The New Old World
March / April 2024
DISCOVER STINA WINERY
Stina is stone.
Stone is inspiration.
It takes an artist to create a wine of opulent flavour from a field of stones.
For the inhabitants of the island of Brač, off the Dalmatian coast, stone is at the very core of their history and traditions. You may not have visited the island yourself, but the chances are that you will have laid eyes on Brač stone - if not in person, then through media channels - as it is at the very core of many world famous pieces of architecture from Diocletian's Palace in Split, to the Parliament Building in Vienna, to the White House in Washington D.C.
We are excited to bring you this month's selection from Stina Winery on the island of Brač. We invite you to discover two new indigenous grapes - Vugava and Tribidrag. The former is quite rare, and the chances are, you have never sampled it unless you have visited the select, charming Dalmatian islands where it thrives. The latter you may think you have never heard of let alone tasted, but you you are likely mistaken!
We hope you enjoy!
THE WINEMAKER
Petar Kusić is the epitome of a gentle giant. As bold in stature as the Tribidrag he produces, Petar is humble and charming. An agronomist by training, he is responsible for all production activities at Stina Winery, with a team of oenologists, wine consultants and cellar masters under his watchful eye.
Wine has always been a key presence in life: from his viticulture studies in Zagreb, to his career spent working vineyards across the region, from inland Slavonia, to Istrian Slovenia, to his cherished Dalmatia. In the last decade he has found his true home at Stina, crafting beautiful wines from fields of stone. When not in the vineyards and the cellar, you can find Petar, as we first did, on his daily commute on the Split to Brač ferry.
THE WINERY
Wine making is an ancient tradition on the island of Brač, with deep roots and a long history dating back to when the Greeks introduced the first vines there around the 5th century BC. Dating back to 1903, the winery that is today home to Stina, is believed to be the closest in the world to the actual sea, enabling the workers in the old days to simply roll the barrels directly from land to ship and for the nectar of the gods to set sail to far-away lands and fulfill wine lovers pleasures across the Mediterranean.
As in much of the world, the region was devastated by the phylloxera plague that struck in the late 19th century, and it was only in 2009 that production of wine in Brač was revived with the arrival of Jako Andabak and the birth of Stina.
Stina's vineyards on the island are in the most extreme locations. It is difficult to understand how the vines were first planted, let alone lovingly maintained and harvested. In places the gradient reaches 70% with vines planted at up to 500m above sea level. We were fortunate to tour these vineyards a few years ago - a truly extraordinary experience, and not for the faint of heart (the ride up to the top is precarious to say the least!).
In addition to the flagship Dalmatian varieties of Pošip and Plavac Mali, the island also possesses prime growing locations for the rare, sophisticated Vugava, and the big and bold Tribidrag, which is going through somewhat of a renaissance in Dalmatia since DNA profiling confirmed it to be the original Zinfandel.
Vines are planted on crushed stone in vineyards at altitude with strong exposure to the wind and the sun. Yields are very low, and quality extremely high. The resulting wines have a strong structure, good acidity and extreme minerality. These are wines that rapidly transport you to the Adriatic coast.
THE WINES
Stina wines are inspired by stone and the magic and inspiration that can come from stone, be it art, or be it wine. Their traditional labelling is the pure representation of stone as a canvas - an all white cotton label, with embossed lettering, invisible at a distance. Without close inspection, the bottles you have received may look identical. We hope you enjoy Vugava and Tribidrag - two premium wines from Stina's portfolio.
STINA VUGAVA
JOS'S TAKE
When he first sampled Stina Vugava in 2020, John Szabo, Canada's first Master Sommelier, highlighted the grape as "one of the shining lights of the Croatian wine revolution". It is difficult to disagree with this statement.
For me, Stina's take on this rare variety, bears all the very best characteristics of a high quality Dalmatian white wine, but with its very own regional, sun-drenched, saline swagger.
STINA VUGAVA
Stina's Vugava is produced on stony vineyards on the island of Brač.
