the most desirable Croatian wines. One of the best-known and the first Croatian wine protected by law (since 1961) is a premium red called Dingač. It is grown in the Dingač region on the Pelješac peninsula by the Skaramuča family.
For those of you who are more adventurous (and with slightly deeper pockets), check out Club Enologique choice.
I will leave you with words of the great Croatian poet Tin Ujevic: "Not to taste wine is the same as not to see colours".
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