Palm & Vine
  • Wine
    • Tastings & Events
    • World of Wine
    • Wineries
  • Rare Varieties
  • Learn To Blind Taste
  • Food & Wine
  • About
    • Musings
    • Contact Me

Copyright © 2020 Palm & Vine.
All Rights Reserved.

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy
Disclaimer

Copyright © 2020 Palm & Vine. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy | Disclaimer

Contact
Palm & Vine
Palm & Vine Palm & Vine
  • Wine
    • Tastings & Events
    • World of Wine
    • Wineries
  • Rare Varieties
  • Learn To Blind Taste
  • Food & Wine
  • About
    • Musings
    • Contact Me
Plavac Mali
  • Rare Varieties

Plavac Mali – A “Little Blue” Grape Makes Powerful Wines

  • No comments
  • 4 minute read
Total
1
Shares
1
0
0

If you have never tried a Croatian wine, then Plavac Mali is an ideal place to begin. This is also the Croatian wine that is likely most accessible to you, as it’s amongst the top three most planted grape varieties in Croatia. More specifically, Plavac Mali is an indigenous variety to Dalmatia. If you’re not familiar with Dalmatia or Croatia, go look at a map. Dalmatia is that thin strip of land in Southern Croatia with Bosnia and Herzegovina to the east and the Adriatic Sea to the left. If you’ve ever been to Dubrovnik or seen an episode of Game of Thrones, then you are already familiar with Dalmatia. Actually, I wonder if Cersei was sipping on Plavac Mali when they were filming Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik…I digress.

Back to the wine! Even if you’ve tasted Croatian wines or Plavac Mali before, this is a fantastic wine to revisit as the best examples are powerful, rich, and boisterous.  

The Variety: Plavac Mali

In Croatian, the variety’s name translates to “little blue” and refers to the small, distinctively blueish grapes of Plavac Mali. If you love Zinfandel, then Plavac Mali could be another wine that you’ll adore. Research has show that Zinfandel is identical to the Croatian variety Crljenak Kaštelanski (also known as Tribidag). Plavac Mali is actually a cross between the Croatian Zinfandel and a lesser known variety called Dobričić.

According to Wine-Searcher, winemaker Mike Grgich initiated the research that led to this discovery. Mike was behind the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that ousted the French competition at the famous 1976 Judgement of Paris blind tasting. He grew up on the Dalmatian coast and recognized the similarities between Zinfandel in America and the Plavac Mali he tasted when he was young. So, he engaged UC Davis researchers to further investigate the matter.

Plavac Mali

In The Glass

Plavac Mali ranges in style from rustic and homemade to more traditional and easy drinking to modern and complex. This is the wine that you will find in most restaurants and konoba (taverns or cellars) throughout Croatia. When made well, you can expect powerful, perfumed wines with dark berry flavors, like blackberry and black cherry, along with aromas of dried fig, spice, and carob. Oak-aged examples will also show more leather, cedar, baked fruit, and sweet spice aromas. The wines are typically medium to full bodied with high alcohol, powerful yet well-integrated tannins, and moderate acidity. The best examples will have a juicy, long-lasting finish.

Plavac Mali In The Vineyard

Plavac Mali is a low-yielding variety in the vineyard, yet the small, thick-skinned berries achieve a rather high sugar content. Therefore, you can expect these wines to have higher alcohol ranging from 13% – 15% on average, as well as higher tannins. Some wines may be produced with a bit of residual sugar to moderate the tannins and high alcohol. Additionally, this is a late-ripening variety that needs a lot of sunshine and warmth to achieve full maturation.

Climate And Soil of Dalmatia

Plavac Mali thrives on mainland Dalmatia, the Pelješac peninsula, and the islands of Hvar, Korčula, Vis, and Brač. All exhibit a Mediterranean climate with dry, warm summers and a lot of sunny days year-round. These conditions are ideal for producing full-bodied, developed wines. Plavac Mali is a variety that tends towards uneven ripening, so it needs all the sunshine it can get.

Winemaker Jo Ahearn, MW believes that the best Plavac Mali comes from Hvar where the variety is planted to steep slopes on the island. Sloped vineyards provide extra sunshine due to their aspect, as well as from the reflections of the sun off of the white soils (in Hvar) and the Adriatic Sea.

Traditionally, Dalmatian vineyards were planted to slopes along the coast. Though today, Croatians are planting more Plavac Mali vineyards inland where they experience a larger diurnal temperature change. Furthermore, there is increased soil variation near the regions of Skradin and Zadar in northern Dalmatia, which also translates to the wines. Otherwise, Dalmatia offers mostly stony, karst soils.

