Top sommeliers, gastronomes, and wine enthusiasts gathered on March 17, 2022, in Split for the sixth edition of the International Conference of Wine, Hospitality, and Gastronomy Experts – WINE EnoGASTRO Vip Event. After the ceremonial opening and the first uncorking of bottles and toasts, the first workshop followed.
The conference hall of the Hotel Amfora in Žnjan, filled to the last seat (and more), delighted both the organizers and the workshop leader – Siniša Koceić from Winebox. Siniša is a sommelier who loves wine with his soul, not just his palate, and the lecture was dedicated to two forgotten Dalmatian grape varieties, Zlatarica and Trnjak.
At the beginning of the workshop, he asked who had even heard of Zlatarica and Trnjak. We didn’t count the exact number of raised hands, but let’s say that around 30% of those present admitted they hadn’t heard of Zlatarica or Trnjak. We had, however, still learned something new about these varieties, which we’re happy to share with you.
“The excellent organization of the WINE EnoGASTRO VIP Event at Amphora Hotel Split contributed to further popularizing the world of wine and gastronomy, especially small winemakers and indigenous varieties. Packed workshops demonstrated progress and interest in the wine business as one of Croatia’s assets with which we can showcase ourselves to the world and attract numerous tourists.” – Siniša Koceić (Winebox)
Princess from Vrgorac
Zlatarica and Trnjak are generally not found on the shelves of retail chains, and even in wine shops, they are rarely displayed. Of course, the reason is not that these varieties are bad, but rather that wines made from Zlatarica (white) and Trnjak (red) are still finding their way to popularity. In Croatia, we have plenty of interesting varieties that you probably haven’t heard of, indigenous varieties that have simply ceased to be appreciated or planted for various reasons.
Zlatarica is precisely called ‘Zlatarica Vrgorska’, characteristic of a specific micro-location around the town of Vrgorac. Let’s clear up any confusion right away – if you’ve heard of ‘Zlatarica Blatska’, it’s a completely different variety – one from Korčula and has nothing to do with our princess. Mentioned as a variety for the first time in 1821 in Austro-Hungarian records, it was also present at the first wine exhibition in Dalmatia in 1875, as the only white grape variety. It showed its quality from the start! Later, the renowned ampelographer (a scientist specializing in the study of grapevines and varieties) Stjepan Bulić declared it an extremely interesting variety. However, it experienced its downfall and fell into oblivion in the mid-20th century. The main reason was the import of foreign wines and varieties.
As its name suggests, Zlatarica is a grape variety that is very delicate, and unfortunately, quite demanding in the vineyard. Like a true princess, it has always required much more care and attention in the vineyard compared to other white varieties, which was another reason why it was planted less and less. Fortunately, it has not completely disappeared, and today its magnificent comeback to vineyards, restaurants, festivals, and glasses is being announced.
And finally, what about this Zlatarica? Gentle in the vineyard, gentle on the palate. Airy, fresh, one-year-old. Citrus aromas and an irresistible scent of aromatic herbs will linger long after each sip. This wine has a medium body and experts say that if stored properly, it can last up to two years. You’ll serve it with risottos, seafood, and even fruity desserts.
And what would a princess be without her knight? Trnjak is an even lesser-known variety and it’s even harder to find to buy. We tasted it several times at the workshop and we welcome its revitalization.
The Pollinator Knight
Trnjak – the synonym ‘rudežuša’ is according to Wikipedia as follows:
Black wine variety originating from the Dalmatian hinterland (Imotski, Vrgorac) and Herzegovina. According to the Regulation on the National List of Recognized Grape Cultivars, trnjak is a recommended cultivar for the subregion of Dalmatian Hinterland, and it is cultivated in the Imotski wine-growing region. Previously, it was more cultivated in the wine-growing regions of Split-Omiš-Makarska, Neretva, and Vrgorac. Currently, in the Imotska Krajina and Herzegovina (Nuić Ljubuški, Čitluk Winery), trnjak is cultivated on approximately 20 hectares of vineyards.
According to oral tradition, the French brought it to Herzegovina during Napoleon’s occupation of Dalmatia. It was cultivated as a companion variety to the Herzegovinian autochthonous variety Blatina. Blatina has a female flower and cannot pollinate itself. The role of pollinator was taken over by the French Trnjak, also known as Trnak in Vrgorac. Besides pollination, it is quite potent as a variety itself. It is a variety with great potential, with a harmonious flavor, somewhat bold like Plavac Mali, but still quite different.
“When the glass is still, the wine smells like herbs, but when you swirl it, it smells like fruit,” said well-known Croatian sommelier Darko Lugarić, and we would add that it is pleasantly acidic and sweet, full-bodied with a thick shine on the glass. In other words, it’s full of sweetness with a high alcohol content.
As it is a full-bodied red wine, it often carries notes of cloves, cherry, dried plum, berries, or chocolate. What sets Trnjak apart is its bitterness – enough to distinguish it from Plavac Mali and enough to be remembered for its unique flavor. In any case, it behaves confidently in the glass and pairs well with all meat dishes and game specialties. Trnjak is proven to be at its best after more than 5 years in oak barrels.
The variety has great potential. Scientists from the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb embarked on a mission of clone selection of Trnjak in 2018. From 27 clones from existing vineyards, they selected the best ones for further testing. After cleaning from viruses, they will be planted in future vineyards. This will ensure healthy wines. We just need to be patient and await the final results.
Ambassadors of forgotten varieties
Vrgorac has always been a good location with excellent terroir for premium wines. That holds true both then and today. The pioneers of reviving forgotten varieties are the Pilač Winery, managed by the Mihaljević family, as well as the garage wineries Franić and Gašpar. A great trio to visit on a wine tour in Vrgorac.
The Pilač Winery is a relatively young winery, only nine years old, but they embarked on the mission of revitalizing Zlatarica boldly and confidently. And they’re succeeding. Visiting this winery is a special experience – it’s a multifunctional complex that would not be ashamed in comparison to world-renowned Californian wineries. Their annual production is around 100,000 liters, half of which they bottle and the other half they sell in bulk. In addition to Zlatarica, they also produce Merlot, Syrah, Rukatac, and Pošip.
Trnjak is the new young hope of the largest winery in Herzegovina – the Čitluk Winery from the town of the same name in Herzegovina. It is also bottled in the Nuić, Grabovac, and Gašpar wineries.