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The start of an email correspondence.

I remember Miha Batič, one of our Slovenian producers, telling me that his Great-Grandfather was Austrian, his Grandfather was Italian, his Father Yugoslavian, and now he is Slovenian. They’ve been working the same land and living in the same house since 1592. While borders and nationalities change, the vineyards have remained the same.      To this end, Italian and Slovenian producers are in the process of creating the first ever Trans-Border DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) that celebrates the Carso (Italian) or Karst (Slovenian) region. For instance, there are already joint community initiatives such as Scenarios and Flavours from the Karst Plateau without Frontiers based in Trieste that functions much like a “Doctors Without Borders” for food and wine. Concerning wine, they focus on the grape called “Terrano” (Italian) or “Teran” (Croatian and Slovenian) coupled with the iron rich “Terra Rossa” (red earth) unique to the region. These are red wines with off the charts acidity, enough minerality to meet a healthy diets monthly quota, and often a slightly tangy wild berry flavor that make it an incredible wine of place. It’s a killer with Prosciutto.      With this in mind, I’ve had many buyers admit they love the wines I’ve shared with them but immediately follow it up with, “They don’t fit anywhere on my list” or "They won't sell here." At the same time, they carry wines that share virtually the same soil, grape, climate, and history but happen to have DOC, DOCG, or IGT instead of Product of Croatia or Slovenia on their labels. If Terroir driven wines are really at the heart of their philosophy, why are politically drawn borders getting in the way?      The following is an actual email exchange that argued why a focus on Northeastern Italian wines should also consider the wines of Istria, Croatia. For privacy, the names have been blocked out.                    

The Donkey Plavac & Milos Plavac: two typical Dalmatian wines.

Like many people present at last week’s Croatian wine festivities, I was unfamiliar with Croatian culture. Sure I’ve eaten cevapcici and even made ajvar recently, but I do not come from there, nor does my family, and before Croatian wine entered my life I knew only one Croatian, philosopher Daniel Kolak.     I was excited for the first ever Grand Croatian tasting, having tasted a handful of their local wines, and being particularly intrigued by a former vintage of Dingac Winery’s Peljesac, or ‘The Donkey Wine’ in some circles. I knew that the variety had alluring aromas of flowers and herbs, an elegant translucence, and beguiling sense of fruit. Still I was not prepared for the diversity and terroir-specificity this grape offers.     The grape most commonly linked with Plavac Mali is Zinfandel, which originates in Croatia and is a relative of Plavac. I typically describe the wines as exhibiting the deep, dark fruited spiciness of Zinfandel, with the old-world body of Gamay. The grapes and wines are surely related, though each with a very distinct personality.     Between the Hudson Terrace grand tasting and consumer event put on by Oenocentric with Blue Danube at Veslo in Astoria, I tasted at least 20 distinct Plavac Malis and blends, discovering a wide range of styles. Sometimes with a touch of residual sugar, there were both soft and light wines and others that were bold with more structure. One of the most exciting aspects of this variety is that it produces unique wines with complexity, even in its simpler expressions. It was and remains thrilling to explore the Southern Dalmatian regions and sub-regions, and impossible to enjoy the wines without longing to visit the places they convey.     This diversity promises a category of wines full of food pairing opportunities. Milos Plavac is served locally with oysters, something I hope to recreate in NY soon. We can also easily imagine it’s tea-like flavors complementing tea-smoked duck, a Hunan dish. Beyond pairing with its own and other cuisines, I expect Plavac Mali to be especially suited to the innovative and fusion menus popular in New York. I can almost taste how the duck confit empanada would draw out the floral and spicy flavors of Bura Galerija.     Now, after drinking my way up and down the Peljesac peninsula, I feel connected to Croatia. If ever I thought selling wine in New York was blasé or just a job, working with this set of bridge building wines has restored my enthusiasm tenfold. Plavac Mali, a true Croatian treasure, is one of the most exciting varieties we have access to. Though admittedly hard to pronounce, this grape outside the realm of the familiar invites you to become a part of its Aegean coastal culture.     (We are very happy that Tess Rose joined the Blue Danube Wine team. Tess will represent our wines in New York.)

Luka Krajančić reciting one of his own poems.

