Adriana, the new label of wine by Laguna from Poreč in Istria, is the first large domestic wine project meant exclusively for restaurants and hotels. Adriana cannot be found in stores. Since its primary role is gastronomical, we were interested how the Adriana wine label behaves in the company of food, so we arrived to the following conclusions and recommendations after three days of tastings
1. ADRIANA MALVASIA 2016
Adriana Malvasia is a wine that combines fruitiness and quite solid, slightly mineral structure. It is adaptable to fish appetizers and main fish courses, but also for individual classical Mediterranean recipes.
Cold fish and shells
We tasted Adriana Malvasia at first with smoked salmon with dill, as we were interested if it can bear food with such strength and aroma; it cut nicely through the fat of the salmon, but did not get lost. It also kept its character with the nigiri with yellow fin tuna, and also with canned tuna filet with avocado and fresh basil.
Oysters, mussels and escallops are her expected partners.
Various cooked and grilled fish
Our second interesting test was a Thai curry with sea bass, which actually demands a stronger or more aromatic wine. It is interesting, however, that this Malvasia bore such a spicy meal quite well and efficiently mellowed the hotness of curry.
A white wine that doesn’t get lost with curry, will go nicely with more gently done fish, whether fried small blue fish, squid or octopus, large grilled fish or poached or fried filets of white fish.
Classical recipes
Finally, we tasted Adriana with a classic carbonara, going along quite well, which means it can be served along with other white sauces, and risottos: the one with wild asparagus is especially recommended.
2. ADRIANA ROSE 2016
Adriana Rose is a typical wine for a lighter summer barbecue: it will brighten up grilled chicken, will probably go well with pork cutlets and loin, certainly burgers too. However, maybe because of its colour, when tasting this rose, we thought of the Nicoise salad. The next natural option are pizzas, due to Adriana’s refreshing effect. Many years ago, when we discovered the truly exceptional effect of rose on a good pizza, we convinced the owner of Karijola pizzeria to place on his very short wine list the Kupljen Rose Modri Burgunday, enjoying pizza and rose wine all summer long.
3. ADRIANA CABERNET SAUVIGNON/MERLOT 2015
Adriana’s red cuvee is an uncommon moderate and fresh Croatian wine to go along well with dried meat. We tried it with Drniš prosciutto, bresaola and kulen from Baranja, and it functioned well in all cases. Dark baked meat and dark sauces such as a good Bolognese are a given, but we especially like it with the fried salmon filet. Fresh red wines do go well with fish.
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