SVIJET U ČAŠI & SUHI U ČAŠI & WINE STARS
BUYER’S GUIDE
MARCH 2018
IN THE WINE THERE IS SUN, SOIL, VINE AND SWEAT, AUTHENTICITY AND BUSINESS, JOY AND PAIN, ANXIETY AND EBRIETY
SAMPLES ARE FROM THE MARKET
♣♣♣♣♣♣ –Champion – 99 – 100 (or: 19,9 – 20 / 4,9 – 5,0) pts = Brilliant! Impressive! Unique!
♣♣♣♣♣ –Great gold medal – 95 – 98 (19,5 – 19,8 / 4,5 – 4,8) = Excellent, with character, elegant, classic great wine.
♣♣♣♣ –Gold medal – 90 – 94 (18,6 – 19,4 / 4,0 – 4,4) = outstanding, multilayered, with high style and a big personality.
♣♣♣ –Silver medal – 85 – 89 (17,5 – 18,5 / 3,0 – 3,9) = very good and typical, complex, convincing, with chances to develop even more, for the exigent consumer.
♣♣ 80 – 84 (15,5 – 17,4 / 2,1 – 2,9) = variety recognisable, in a certain determinate style, solid, not exciting.
♣ 71 – 79 (11,0 – 15,4 / 1,1 – 2,0) = average, ordinary, with no virtues and no significant to strong flaws, still acceptable for everyday use.
under 71 ( 11,0 / 1,0) = low-average, best to avoid.
⇑- drink • ⇗ –drink or hold • ⇒ –hold • – recommended to drink with food.
Samples are taken from sources with adequate wine storage and expert staff, so inappropriate storage effects should be excluded. If a classic scent or taste is found on the cap (TCA), the sample is retasted from another bottle. A sample is immediately rejected if at least two thirds of the jury decides so. For a quality/price comparison the wine needs at least 85 points out of 100, or 17.5 points from 20, or 3 on a scale to 5.
Retail prices for 0,75 ℓ: S = small (up to 35 kn; 5 €) • M = medium (36-75 kn; 5-10 €) • L = large (76-110 kn; 10-15 €) • XL = extra large (111-150 kn; 15-20 €) • XXL = extra extra large (151-220 kn; 20-30 €) • XXXL = extremely large (above 220 kn; 30 €)
Croatian Highlands
♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ (L) SAUVIGNON 2016 Kamenice – KORAK
Plešivica
■ VINEYARD: Kamenice • slope • variety: Sauvignon Blanc • approach in the vineyard: nature friendly
■ LABEL: protected origin • dry • 12,5 %
■ BOTTLED in: 0,75 ℓ • bottle, model: Bourgogne • cap: cork – serious
■ DESIGN: decent – neat • label: simple – in two sections – readability: good
Wine is complex, substantial, juicy, with character, harmonious, elegant, fresh, dynamic, drinkable, on the rise. Looks lively, clear, yellowish-greenish. Moderate on the nose. Points to minerality, fruitiness, expressed well (fruit: domestic green; white; pit/apple, vineyard peach), floral (flowers: fresh), vegetal/fig leaf, discrete. Soft in the mouth, rounded well, fresh and quite long ending.
■ SERVING: ⇗ (meals: shells/oysters, fresh goat cheese, white fish…) • larger glass (Bordeaux) • 12° C
Dalmatia
♣ ♣ ♣ (XXXL) ZINFANDEL 2013 Diamond Hill Vineyard – BENMOSCHÉ FAMILY
Pelješac
■ VINEYARD: slope • position: south • variety: Crljenak/Zinfandel
■ LABEL: superior with controlled origin • dry • 15,5 %
■ BOTTLED in: 0,75 ℓ • bottle, model: Bordeaux • heavy • cap: cork
■ DESIGN: decent • label: simple – in two parts – readability: good
Wine is rich, with character, still slightly raw, very warm, plenty of liveliness, robust, to be consumed with food, on the rise or in its prime which can last. Looks lively, clear, ruby-granite nuance. Coherent with terroir, variety, typology, age. Moderately strong on the nose, points to fruitiness, expressed well (fruit: domestic-southern-dried/fig!-boiled-nutty), herbal, discrete, spices (Mediterranean spices), well blended, sensation of soil-chocolate, touch – nuance of skin. Rounded in the mouth, savoury, salty, with good trailing acidity, very good in body and structure, salty, bitter, long warming ending.
■ SERVING: ⇗ • uncork bottle several hours before serving – decant • large glass • 16-18° C
♣ ♣ (♣) (L) PLAVAC MALI 2014 – BENMOSCHÉ FAMILY
Pelješac
■ VINEYARD: slope • position: south • variety: Plavac Mali
■ LABEL: protected origin Middle and South Dalmatia with controlled geographic • dry • 14,0 %
■ BOTTLED in: 0,75 ℓ • bottle, model: Bordeaux • fits the wine • cap: cork
■ DESIGN: decent • label: in two sections – readability: good
Wine is very warm, alcohol stings a bit, to be had with food, in its prime. Looks ruby-granite. Coherent with variety, harvest. Moderate on the nose. Points to fruitiness, expressed well (fruit: domestic dark – red, blue/pit; strawberry/plum), herbal, discrete, sensation of graphite, finely burned, chocolate. Rounded in the mouth, with polished tannins, salty – with good trailing acidity, good to very good in body and structure, lively – medium long warming ending.