These images were captured during our visit to the Island of Korčula this past summer. What was originally a tasting appointment with Pošip specialist Luka Krajančić turned into one of the greatest experiences of wine I have ever had. We met Luka at his tightly packed but spotless winery in the tiny coastal village where he lives. This was the first time I had met Luka. He is a big man but also very gentle, even shy. When we arrived a couple was already there tasting. One was a photographer without a camera and the other a young restaurateur who had just moved to the island. Our new friends were happy to start the tasting over.          The range of Krajančić's Pošip redefined the varietal to me. They were the deepest, most powerful and yet most elegant examples I had tasted. Each one was different, but always reflective of the site, the vintage and Luka's perspective. At the end he pulled out a sample of a 1 barrel production from an old patch of red Plavac vines, very rare on this white wine dominated island. It was inky, thick, explosively aromatic and deliciously savory and sweet. Though he produces no red wine commercially he clearly could. As the tasting winded down he casually asked if we could join them for lunch at his little beach house.          We grabbed bread, a case of Pošip and made our way to what turned out to be a beach so beautiful I thought I might pop like a bubble. It was a lazy little building set among craggy rocks and pine trees the porch we ate on looked out on a bay of electric blue sea. There we ate local shrimp and sardines packed in local olive oil with local vegetables and just baked bread. We talked wine, philosophy, art, sex, listened to some of Luka's heartfelt poetry and even made a poem with him. We swam, basked in the sun, drank our fills of his Pošip and laughed our asses off. It was a day of dreams that I will relive every time I open up a bottle of his delicious Pošip or set eyes on a sea of electric blue.          We are very excited that almost one year later Intrada, Luka ‘s premium Pošip is on its way to the U.S. It should be here shortly by the end of May.

Franci Cvetko serving his full line-up at Kogl winery.

Formally suited we hit the ground running on our latest work trip to Central Europe. We spent 12 days split between Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary. The night of our arrival was the kick-off Gala Dinner for the Zagreb Wine Gourmet Festival held in the capital’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Hosting over 140 wineries it is the largest tasting of Croatia’s wines all year. Attendees ranged from top politicians like President Ivo Josipovic to France's father of biodynamic farming Nicolas Joly. The fair itself was a frenzy of trade and consumers out of their minds to taste everything Croatian. We went in with high expectations but still the number of excellent wines was shocking. There is a growing self awareness among producers that indigenous grape varieties made in local styles are Croatia’s great strength. This coupled with the rapid increases in quality is yielding the most transparent views of Croatia’s complex terroir yet seen. To watch this unfold is inexplicable. Despite the crowd, between tastings we were able to finalize most of our spring shipment. Both days we tasted until the lights flashed and our mouths hurt. After the tasting we managed to enjoy 4 separate multi-course dinners in just 3 nights. We shared endless conversations with old friends, and got to know new ones. We all but completely burned ourselves out. Or so we thought.     Also at the fair pouring were a number of Slovenian producers including our friends from Kabaj. We had made plans to stay at their estate in Goriška Brda which has excellent guest accommodations. Together over the next few days we sped around Slovenia visiting their friends whose wines they thought we would enjoy. On the way from Zagreb we stopped in the chilly, domed hills of the Bela Krajina region to taste electric Laški Rizling and very cool climate Modra Frankinja AKA Blaufränkisch. We drank the iron rich Vitovska and Teran of the Karst, sea tinged Malvasija and Refošk from Koper, Pinela in both light and powerful forms from the Vipava and a long list of Brda wines, too numerous to recount. Our stay at Kabaj gave us a sense for not just the Kabaj wines but the family themselves. We tasted many wines some experimental, some from barrel, some quite old and others yet to be released. One long night this lasted until 6am in the morning. To enjoy this close a perspective on such an interesting producer was an honor. After this we met with our great partner Silvo Črnko and his 16 year old daughter Tamara who is a certified diver and now on her way to become a pilot. Naturally happy, Silvo’s gift is his ability to turn that happiness into wine. The 2010 Jareninčan, like the 09, is pure refreshing joy. Snow gently fell while we enjoyed a familial meal with the Cvetko's on the vineyard hill named Kogl. We selected a rose of Pinot Noir and an elegant sparkling from the expansive carefully nurtured selection of estate wines they Franci makes to be added to the classic dry whites of theirs we have long sold. These plus new wines from both Batič and Kabaj are due in Mid April.     From Slovenia we charged full bore into Hungary. Staying in Budapest next to the castle of Queen Maria Theresa, we took day trips to a number of important appellations. While in Budapest we spent time with our friends Gábor and Carolyn Bánfalvi who offer some of the best food and wine tours in Europe through their travel business "Taste of Hungary". Gábor introduced us to a number of excellent Forditas, an almost extinct “lesser” style of Tokaji we have been on the look-out for. We visited two volcanic wine regions back to back. Somlo, exclusively a white wine appellation and Eger which is almost exclusively red. Generally speaking the wines could not be more different. Somlo whites are big, gentle and lovely, while the reds from Eger are angular, sinewy and often demand aging. What they share is pronounced, often aromatic minerality and an infinite range of texture derived from the unique volcanic soils of each. Drawn to Somlo in part by the rare grape Juhfark we were equally struck by the Furmint, Hárslevelű and most of all Olaszrizling we tasted. In Eger we spent an evening with Dr. Janos Stumpf enjoying homemade wild venison sausage and a range of already delicious barrel samples. He is involved in a collaborative export project with Canadian Master Sommelier John Szábo called J&J. Their perfumed, muscular 2006 Kékfrankos from primly situated Eged vineyard will be coming to us soon. Taking little time to rest we managed to see both of Hungary’s major southerly red wine regions Szekszárd and Villány. After tasting the 2009 Eszterbauer Kadarka named Nagypám or Grandfather at Bistro Bock in Budapest last year we contacted Janos Eszterbauer and were lucky enough to buy a bit. Never met, only tasted one wine and it turned out to be one of the fastest selling for us, ever. Finally able to meet the family we discovered Eszterbauer is more than just great Kadarka. Just briefly seeing Villány we were happy we did not miss it. The final taste left in our mouths was Gere’s lovely new 2010 Rose and the sensational vintage specific Pinot Noir’s from the impassioned team at Vylyan.     As we seem to always find at the end of these trip our partners and the quality of their wines exceeded our expectations. We are excited to share what we found with you and hope that the wines will inspire you to visit our friends who make them.