Plavac Mali

The Winery: Miloš 2016

For centuries, the Miloš family has lived in the Pelješac Peninsula. They were involved in agriculture and always cultivated vineyards. Following World War II, the family was forced to cease winemaking and sell their grapes to government owned wineries. With the fall of Communism, Frano Miloš was able to fulfill his and his family’s dream of making wine under the family name.

Miloš vineyards are nestled between the Pratpratno Cove and the Ponikve Village on the Pelješac Peninsula. Here Plavac Mali grows on rocky terrain. The vines receive ample circulation, light, and warmth amidst the slopes in this area. Check out Miloš winemaking philosophy for a better understanding of what it’s like to cultivate Plavac Mali here.

A man can truly reaffirm himself in his surroundings by continuously evolving and trying to create a better and nicer world.

Frano Miloš

Tasting Notes: Miloš Plavac Mali 2016

  • Medium intensity ruby red with red hues
  • Medium intensity aromas of black cherry, dried figs, blackberry, spice notes and pepper
  • Soft and grippy tannins, medium body with aromas of dried figs and showing more leather cedar, sweet spice notes on the palate
  • I would definitely buy this wine again
  • Reminiscent of Zinfandel, but a bit more refined and less robust

Pairing Suggestions

Plavac Mali is a fantastic wine to pair with smoked brisket, barbequed ribs, or grilled lamb burgers topped with feta, arugula, and a spicy aioli. I could even see this wine going perfectly with a branzino stuffed with aromatics and thrown on the grill. Paella or a seafood and sausage gumbo are other ideal pairings for Plavac Mali. For a simple pairing, this wine is fantastic with hard cheeses and charcuterie with bolder flavors.

Sources

Wind and Wine Croatia

Total Croatia Wine

Seven Fifty Daily

Guild Somm

Share 1
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Total
1
Shares
Share 1
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Related Topics
  • Croatian Wine
  • International Wine
  • Red Wine
  • Wine Tasting
Previous Article
Goruli Mtsvane
  • Rare Varieties

Goruli Mtsvane – The Life of The Party

View Post
Next Article
Adelaida Vineyards & Winery
  • World of Wine

Exclusive Look Inside Adelaida Vineyards & Winery

View Post
You May Also Like
Turan
View Post
  • Rare Varieties

Turán – A Rare Teinturier Hungarian Variety

  • palmandvine
  • March 18, 2021
Blauburger
View Post
  • Rare Varieties

Blauburger Makes a Rare Single-Varietal Appearance

  • palmandvine
  • March 11, 2021
Kadarka
View Post
  • Rare Varieties

Kadarka – A Rare Hungarian Red for Burgundy Lovers

  • palmandvine
  • March 4, 2021
Maturana Blanca
View Post
  • Rare Varieties

Maturana Blanca – An Old White Variety Revived in Rioja

  • palmandvine
  • February 11, 2021
Lasina Ante Sladić
View Post
  • Rare Varieties

Lasina – An Unexpected Style From Dalmatia

  • palmandvine
  • December 3, 2020
Piedirosso
View Post
  • Rare Varieties

Piedirosso – Blessed by the Tears of Christ Under Mount Vesuvius

  • palmandvine
  • November 19, 2020
Tempranillo Blanco
View Post
  • Rare Varieties

Tempranillo Blanco – A Rare Mutation Results in Top Wines

  • palmandvine
  • November 12, 2020
Maturana Tinta
View Post
  • Rare Varieties

Maturana Tinta Makes A Comeback from Near Extinction in Rioja

  • palmandvine
  • October 22, 2020

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Copyright © 2020 Palm & Vine.
All Rights Reserved.
 

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy
Disclaimer

Tags
Albariño Appetizers Australian Wine California Wine Chardonnay Food and Wine French Wine Gamay Greek Wine Grenache Grüner Veltliner International Wine Italian Wine Main Dish Mediterranean Napa Valley Paso Robles Pinot Gris Pinot Noir Red Wine red wine pairing Riesling Rosè Wine Pairing Rosé Salad Sardinia Sauvignon Blanc Side Dish Sonoma Spanish Wine Sparkling Wine Sparkling Wine Pairing Tasting Notes Travel Travel Story Vegetarian Vermentino White Wine White Wine Pairing winemaking Wine Pairing Wine Regions Winery Wine Tasting Wine Travel

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

This website uses cookies to function and to track how you interact with the website. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Read More Cookie settings Accept
Cookie Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser, as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Analytics

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

Performance

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

Advertisement

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.