A gift from my good friend Matthew Horkey of Exotic Wine Travel. He really knows my palate and as I know very little about Croatian wine he gave me a bottle that should set me on track. If expert recommendations would always work like this…
Tasted blind I would guess a Primitivo di Manduria. Although confusingly this is less sweet and has low acidity. It tastes more honest compared to the Puglians, whose disjointed acidity often suggests heavy tartaric addition. This is quite complex, showing new layers at each sip. I noted mulberries, cooked strawberries, leather and a touch of balsamic vinegar, then a bit later the list went as hibiscus, green figs and cantaloupe. It smells sweet but tastes dry. Broad with a creamy texture, the palate builds to a massively tannic finish. High quality, ripe tannins, I love them. This is a winner, a generous, well structured, true Mediterranean red.
Rating: outstanding, 90 points.