Moreno Coronica in his vineyard with the typical Istrian Terra Rosso.

We have just gotten back from the Blue Danube company trip to Hungary, and there are so many highlights to share. However, this must be postponed because of the 2008 Coronica Istrian Malvazija from Istria, Croatia. Why? The reason is the season. Let me explain.     Istrian Malvazija is primarily grown in Slovenia and parts of northern Italy but is most at home on the large Croatian peninsula of Istria at the north end of the Adriatic where Croatia, Slovenia and Italy meet. Wines from this grape vary greatly in style. Many are made in a fresh, reductive form, akin to the commercial white wines of New Zealand, pleasant but undistinguished. Others are macerated, or made like red wine where the skins are left with the juice during fermentation, resulting in deeply colored, even orange wines with red wine structure, tannin and all. Quality varies radically among wines of this already challenging-to-appreciate style. When bad they can be undrinkable, but the best examples are unforgettably good.     In July 2009 we tasted the 2007 Coronica Malvasia during a tasting of potential imports. We all immediately noticed that there was more to the nose than on the lineup of fresh Istrian Malvazija we had just sampled. What was tropical and bubblegummy in the other wines was still sweet-smelling but more herbal, complex and engaging. As good as it smelled, the real crux of it was the texture, sea mist, olive oil and chalk. I know, doesn’t that sound delicious? Seriously, it was clean but deep and textural, lush but mineral, fruity but savory, a wine that pushed and pulled. We all wanted more and the tasting bottle was empty, and that, my friends, is how an import is born.
    We received our first delivery of the 2008 Coronica Istrian Malvazija early this January. As I had a hand in selecting it, it was one of the wines I was most anticipating—but it has been slow to catch on. When I taste the wine I go “yeah, that’s what I want!” while buyers respond by nodding their head yes and muttering a non-committal, “interesting.” Needless to say, the situation has left me a little flustered. That is, until the season changed.     Seasonality is more than just difference in temperature. The Earth changes position, the length of day changes, plants bloom, the whole environment changes. It is logical to consider that this has an affect on our biology as well. It is also logical that this would change how a wine taste or how we taste a wine. In the case of Coronica this had not really entered my mind; if you looked at my tasting notes you would not guess that I was talking about a summer wine.     I first saw the change at the Croatian dinner at Michael’s of Naples in Long Beach that we did with The Wine Country on the 17th of June—a pretty warm night. People could not get enough of the Coronica. Pairing it with poached lobster with grilled apricot and treviso salad possibly had something to do with this. All I noticed was that people bought a lot of it—it was the second most popular wine of the night.
    This week I showed the wine to customers. Surprisingly, they were digging it. By the end of the day it was clear that something was up. When Kristyn and I sat down to eat fresh pasta with lentil bolognese, the Coronica was a must taste. The wine did in fact taste different. It was crystalline, as if all the attributes finally came into focus. The following morning I tried it again--3 days open and it was still good. It is like the wine turned on--for months it was off and then, flip, on.     