The Zagreb Red Red Wine bar saw the premier presentation of Moslavina wines from the family winery Ilovčak. Offered was the Škrlet 2015, rosé 2016 (from Cabernet Sauvignon) and Cabernet Sauvignon barrique 2015, and as a surprise wine came a Graševina sur lie 2015.
The wines were presented by winemaker and winery owner Sven Đozo, a fifth generation wine grower on parcels dating from the 19th century. The most prominent variety is the indigenous Moslavina variety Škrlet, followed by Graševina, Pinot Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The first vines under the Ilovčak label were planted in 1992, with commercial sales starting in 2006. Vineyards are positioned on the slopes of the Moslavačka Gora along the Ilova River, on the very border of Moslavina and Slavonia regions where vines grow at 240 metres above sea level on exclusively southern orientation, covering a surface of 6 hectares. The expert part of the presentation was conducted by a connoisseur, sommelier Tomislav Jakopović, an expert in blending wine and food, with detailed descriptions of each wine and the enormous potential of Moslavina varieties.
The tasting began with Škrlet 2015 which, according to Jakopović, breaks the norm on the short lifespan of such wine as it has potential for short and medium ageing, up to five years. Although all wines are interesting and worthy of attention, the real surprise of the night was the Graševina sur lie 2015 of exquisite fragility; fresh, scented and fruity wine. Then came the tasting of rosé 2016 which “screams with strawberry and then a light, fine taste of raspberry,” said the sommelier, ideal for spring and summer evenings. After lighter wines which go great with food, especially Mediterranean cuisine, light cheeses, pastas and risottos, came the Cabernet Sauvignon barrique 2015.
With it, we learned, is best to combine freshly baked pork, and goes great with cheese with noble mould. Gastronomical delicacies, such as tapas from dry plums wrapped in bacon, cow cheeses, prosciutto, venison sausages, fish pate and other delicious bites, were prepared by the wine bar chef Drago Bošnjak, known to the wider audience from the RTL gastro show ‘3,2,1 kreni’. These honest wines, as branded by Tomislav Jakopović, deserved to win gold and silver medals at several prestigious wine exhibitions in Croatia. Their originality and quality were recognised by domestic caterers so they can be found in renowned restaurants, wine bars and wine shops in Zagreb and Zadar, also available in Interspar supermarkets across Croatia.
