The tasting in Plavi Podrum Restaurant began with the simplest new wine of the Daruvar Winery. It was a 2017 Graševina, to be filled in some 250 thousand bottles and sold for 30 kuna. The wine is clear, fresh, aromatic, with relatively low alcohol (11.8%), drinkable and represent excellent value for money. This Graševina is the center point of Badel’s rebranding of Daruvar wines, arriving on the market this spring with new labels, as well as a new vinification style: previous Daruvar Graševinas had relatively high unfermented sugars. The new ones are completely dry.
Next came three version of Graševina at the 55 kuna price level. Oenologists are still deciding on the final cuvee, and we liked the minerality and saltiness in one, creaminess and juiciness in another sample. The 2017 Sauvignon was by far the best white wine of this tasting: expressive, green and very rich on the nose with a crunchy emphasis, lots of attractive acidity in the mouth, possibly a season favourite considering the price.
After the whites, we tasted five Korlat Supreme wines from 2013. Korlat Supreme is a line not sold in stores, but meant only for restaurants, bars and hotels. Merlot 2013 is rounded, warm, elegant, juicy, rich and ready for use, the Cabernets need a bit more time, while the Syrah significantly blossomed after 45 minutes in the glass. The spice elements replaced the barrique smoke, and the wine became rounded and elegant.
But, the most attractive wine of this tasting by far was the yet unnamed cuvee. It is a new wine from the Korlat Supreme line, made of 45 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 percent Syrah and 25 percent Merlot. The Cabernet provides the spine, Syrah additional aroma and character, and Merlot the fruitiness, juiciness and softness rounding off the Cabernet tannins. This cuvee belongs among the currently best red wines in Croatia, so we quite regret it is not for sale.
After the tasting, actively participated in by sommelier and owner of Plavi Podrum Daniela Kramarić, came an excellent long lunch, which included brilliant raw scampi, but also apparently modest dishes such as an irresistible bean and octopus stew (which went great with the red wines), finishing off with a lavish desert of chocolate and coconut, served with Port wine.
Translated from Plava Kamenica.