No matter how familiar I may think I am with the wines we import, there is always more to learn from them. My awareness changes, and suddenly, in the middle of routine I discover a new pursuit: this time, to taste for other wines that might have turned on. Below are a few of my favorites that are drinking differently than they were 3 months ago. Most of them are 12.5% Alc. or less, and even the reds can handle a bit of a chill. They are all are fairly inexpensive, meaning there is no reason not to make it a multiple bottle night, another appropriately seasonal trait for summer.     Whites:     2009 Hilltop Winery “Craftsman” - Cserszegi Füszeres - Neszmély Region, Hungary     2008 Weinrieder “DAC” - Grüner Veltliner - Weinviertel, Austria     2009 Crnko “Jarenincan” - 40% Riesling, 30% Chardonnay, 30%Sauv. Blanc - Podravje, Slovenia - 1 Liter     2008 Szöke - Pinot Gris - Mátra, Hungary     Reds:     2008 J.Heinrich - Blaufränkisch – Mittelburgenland, Austria     2007 Dingac Winery “Peljesac” Dalmatian Coast, Croatia     2007 Dingac Winery “Plavac” Dalmatian Coast, Croatia

a great combo: lobster with Batic Cabernet Sauvignon Rose & Enjingi Grasevina.

Most of my Christmas’ are spent in Maine at my parents. Their house is on an island in the Atlantic, just off the coast. Winters are both beautiful and brutal. No matter how cold the wind, or rough the seas the seafood remains ridiculously fresh. This year brought a special surprise; soft shell lobster. These freshly molted “bugs” are the unquestionable pinnacle of the lobster world; super sweet and tender. You wont find them far from where they are caught as they are much more vulnerable, to even gentle travel, than there hard shelled brethren. There is no reason to get fancy with them. In fact you can faintly read “steam only, serve with butter” on some of their shells. So what do you drink with succulent lobster in this arctic cold? Big Chard is the standard prescription but we have forced this for years, unless you are drinking properly aged top tier Burgundy the pairing rarely works. So Cabernet of course!     The pairing logic: In a form this naked, lobster is best complemented by a soft, full bodied wine. We started with a decent feline scented Sauvignon Blanc from Chile, which the lobster made thin and astringent, so when I popped the two wines specifically selected for dinner, I did so with confidence.     The first was Ivan Enjingi’s 2003 Grasevina (Italian Riesling) from the continental region of Croatia. It could be argued that Enjingi is the Andy Warhol of wine. The 2003 Grasevina “Krasna Berba" (late harvest) is a liquid contradiction. Dense and alcoholic but savory, mineralic and complex. Not old world, nor new, Enjingi is “Other Worldly”. Grasevina is typically drunk fresh but the good ones will age like the diamond hard Semillon of Australia’s Hunter Valley. We caught this one in its adolescence, starting to show its maturity but still brash and bouncy. With the lobster it was the sauce. Herbal and rich, the wine complements the lobster as if made for it, and vice versa.     2007 Batic Rose of Cabernet Sauvignon – Vipava Valley, Slovenia. If Batic were a forge their Cabernet Sauvignon rose would be the Swiss army knife. It will appease the Cabernet narrow, fans of white zinfandel and hard core wine geeks. More texture than flavor, it is varietal cabernet without the color, tannins and smack. Musk, pepper and fruit are an unusual counterpoint to lobster but here it fits, actually accentuating the briny quality of the lobster. This is only a positive with the freshest of seafood. Ivan (wow I did not realize both producers share a first name) would love the combination, local, simply made and delicious.     Not expected, not traditional but perfectly suited. Cold weather is great for red wine but if the food demands; as it does in coastal Maine. Whites and Roses can too be kings.

