Gastro

Istrian Wines and Winemaking

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We are not exaggerating when we say that there's been viticulture ever since there’s Istria. The cultivation of vines on the Istrian peninsula began in ancient times, i.e. the same moment after people realized the geological and climatic advantages of Istrian land.

The flagships of Istrian winemaking are certainly Istrian Malvasia and Istrian Teran, which were mentioned by Austrian writers in the 13th century, along with today's unknown grape varieties of Cipran, Pinela, and Vipavec. In recent times, Istrian winemakers mostly grow indigenous varieties - Malvasia, Momjan Muscat, Istrian Teran, Borgonja, and Refošk.

Top Istrian varieties

White Istrian Malvasia has been declared the best indigenous variety in Croatia several times. This variety gives medium to strong wine, of golden color, and aromas reminiscent of apples and plums... Right next to Malvasia is Momjan Muscat or Istrian Muscat, which is unique in the world due to its location and the climate in which it thrives. This variety is mainly used for semi-sweet and dessert wines, with typical and distinct muscat aromas.

The most famous representative of the red wine variety is the Istrian Teran, the absolute icon of Istrian winemaking, right next to Istrian Malvasia. Teran will delight you with its rich fruity aromas of black fruit like cherries, spiced with fern and currant. 

Borgonja and Refošk are varieties that have a lower level of alcohol, so they are embellished with exceptional drinkability and pronounced fruity aromas. In more recent times, Chardonnay has gained popularity among Istrian winemakers, who create wines of this variety with a mature and juicy taste and a moderate percentage of alcohol. 

In these few lines, we have only grazed over the riches hidden in the Istrian vineyards, that spread over 3000 hectares across the peninsula. For those who want more details, we recommend taking the tour via Istrian wine roads in a search for the "Istrian Quality" labels.

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