Tomic Plavac 2020

This cuvée comes from the island of Hvar, off Split, in Dalmatia, one of the sunniest islands in the Adriatic. It blends grapes from the very hot southern slopes, such as Ivan Dolac, Sveta Nedjelja and Pitve, with grapes from the island's northern hillsides, around Svirče, Vrbanj and Stari Grad, which bring lightness and fresh fruit. The vines grow on stony limestone soils, worked entirely by hand.

The grapes are harvested by hand and then destemmed. As Plavac Mali is naturally very tannic, fermentation is carried out in stainless-steel tanks at low temperature, with a short, gentle maceration to avoid excessive extraction. The wine is then aged for a few months in used barrels, which give it discreet oaky and spicy notes.

This wine reveals notes of plum, morello cherry, crushed blackcurrant, blueberry, violet, Mediterranean herbs, coffee and sweet spices. The supple, elegant palate offers fine volume and a pleasant bitterness that underline its freshness. The fragrant, expressive finish remains indulgent and easy.

Croatia may be a very young state, but it is a very old wine country. Wine in Croatia has a long, long history. Vines have been grown here since Antiquity. They were introduced around 5 centuries BC by the Greeks, who planted the first vines in southern Dalmatia, particularly on the islands, whose rocky slopes plunging steeply into an indigo sea were unsuited to any other form of farming. Today the country is enjoying a real renaissance, a direct result of the independence won just over 25 years ago (on 21 June 1991). It has allowed a young, dynamic generation of winegrowers to emerge, firmly resolved to revive a thousand-year-old tradition that was under threat. As in France, wines are strictly labelled according to their origin. There are some 300 official wine regions, generally divided into coastal and inland wines. Most wines are white and are produced inland, while red wines are produced along the coast. Although there are hundreds of grape varieties in Croatia, experts agree that the red Plavac Mali grape produces the best red wine. Plavac Mali is a genetic descendant of Zinfandel, a grape that clearly originates from Croatia and not from Italy, as was long believed. Croatia's sweet Prošek wine is made notably from the white Bogdanuša grape. Istrian Malvazija and Pošip from Korčula produce Croatia's most renowned white wines.