“We spent two years researching the polyphenol composition of five indigenous Croatian white varieties. They were Pošip and Maraština from Dalmatia, Istrian Malvazija and Kraljevina and Škrlet from north-western Croatian highlands. It was shown that Pošip and Škrlet have the highest potential,” said dr. Ana-Marija Jagatić Korenika, assistant professor from the Winemaking and Viticulture Institute of the Zagreb Faculty of Agronomics, during Škrletovo in Ivanić Grad, a wonderful presentation of wine from a rather neglected indigenous Moslavina variety.
Polyphenols are antioxidants, compounds which favourably affect the stability and aging of wine, but also those who drink wine with many polyphenols. Oxidation is in fact aging, so antioxidants, put simply, prolong youth.
Joking aside (although the previous claim is not completely a joke), the Agronomics Faculty team researched ingredients which could enhance the aroma profile of Škrlet. They found out Škrlet had the most turpentine, the main carrier of aromas with Muscats and Traminers, so it could smell of roses too. It also has the most compounds which support the development of the scents of apples and pears, also desirable in wine.
“Next came the control of ripening in bottle in order to retain polyphenols and aroma structure,” said assistant professor Jagatić Korenika.
At Škrletovo they also presented a clone selection of vines which began in 2000 on 80 clones. After 10 years they chose 8 and planted them in the trial vineyard of Marko Miklaužić in Repušnica, applying the best three to the Nursery Institute in Osijek. Out of those three, listed as numbers 29, 33 and 69, some winemakers are already producing wines.
At the wine tasting we had a rare chance to do a blind tasting of Škrlet wines from nine winemakers, which produce it in three different styles. These should be equalised for the wines to be recognisable, easing the joint approach to the market.
Then we were served four Škrlet wines produced organically (Miklaužić), on yeasts (Trdenić) and with long maceration and from an old vineyard (Voštinić Klasnić). These are various directions in which the winemakers should certainly continue.
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