Activity Review: Private Croatian Wine Tour in Dubrovnik
Similar to our first trip to Dubrovnik in 2018, we ventured to the beautiful Pejelisic peninsula and explored the beautiful vineyards that produce highly underrated wine! During the Yugoslavia times, Croatian wine was internally distributed. Since their independence day in the 1990s, they have slowly increased their exports and are gaining international attention.
Ahead of any trip, I would highly recommend reaching out to Mario Sehic at Dubrovnik Wine Tours for a day to remember in Croatian vineyards!
Vina Vukas
Similar to our first wine tour, we visited the small family run winery, Vina Vukas, just outside the town of Ston. Located in their family home, Vina Vukas produces about 15,000 bottles a year. Unlike our last tour, we had Mario’s undivided attention and all the great food pairings to ourselves! Mario explained how to taste the wine, smell the wine, and how to know how long to age your wine! Quite a lovely start!
For our tasting, we had the following wines, all made from the famous Plavic Mali grape variety:
- 2017 Sparkling rose. This wine had cherry lemonade flavours and is very nice and light. We could drink the whole bottle!
- Mato 2018. This is their classic table wine. The wine is aged for one year in old French oak barrels. The taste is very full of tannins which means we instantly had a dried out mouth. We paired this wine with terrific mature cheddar soaked in olive oil.
- Pleroei 2017. This is the “intro” exlusive red wine as it is aged for 2.5 years in old oak barrels. Compared to Mato, it has less tannins meaning less drying out our mouth. The flavor is full of fruits and very tasty!
- 2016 Riserva. Compared to the other wines, the Reserva is a step ahead and definitely tastes nice! The wine is aged in new oak barrels for four years. The flavor is full of spices and vanilla and pairs well with dark chocolate as the chocolate eliminates the spicy notes.
We purchased the following bottles because we enjoyed them so much!
- 2 2016 Riserva
- 2 2017 Pleroei
- 1 2017 Sparkling rose
- 1 2018 Rose
Milos Winery
Compared to our first winery, Milos is steeped in history and represents the Croatia’s fine wine industry because it creates unique wines. Unlike other wineries, Milos was the first winery to export after independence. In addition, they also age their wine differently to other wineries. Instead of using recently old or new barrels, Milos uses incredibly old barrels even dating back to the 1940s! Even more special, the winery usually ages half in the barrel, and then half in the bottle for a minimum of four years - regardless of the type! Quite incredible and different!
We tasted the following wines:
- 2019 Rose. Compared to the other roses, this one is very nice because it is dry but with a sweet after taste. We thought it was really good. This wine is perfect to sit on a terrace and enjoy it in summer. Definitely one of our favorites!
- 2017 Plavic Mali. The base wine at Milos is aged for 2 years in old oak barrels, followed by 2 years in the bottle. From 20 year old vines, this wine still has some tangents, but still has good fruit notes. We thought it was very nice and easy to drink!
- 2009 Stagnum. One of the top vintages in Croatia, Stagnum is aged for 6 years in old oak barrels, followed by 4 years in the bottle. Full of leathery notes, well balanced, and pairs really well with mature cheese, steak, and gamey meats. This one is pricey but very good!
- Olive oil. As a nice surprise, we tasted their homemade olive oil! We thought it was very smooth with a peppery aftertaste.
We purchased the following bottles because we enjoyed them so much!
- 1 2019 Rose
- 1 2009 Stagnum
Grgurevic
At our third winery, while we were definitely on the tipsy side, we were ready to venture into the Croatian white world. At Grgurevic, they have fantastic white wines from local varieties. Similar to Vina Vukas, this is a 5th generation winery and do not produce much each year.
We tasted the following wines:
- 2019 Grk. A local grape variety grown in Korcula. Aged in stainless steel for less than a year, the wine is very light and easy. It is perfect for a summer day!
- 2018 Posip. Similar to Grk, this wine variety is made using a special French method that keeps yeast in touch with wine after the yeasts dies. While Mario described it very well, we were a little lost! Posip has a medium body but not too bad for a white wine that can be enjoyed at dinner. This wine pairs well with lobster or prawns in creamy sauce.
- 2016 Plavic Mali. As the top vintage, they named it "grand cru” after those in Bordeaux and Burgundy. Made as 90% plavic Mali, 5% zinfidel, 5% local, the winery only produces 900 bottles. The wine is aged for 2 years in new oak barrels. The wine is very earthy and has medium to high tannins.
We purchased the following bottles because we enjoyed them so much!
- 1 2019 Grk
- 1 2016 Plavic Mali
Madirazza
Similar to Vina Vukas, we returned to Madirazza Winery which is located just outside the famous Dingac vineyards. One of the larger vineyards, they produce many different types.
- 2019 Orange wine. Unique to Slovenia and Croatia, this wine is created by keeping red grapes in touch with skins for a little bit longer leaving a nice red wine taste with a white wine look. We definitely enjoyed it!
- Postup. One of the best varieties in Croatian wine, Postup is very smooth. This one has a fruity beginning with huge smokey sausage aftertaste. I enjoyed this one much more than a Dingac because I could drink this without food - although Mario would be very upset!
- 2009 Dingac Reserve. One of the top vintages from a very good year, this wine is very good. It has a silky taste and is full of earthy tones.
- Prosek. One of the dessert wines, the vineyard dries out the grapes. Mario showed us that dessert wine pairs well with blue cheese. MF actually enjoyed it too despite not liking blue cheese!
We purchased the following bottles because we enjoyed them so much!
- 1 Postup
- 1 2019 Orange Wine
- 1 2009 Reserve
A Visit to Chateau Mario
Over a month ago whilst we were on our UK road trip, Mario invited us to join his Chateau Mario wine club. In 2022, we will enjoy six bottles of Dingac from his very own vineyard! Because we are members, we obviously had to visit our investment!
Chateau Mario!
Located near the sea, the vineyard is in a stunning location. While it is tiny, it is simply beautiful. Beyond his vineyard is his actual vineyard that will be ready in a few years. Right now, the vines are still babies so we will have to wait a few more years! Mario has grand plans that will require another visit to Dubrovnik in the future. Because we were close to harvest time, Mario tested our taste buds with freshly picked grapes. While they were a little bit bitter, we knew they need a few more weeks under the sun. According to Mario, 2020 will be a fantastic vintage because Croatia has had a very long and hot summer. We cannot wait to try it in 2022!
Seaside
Chateau Mario
Seaside Lunch
After our lovely vineyard visit, Mario drove us to our final destination for a seaside lunch. Located in a small village on the peninsula, we knew we were in for fantastic seafood! For our appetizer, we had octopus carpaccio and tuna pate. I was very surprised that we liked it as much as we did because we normally do not ordered this type!
For our main dish, Mario ordered a trio of freshly caught and grilled seafood: local sea beam, squid, and prawn. We definitely enjoyed it! One of the main reasons why we think Mario runs one of the best wine tours is he pushes us to try new foods and pairs it really well with local wine. Boy, did he deliver on this meal!
The UnChartered Summary
Similar to our first Croatian wine tour, Mario delivered a superb experience. He terrificly pairs local foods with delicious wine and doesn’t mind our “beginner” questions.
- During normal times, I again highly recommend this tour! If you’re lucky, you can even visit his own vineyard!
- If you want to join Chateau Mario and bet on the 2020 vintage, email him and ask!