■ SERVING: ⇑ • medium large glass • 16° C
Istria and Kvarner
♣ ♣ ♣ (L-XL) KOZLOVIĆ SELEKCIJA 2016 – KOZLOVIĆ
Croatian Istria
■ VINEYARD: Santa Lucia • slope • variety: Istrian Malvazija • young vines
■ CELLAR: grape selection
■ LABEL: protect origin Croatian Istria • dry • 13,5 %
■ BOTTLED in: 0,75 ℓ • bottle, model: Bordeaux • tall slender • cap: cork
■ DESIGN: decent – neat • label: simple – one section, around bottle – readability: good
Wine is complex, substantial, serious, spruced up, harmonious, warm, dynamic, to be had with food, still too young – needs time – on the rise/in its prime which can last. Looks lively and clear, straw-yellow. Coherent with terroir, variety, typology, harvest, age. Moderate on the nose – developed. Points to minerality, fruitiness, expressed well (fruit: domestic white; fresh-ripe-nutty), floral. Rounded in the mouth, salty, with quality trailing acidity, very good in body and structure, with quite long warming ending.
■ SERVING: ⇗ (meals: grilled fish, poultry, veal…) • medium large glass • 12-14° C
♣ ♣ ♣ (L) CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 – POLETTI
Višnjan
■ VINEYARD: variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
■ LABEL: quality with controlled geographic origin • dry • 13,5 %
■ BOTTLED in: 0,75 ℓ • bottle, model: Bordeaux • tall • cap: cork
■ DESIGN: neat • label: one section, around bottle – readability: good
Wine is complex, harmonious, with slightly tertiary bouquet, in its prime. Looks ruby-granite. Coherent with terroir, variety, age. Moderate on the nose. Points to minerality, sensation of soil – chocolate – skin nuance, spices with measure, well blended. Soft in the mouth, with polished tannins, salty, with good acidity, good to very good in body and structure, lively, medium long warming ending.
■ SERVING: ⇑ • uncork bottle several hours before serving – decant • large glass • 16-18° C
Slavonia & Danube Region
♣ ♣ ♣ (♣) (L) CHARDONNAY 2015 Rosenberg – KRAUTHAKER
Kutjevo
■ VINEYARD: Rosenberg • slope • variety: Chardonnay • approach in the vineyard: nature friendly
■ CELLAR: maturation: barrique
■ LABEL: protected origin • dry • 13,0 %
■ BOTTLED in: 0,75 ℓ • bottle, model: Bourgogne • normal – fits wine by tradition • cap: DIAM 5
■ DESIGN: elegant • label: recognizable from afar – simple – in two sections – readability: good
Wine is complex, juicy, serious, warm, quite lively, clearly spent time in wood, to be had with food – for meditation, on the rise. Looks lively, clear, yellowish-greenish. Coherent with typology, age. Moderate on the nose, developed. Points to spices, stronger expression but still with measure, sensation of brioche – butter – noble wood – finely burned – vanilla, kiss, fruitiness (fruits: domestic; white; yellow; ripe). Soft in the mouth, rounded, creamy, savoury, salty, with quality trailing acidity, very good in body and structure, fresh, long ending.
■ SERVING: ⇗ (meals: grilled fish, brodetto, fried chicken, duck, veal, meat loaf) • large glass – baloon • 14-15° C
♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ (L-XL) MERCS 2015 – KRAUTHAKER
Kutjevo
■ VINEYARD: slope • variety: Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon • approach in the vineyard: nature friendly
■ CELLAR: special grape selection • maturation: wood
■ LABEL: protected origin • dry • 14,0 %
■ BOTTLED in: 0,75 ℓ • bottle, model: Bordeaux – fits the wine • cap: DIAM 5
■ DESIGN: decent – neat
Wine is complex, substantial, serious, spruced up, harmonious, juicy, warm, to be had with food – in a year for meditation too, on the rise, could use some more time in the bottle. Looks lively, ruby-granite nuance, dark. Coherent with terroir, varieties, harvest, age. Moderate on the nose. Points to spices, with measure – very well blended, sensation of finely burned – chocolate, mineral, fruitiness. Rounded in the mouth, with lively and polished tannins, salty – with quality trailing acidity, quite potent in body and structure, fresh, long, warming ending.
■ SERVING: ⇗ (meals: veal, pork, venison, ripe hard cheese) ⇒ • uncork bottle several hours before serving • large glass (Bordeaux) • 18° C
♣ ♣ ♣ (♣) (L) MERLOT 2015 – KRAUTHAKER
Kutjevo
■ VINEYARD: slope • variety: Merlot • approach in the vineyard: nature friendly
■ CELLAR, maturation: wood
■ LABEL: protected origin • dry • 14,0 %
■ BOTTLED in: 0,75 ℓ • bottle, model: Bordeaux • tall – heavy • cap: DIAM 5
■ DESIGN: decent • label: in two sections – readability: good
Wine is complex, substantial, serious, spruced up, warm, very lively, goes well with food – for meditation, on the rise – needs more time in the bottle. Looks lively, ruby-granite nuance. Coherent with terroir, variety, harvest, age. Moderate on the nose – somewhat developed. Points to vegetal, discrete, spices presented with measure, very well blended, sensation of noble wood – finely burned/smoke – vanilla – chocolate – skin nuance, mineral. Soft in the mouth, rounded, with lively, polished tannins, salty with quality trailing acidity, very good in body and structure, fresh, long, warming ending.
■ SERVING: ⇗ (meals: various baked meats, especially red meats…) • uncork bottle several hours before serving • large glass (Bordeaux) • 18° C
Translated from Suhi u čaši, for the original click here.
