The gemišt, a mixture of wine and carbonated water known as a spritzer, is a Croatian favorite mixture during the hot summer months, as it brings needed refreshment, but also the welcome intoxication. But gemišt functions much better with certain wines, or better said grape varieties, as Saša Špiranec wrote for Jutarnji List on April 6, 2018.
Gemišt is irreplaceable in view of refreshment as it is usually combined with wine with lower alcohol, usually higher acids, so in reasonable amounts in refreshes more than intoxicates. The effect of alcohol will remain under control unless you really overdo it, as well as your wallet, as wines meant for gemišt or bevanda (wine with regular water) are in general cheaper wines, usually in larger packages, from the standard one liter bottle upwards.
With packaging larger than one liter definitely avoid plastic, as in it wine quickly loses its attributes and color, while ‘bag in box’ is preferred since the pouring system does not all air into the packaging. Mass wines meant for gemišt combinations are among the cheapest wines, but there are differences among them. The cheapest are table wines without declared origin or variety. They are usually of lowest quality, but a few will do the job. Then come standard wines with declared origin and variety (or varieties) which offer better quality, but are a tad more expensive. Lastly come wines with an excellent ratio of price and quality. They are slightly more expensive, but are a product designed for gemišt from the start. For this article we looked at the leading wineries on the market producing such wine and for all three categories named the best.
TOMŠIĆ TABEL WHITE WINE 1,0 L, 17,50 kn, 3/5
The Tomšić family is a well-known winemaking family from Međimurje producing a line of varietal wines packaged in bottles, from Graševina and Green Silvaner to Muscat. However, they are even better known for their gemišt wines in two lines. The table white which we are reviewing and the tad more ambitious Tomšić cuvee. They are wines for those who love classic gemišt, a pleasant bitter wine without pronounced variety aromas, as neutral as possible. Passionate gemišt drinkers, the older generations, appreciate these characteristics the most – aroma neutrality and elevated acids, to keep the wine fresh even when watered down, without any particular scent.
NOVAK BORIS GRAŠEVINA 1,0 L, 20 kn, 4/5
Another winery from Međimurje, but unlike Tomšić they are known for aromatic and partly sweet wines in bottles. In the gemišt wine category they made a wonderful wine which can be consumed on its own, as it breathes purity, freshness and green apple and citrus aromas. As a gemišt it functions great as the aroma doesn’t lose much and freshness remain of same intensity even with carbonated water. They make another mass wine named Cuvee, much more aromatic as a pure wine, and it does not go well with carbonated water.
JERUZALEM LAŠKO RIESLING 1,0 L, 25 kn, 5/5
Currently the best wine on the market meant for gemišt, among the samples we found. Admirers of light and lively Graševinas will be happy to drink it on its own, but in a gemišt it is simply excellent. Completely refreshing, with citruses, fresh herbs, completely dry, with a seductive finish which demands another sip. Easy on the alcohol, barely 12%, so when diluted with carbonated water it functions as an average beer, without losing anything in taste. Functions well with food and if you are not a huge snob, you will have to recognize its quality, balance and fantastic ratio of quality and price. Naturally, in the gemišt wine category.
Translated from Jutarnji List, for the original click here.