Grapes are handpicked in the early morning hours, cooled before pressing, and pressing occurs without any contact with oxygen.
Controlled fermentation takes place with selected yeasts in wooden vats. The wine matures for 6 months sur lie in wooden vats.
VUGAVA
100% Vugava, Dalmatia's hidden gem.
Indigenous to the island of Vis, it thrives on stony, sandy hillside slopes, where, with optimal sun exposure and Adriatic breezes it ripens quickly. As a result, harvests needs to be closely managed.
Wines are intense and aromatic in nature, golden yellow in colour, with a palate of green apples and ripe apricots.
TASTING NOTES
Stina's Vugava is a polished, medium-full bodied white wine, firm with striking, lemony acidity yet lovely richness, texture and minerality, and excellent length.
"Vugava is the grape, a Croatian original born on the island of Vis, and one of the shining lights of the Croatian wine revolution. This is a high-quality version from nearby Brac Island made by the excellent Stina Winery, evident right off the top, one of those lovely, stony, sun-drenched white and yellow fruit-flavoured Mediterranean whites with citrus blossom notes, rich body, bright, balancing acids and perfectly dialed lees influence. This is exciting wine, full stop. Check it out." John Szabo, MS (94 pts) - 2019 vintage.
SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS
Chill well, to 10 - 12°C.
PAIRING RECOMMENDATIONS
Shellfish, poultry and summer salads.
STINA TRIBIDRAG
JOS'S TAKE
At the end of a 4 year quest in 2002, researchers from UC Davis and the University of Zagreb, assisted and encouraged by the legendary Miljenko "Mike" Grgić, completed their DNA analysis that confirmed that Tribidrag (otherwise known as the tongue-twisting Crljenak Kaštelanski) was in fact the original Zinfandel, or Primitivo. Tribidrag's origin's in Croatia were further cemented in the following years when close relationships were discovered with a host of other local Dalmatian varieties, including Grk, Plavina and Plavac Mali, names that hopefully sound familiar to the longer term wine club members amongst you!
Stina has been one of many wineries that have actively participated in the grape's renaissance in the decades since. What was once, a mere 20 years ago, close to Dalmatian extinction, is now well and truly back on the Croatian wine map.
This is a quite delicious old world take on what many understandably think of as a new world wine. Smooth, robust, fruit intensive with earthy undertones and great balance. It definitely has some good aging potential, if, of course, you can resist the temptation of experiencing it sooner...
STINA TRIBIDRAG
The grapes are harvested by hand from a premium single vineyard site on the northern side of the island of Brač - a location best suited for this variety.
The wine is fermented and macerated for 2-3 weeks in stainless steel vats under controlled temperature in order to preserve the freshness and the fruitiness of the grapes.
The wine is further aged for 12 months in old French oak barrique barrels and at least for another 6 months in the bottle.
TRIBIDRAG
100% Tribidrag.
Tribidrag (aka Crljenak Kaštelanski) is genetically proven to be the original Zinfandel or Primitivo.
It is an old varietal with its ancestral home in the region of Dalmatia. It is well suited to the hot, Mediterranean climate, and ripens early, to produce wonderfully deep red wines, with subtle tannins and good acidity.
Wines are bold and fruit-forward, with strong notes of Mediterranean herbs and pepper.
TASTING NOTES
Tribidrag is the original Zinfandel, and Stina's version is a benchmark example.
Big and bold yet elegant, with soft, ripe tannins, distinct fruitiness and balanced acidity.
This robust red wine is characterized by dark fruit aromas such as blackberries and blueberries, along with liquorice notes. Barrique notes are elegantly incorporated and they further enrich the bouquet and taste.
It is a classic and hearty Dalmatian red, with a long, lingering finish.
SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS
16 - 18 ° C. Decant an hour before consumption.
PAIRING RECOMMENDATIONS
An ideal partner for red meat and game meat dishes or strong cheeses.