Wine Tasting Archives

5 min

Rare Varieties

Kadarka – A Rare Hungarian Red for Burgundy Lovers

Hungarian wines have remained somewhat inconspicuous on the international wine market over the past couple of centuries. Of course, the golden-hued, sweet aszú wines of Tokaj, once adored by popes,…

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2 min

Rare Varieties

Lasina – An Unexpected Style From Dalmatia

Croatia is one of the oldest wine producing countries in the world. The country’s winemaking traditions originated in Dalmatia where the Greeks settled in the 5th century B.C., bringing their…

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6 min

Rare Varieties

Piedirosso – Blessed by the Tears of Christ Under Mount Vesuvius

In 79 AD, the massive, destructive eruption of Mount Vesuvius brought tragedy to Campania in Southern Italy. The eruption infamously destroyed and buried Pompeii in volcanic ash, freezing the ancient…

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4 min

Rare Varieties

Maturana Tinta Makes A Comeback from Near Extinction in Rioja

When I started this series on rare varieties, my intentions were twofold. First, I was curious to discover the lesser known varieties of the world. Due to the fact that…

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4 min

Rare Varieties

Graševina – A Grape of Unknown Origins Thrives In Croatia

Though not a common wine on the international scene, Graševina is the most widely planted grape in Croatia. Actually, Graševina claims something like every fifth vine in the country. As…

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3 min

Rare Varieties

Pušipel – A Grape of Many Names

Have you ever heard of Furmint, one of the varieties behind Hungary’s famed Tokaji wines? Well, in Croatia, Furmint is known as Pušipel. Actually, Furmint was called Šipon in Croatia…

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3 min

Rare Varieties

Babić – A Powerful And Fresh Croatian Red Wine

If you’re looking for a harmonious, balanced and unique red wine, then look no further than Babić. Grown only in northern Dalmatia, this Croatian variety accounts for just 1% of…

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3 min

Rare Varieties

Grk – The Most Obscure Wine I’ve Tasted Yet

What’s the most obscure variety you’ve ever tasted? For me, it’s Grk. This indigenous Croatian variety grows exclusively on the island of Korçula in Lumbarda. Actually, this village is the…

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3 min

Rare Varieties

Limnio Embodies The Potential of New Greek Wines

This week’s Rare Varieties feature takes us back to Greece to discover an ancient variety first mentioned by Homer. Actually, Homer wasn’t the only famous ancient Greek writer to talk…

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4 min

Rare Varieties

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

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,…