The New Old World
July / August 2023
DISCOVER GRK & THE GARAGISTE
This month we invite you to discover the unique grape Grk, as part of a collection of wines passionately crafted by the young and talented winemaker Igor Radovanović.
We were fortunate to spend time with Igor last year, when we hosted some of Canada's leading and up-and-coming wine talents (including John Szabo, MS - Canada's first Master Sommelier) on a whistle-stop tour of Croatia. With their seal of approval, we are delighted to bring these small production wines to our Wine Club family. We hope you enjoy them as much as they did!
THE WINEMAKER
At first glance he may not look like a winemaker, but do not let looks fool you. Igor Radanović was born and raised in Smokvica on the island of Korčula - the ancestral home of Dalmatia's flagship white grape - pošip, and the mysterious variety - Grk. Winemaking is a part of life here, and his destiny was set at a young age, following in his mother's family footseps.
One of Dalmatia's leading wine talents, Igor has worked with, and consulted for, numerous wineries, including Black Island Winery where is Manager and Chief Oenologist. His greatest pride however comes from his own portfolio of wines - in his words a "garage production", but again, do not be fooled ... his is by no means your average garage winery.
Igor is a man who is both eager to learn and to experiment through an ongoing cycle of theory and practice. He is an ardent student of wine and winemaking, and has a wealth of hands on experience, having worked with some of the very best and most prominent local winemakers. Through his broad and varied experience, he has developed an understanding and appreciation for the benefits of leveraging modern tools and technology to bring the best out of the grapes and vines with which he works. When he produces his own wines, however, he embraces an inherently artisanal approach - working with his hands, his senses and his judgment, to create wines that are truly representative of the terroir of his native Smokvica.
Admirably, for a man of such talents, he remains modest and down to earth - partnering with fellow winemakers to push the boundaries of winemaking on the island, as well as happily sharing his knowledge and experience with the broader wine community, and in equal parts learning from them and continuing to evolve in his trade. Understated as always, in his words, he is quite simply a passionate garagiste.
THE WINERY
Igor started his producing his own label wines in 2012, and he currently has 1.5 hectares of vineyards in production. The majority of the land he cleared himself over a decade ago, planting vines in the crushed stone and sandy soils that are so typical in the region. The balance was a treasured gift of inheritance from his grandfather - prized old Rukatac vines, along with priceless old Grk vines.
He grows primarily three varieties - Rukatac, Plavac Mali and Grk - with small amounts of Pošip and Cetinka which he uses in select blends. In a good year, total production reaches 10,000 bottles. This is a small artisanal operation, a project of passion if you will, and one in which every wine tasted is a single vineyard and / or single barrel production.
All work in the vineyard is performed by hand, including the picking and processing of the fruit during harvest.
THE WINES
This month's offering includes three indigenous grapes, produced by a master artisan: Rukatac - the perfect white for a hot summer's day on the patio; Plavac Mali - the king of Dalmatia, and partner in crime for grilled meats straight off the BBQ; and the star attraction - the elusive Grk - so rarely found outside of Croatia.
We are truly delighted to be able to offer these wines exclusively to our wine club members.
RUKATAC
JOS'S TAKE
If you are fan of lighter, fresh and interesting, yet uncomplicated, whites, then this is a bit of a gem. This version sings with pear on the palate, great balanced acidity, typical saline notes, a zesty freshness and long finish. Already a welcome addition to our 2023 patio!
RADOVANOVIC RUKATAC
A fresh and zesty single vineyard, single tank production, from vines dating back to 1968.
The grape juice undergoes a brief maceration of 2 - 3 hours, and cold fermentation, all in stainless steel tanks. Post fermentation the wine is bottled and bottle aged before release to the market.
RUKATAC
Known as Rukatac only on the island of Korčula, this grape is known across the other wine regions of coastal Croatia as Maraština.
Wines are typically pale yellow in colour, dry, fuller bodied, replete with flavours of stone fruits, with lower acidity and alcohol content.
TASTING NOTES
Light to medium bodied, clean and bright. This fresh white wine has herbal notes, with pear front and centre on the palate, good acidity and nice balance. A delightful summer white.
SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS
Serve chilled at 10 °C.
PAIRING RECOMMENDATIONS
The perfect partner for a hot summer patio, or pair with light fare, including seafood, salted anchovies, various risottos and goats cheese.