Stetson and Krystin in Vienna, Austria

We're on a journey through the wine regions of Austria, Slovenia and Croatia. We're here in Austria right now and we have a lot to say (maybe too much), but not enough time to say it. So, enjoy watching our video describing what we've learned and found so far on our wine adventure.

--Stetson and Kristyn

We are about to enjoy a night of burgundy and food before we head off to Austria, Slovenia and Croatia. Our bags are packed and ready to go. I doubt we will be sleeping tonight, but that it is what the flight is for! We will try our best to blog about our journey daily, but if you don't hear from us...squawk!

A very special thanks to Frank and Zsuzsa of Blue Danube Wine Company who have made this trip possible. Words cannot describe how much we appreciate it.

--Stetson and Kristyn

BREADBAR Hatchi Series features two Blue Danube Wines

The BREADBAR Hatchi Series Wine Dinner event was packed! There was literally a "club line" at the reception stand that was about 30 people deep. To see so many people at a mall for an 8 course meal was both surreal and welcoming. BREADBAR Century City regularly hosts a series of dinners that feature guest chefs and sommeliers. This evening, the dinner was managed and featured Chef Michael Voltaggio, the Chef de Cuisine at The Dining Room At The Langham, and a Bravo TV 2009 "Top Chef Las Vegas" Contestant. The beverages were managed by David Haskell, formerly of Bin 8945 Wine Bar.

David included two of of Blue Danube Wine Company's Croatian wines in his varied and textural selection. Take a look at the menu pictured above and the food pictured below. From bubbles to beer, to Sherry to Croatia, the libations that David selected reinforced the whole texture and flavor theme. An audible favorite of the night was the Japanese tomato tartare and 2006 Križevci Winery Graševina. This wine works so well with higher acid vegetable dishes containing plenty of fresh herbs. Here, the wine enhanced the brightness of the herbs and tomatoes. While the dish gave the impression that the wine was much weightier than its modest 11% ABV would suggest. The Crispy Chicken thigh and Deus Flanders Belgian Beer pairing was a tasty diversion mid-meal and did not interfere with any of the wines.

It was followed by the Wagyu Beef Shortrib and 2007 Dingač Vinarija Plavac.The thing about this particular Plavac is that it will honestly go with just about anything. Its dusty tannins and tobacco leaf notes were a cleansing contrast to the luxurious and elegantly sauced beef dish accompanied by a horseradish foam. I also have to mention the Miso cake and sparkling Beaujolais we had. These are ideal mid-summer combination that was simultaneously complex and playful. Los Angeles is the perfect place to enjoy a wide variety of everything. To me, that's what this event was all about. I believe both Chef Michael Voltaggio and David Haskell have a bright future ahead so keep an eye on them.

--Stetson

IntoWine is a nice, review show for wine that is based in San Francisco. They have a good tendency to pick different wines for review on the web-based episodes. This naturally means that they pick up on a Croatian wine here and there.     Recently they reviewed the 2006 Bibich Riserva. It's a wine that I personally love and was happy to see it get some good press. The reviewers all gave it favorable marks. For some reason, they picked up on the oak of the wine a great deal, which is surprising as I've never found it all that oaky, but hey, they're professionals, so maybe there's a nuance I've been missing or I need to have a glass of the 2006 again. You can also try it for yourself to see what you think.     It should be noted that in what Broadbent said, the third grape in the wine actually isn't Bibich, but Babich. It's a small detail, but the first is Alen Bibich's family/winery name and the later is a common varietal grown in the Northern Dalmatia region.     

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