2016 Plavac Mali, Grgic Vina

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The Wine

When Mike Grgich came to the Napa Valley in 1958 to make wine, he noticed a remarkable resemblance between the Zinfandel and Plavac Mali of his native Croatia. Some 40 years later, Mike worked with scientists at University of California, Davis, to prove that Zinfandel was actually Crljenak Kastelanski, a grape native to Croatia and parent of Plavac Mali. Grgic Vina was established in 1996 by “Mike” Grgich and his daughter, Violet. They started the winery to produce the nest wines from native Dalmatian grapes and concentrate on crafting Croatia’s very best varietals: Plavac Mali and Posdip. Old World in style, this well-structured wine displays hearty tannins with aromas and flavors of Mediterranean herbs and cherry tobacco. Enjoy with grilled or cured meats, hard cheeses and pizza.

Vintage

The Peljeac appellation has a typically arid, Mediterranean climate, and the 2016 growing season was exceptional with moderately warm days and cooler nights, resulting in grapes with beautifully balanced natural acidity and complex aromatics.

Vineyard

We grew our Plavac Mali (“little blue” in Croatian, referring to its small, bluish grapes) in the prestigious Peljeac appellation, a mountainous peninsula in the southern Dalmatian coastal winegrowing region just northwest of the historic walled city of Dubrovnik. This appellation contains many small, steep areas of vineyards perched high above the Adriatic Sea on the south-facing slopes of the peninsula. The winery is located in the tiny town of Trstenik, in the middle of the peninsula right on the Adriatic Sea, as depicted on the label.

Winemaker's Notes

Alcohol
15% by volume
Fermentation
Stainless steel
Harvest date
September 10-17
Sugar
25 degrees Brix
Bottling date
December 2017
Release Date
May 2018
Total acid
5.4 g/L
pH
3.66
Time in oak
12 months
Type of oak
French oak
Blend
100% Plavac Mali