The problems brought about by the climate crisis are posing new demands in all production sectors, including viticulture. The increasing consumer awareness of environmental protection has also influenced wine enthusiasts, who are increasingly choosing wines from organic cultivation. The pioneers of such cultivation in the 1970s were Germany, Switzerland, and France, and today many other countries, including Croatia, are following in their footsteps. Although organic grapevine cultivation in Croatia is still in its infancy, the situation has been improving over the years, with organic vineyards currently covering around 1000 hectares of land, which is only about 1 percent of the total agricultural land under organic production. As the overall number of vine growers in the country increases, it is expected that more will opt for organic cultivation, as it is slowly becoming our present reality.
Organic cultivation of grapevines entails sustainable production that does not harm soil fertility, air, and water quality, while achieving satisfactory yields at the same time.
To facilitate the direction of the development of this alternative production method, certain general objectives have been established, such as cultivating high-quality grapes, avoiding pesticides, fungicides, and other synthetic plant protection agents, enhancing soil fertility, reducing water pollution, and promoting biodiversity of plant and animal species in vineyards to avoid disrupting ecosystems.
The mentioned standards pose a challenge for traditional Croatian grape growers who are not in line with production trends. The reasons for this include poor awareness and technological illiteracy, insufficient capital, and regulatory requirements demanding improvement and more detailed development measures. Additionally, Croatian grape growers underutilize EU funds, which could be highly beneficial for transitioning from conventional to organic cultivation.
How can the transition from conventional to organic production be achieved? It can be realized in existing vineyards or by establishing new vineyards. In both cases, there is a so-called conversion period, which denotes the time for transitioning the farm to organic production and typically lasts about three years. If it involves establishing a new vineyard, the conversion period starts from the establishment of the vineyard, while for existing vineyards, it starts from planting to planting.
When it comes to methods that grape growers can use to make their production more sustainable, they primarily involve the use of mixtures typical for a certain area, as well as natural means to enrich the soil, such as manure, chicken manure, green manure, algae and their derivatives, compost from household organic waste, straw, harvest residues, and similar materials. To increase ecosystem diversity, it is necessary to work on plant resistance naturally and reduce the intensity of pest and disease attacks through proper selection of varieties, positions, and cultivation methods, as well as through balanced fertilization, green pruning, and similar methods. For natural plant protection, grape growers can use milk and other whey products, teas, herbal preparations and oils, paraffinic oils, potassium soap, propolis, water glass, stone flour, and more. Grape growers are also advised to plant other trees and shrubs in open spaces within the vineyard, which not only contribute to attractive aesthetics but also to the stability of the agroecological system.
Not all grape-growing regions are equally suitable for transitioning to organic cultivation. Slopes facing south, southwest, and southeast are most favorable for establishing organic vineyards due to higher temperatures.
Indeed, in Croatia, regions such as Istria, Kvarner, and Dalmatia, due to their Mediterranean climate and rocky karst soil, are ideal for organic cultivation. However, this does not prevent an increasing number of grape growers from Slavonia, Podunavlje, and the hilly regions of Croatia from transitioning to more sustainable methods.
Regarding the most prevalent red grape varieties in organic viticulture, they are, in order: Plavac Mali, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Babić, and Syrah, while among white varieties, they include Graševina, Pošip, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Maraština.
Currently, the most eco-friendly place in Croatia regarding grapevine cultivation is Nadin in Ravni Kotari, where 14 small producers cultivate organic grapes on 50 hectares of land. Among medium-sized producers of organic cultivation, Branko Čegec from the village of Sveti Ivan Zelina stands out, producing the first Croatian organic wine in 2002. As for large wineries and corporations, Enjingi winery excels in organic cultivation, while the smallest organic vineyard was planted by the Neretva Defender, a cooperative of Croatian veterans located in Podgradina, cultivating Plavac Mali.
In addition to the mentioned producers, successful transitions to organic cultivation include Kabula winery from Buje in Istria, Bolfan winery from Hrašćina, Roki’s from the island of Vis, and Kalazić from Baranja.