GRK
JOS'S TAKE
If the quest for the rare and the unique is something that motivates you, then this is, most definitely, one for you. Wine lovers and aficionados aplenty have travelled the globe to seek out the elusive Grk, and with good reason. I remember well our own voyage to beautiful Korčula to make the discovery for ourselves.
It is by no means just a novelty wine, however. It is something quite special.
A captivating combination of peach and herbs with the salinity that is evident in so many of Croatia's whites, perfectly balanced, with wonderful acidity and a long, lingering finish.
GRK
Literally meaning "Greek", it was originally believed that the grape was brought to the island of Korčula by the Ancient Greeks in the 5th Century BC. This theory, however, has recently been dispelled as a result of DNA testing and the confirmed parentage with Tribidrag (the original Zinfandel). It is now commonly believe that the name derives from the word gark, meaning bitter, as a result of the wine's refined, somewhat tart aftertaste.
The hidden gem of Korčula, this indigenous grape is grown almost exclusively on the island. There are estimated to be only 15 hectares or so of Grk vines planted worldwide, all of which are to be found in Croatia. The limited volumes in production, its typical high quality and distinct flavour profile, have resulted, for more than a decade now, in a frenzy of demand for the rare gem. It is in fact rare to find it outside of Korčula, let alone outside of Croatia.
Taste profile aside, one of the elements that makes Grk unique, is that the flower's male organs are under-developed, resulting in a species that is not able to self-pollinate. The solution - it needs to be co-planted in the vineyard with a pollinator, an essential role typically played by the red variety, Plavac Mali.
Grk wines tend to be fuller bodied in nature, with great acidity, notable salinity, and an attractive, slightly bitter finish. The Radovanovic Grk is a single vineyard, single tank, limited edition production, made from 50% young and 50% old vines (approximately 50 years old). Following manual harvesting and sorting, it undergoes 6 hours of cold maceration, prior to fermentation in stainless steel, bottling, and bottle ageing.
We warmly invite you to discover this somewhat mysterious and highly prized variety.
TASTING NOTES
A classically rich and flavourful Grk. It perfectly exhibits the fine balance of stone fruit, minerality and salinity, combined with an endearing bitterness that is so typical of this variety.
SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS
Serve chilled at 10 - 13°C.
PAIRING RECOMMENDATIONS
The combination of salinity and tartness make it a perfect match for shellfish.
PLAVAC MALI
JOS'S TAKE
While some Plavac Mali's can be a touch over-bearing with their bold profile and high alcohol content, this one surprised me with its approachability, in large part thanks to good acidity, notable minerality, and an unexpected freshness for what is still a big wine. Definitely a good pick for your favourite cut on the BBQ this summer season.
RADOVANOVIC PLAVAC
Planted on crushed stone vineyards of Smokvica, Radovanovic Plavac Mali is another single vineyard, single barrel production from this acclaimed garagiste.
Following the manual harvest, the grape juice undergoes cold maceration for 2 days, prior to cold fermentation for 15 days, during which battonage is performed 2 - 3 times per day and remontage (aka pump over) once a day to expose the wine to oxygen and aid in the softening of the tannins.
Following fermentation, the wine matures in large (1,000 litre) oak barrels.
PLAVAC MALI
Plavac Mali is an ancient variety, and the most widely planted red grape in Croatia. It thrives in mainland Dalmatia, the Pelješac peninsula, and the islands of Brač, Hvar, Korčula and Vis, where it loves the steep sandy terraces and south-facing coastal slopes.
It is the renowned offspring of two old Croatian varieties - Tribidrag (genetically proven to be the original zinfandel) and the lesser known Dobričić.
The name translates to "little blue" as a result of its small blue berries, but the wines are anything but!
TASTING NOTES
Ripe dark fruits prevail in this 2019 single barrel production of Plavac Mali. It's time in oak lends notes of vanilla and a subtle influence that rounds out the wine nicely, without taking centre stage. A big wine for sure, with earthy and mineral notes, but one that retains an enjoyable freshness, through its long finish.
SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS
Best served at 16 - 18 ° C.
PAIRING RECOMMENDATIONS
Ideal partner for red meats, including lamb peka style - a best kept secret of Croatian cuisine.