Nov 3, 2020
Motovun seen from Vinarija Tomaz, Istria, Croatia 🇭🇷 (www.vina-tomaz.hr)
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Motovun seen from Vinarija Tomaz, Istria, Croatia 🇭🇷 (www.vina-tomaz.hr)
Ipša’s Santa Elena 2017: certified organic coupage 50/50 of refošk and merlot from Istria’s highest vineyard in Motovun’s municipality, Croatia. Sour and black cherry, but mostly raspberry. In mouth some rosemary, a hint of chocolate and leather. Full body, tannins still rather gritty, great acidity which compensates well its 14.5% alcohol level. Very long finish where raspberry flavour dominates. 93 pts now but it needs at least one more year to soften the tannins and develop more tertiaries. Ipša have achieved prestigious awards for their olive oils, recently they’ve also started winemaking with brilliant results.
Testament Babić 2017, certified organic by Testament winery, Šibenik county, Dalmatia, Croatia. EYE: very dark ruby. NOSE: red fruit (cherry, raspberry) as well as black (black cherry, a bit of blackberry), spiciness (black pepper, cloves) PALATE: medium acidity and structure, tannins are silky. The black fruit prevails on the red one, spices more evident, good minerality (salt), a bit of carrob. Very long finish. Perfect balance. An awesome Babić. 95 pts.
Antunović (Pelješac Peninsula) Rukatac sur lie. After few hours of skin contact, the must continues its fermentation sur lie in 500 lit oak barrels. It spends in wood 8 months. EYE: pale gold, greenish nuance. NOSE: lemon (fruit and zest). PALATE: lemon, here the zest more evident, a bit flinty, some buttery feeling. Well balanced and round, great length. An excellent Rukatac to look for 91 pts. At Peninsula wine bar-shop in Donja Banda, Pelješac
Vinarija Cipre’s Grk 2019, fermented and aged in steel, no batonnage. EYE: pale gold NOSE: golden apple and lemon. PALATE: golden apple more pronounced, zest, some flint. Good structure and acidity, long persistence. I gave it 90 pts (August 2020), but I think it will still improve in the months to come. From a small family winery in the village of Lumbarda, Korčula island, Southern Dalmatia
Viña Frontera, El Hierro, Canary Islands. 🇪🇸Baboso Tinto 2017. EYE: ruby/granat NOSE: balsamic (laurel). PALATE of great complexity: laurel, liquorice, cacao, black pepper, rose. Medium to big structure, silky tannins, perfect balance, a nearly never ending finish. Awesome wine! 97 pts.
Baboso Tinto is widely cultivated in the archipelago, it can also be found in Asturias and parts of Portugal where it’s called Alvarinho Tinto.
Plavac Mali vineyards in Postup, Pelješac Peninsula, Southern Dalmatia
WINE ILLUSTRATIONS BY JUSSI KAAKINEN
Hey, all you wine lovers! Take a look at these stylish wine illustrations by Jussi Kaakinen for VIINI-lehti (Finnish wine magazine). Jussi is a regular illustrator for this magazine’s columns about different wine areas and grape varieties. Here you can see Jussi’s interpretations of grapes like Merlot, Malbec, Barbera and Glera.
So learn your wines with Jussi and see more of his brilliant illustrations here.