The wines of Istria
The Istrian coast and its irresistible yet largely overlooked wine scene. Situated in the north-western corner of Croatia is the stunning Istrian peninsula, a welcoming mix of Roman ruins, fragrant truffles, charming seaside villages, sprawling olive groves entwined together with the remnants of Italian culture from centuries of Venetian rule.
The many ports and fishing villages that are scattered across Istria’s coast are typically blessed with cobbled streets, old stone buildings and medieval castles settled upon hillsides boasting the best views of the exhilarating Adriatic Sea.
Although there is another feature of Istria’s magnificent coastline that often goes overlooked, the many vineyards that are spread over the coast, protruding like rubies out of a pictorial emerald utopia.
The reason why Istria’s abundant number of wineries have a tendency to go comparatively unobserved compared to the likes of France and Italy, is that when people think of Croatia they don’t generally tend to think about wine.
On the contrary, the wines of Istria produced on the Adriatic Coast is interesting, exciting and bursting with life, and is so flavoursome that it would give even give the French a run for their money! In fact, wines of Istria is perceived by many Istrians as an unearthly sacred potion, sculptured around a widespread belief that “The bread is for the flesh and wine is for the soul.”
Istria’s blessed geographical position that slopes gently towards the ocean and eternally towards the south west, has much to do with the region’s proficiency in winemaking.
Likewise so does the region’s land structure, made up predominantly by rich red soil that spreads over the littoral and a fertile white soil that covers the hinterland area, a land that nurtures and enriches the vineyards of Istria, which spread over an area of approximately 15,200 acres of land.
There are essentially three different types of wine in Istria – two white wines, Malvazija and Muskat, and one red wine, Teran. Possessing what has been described as the “scent of locust blossom”, Istria’s Malvazija is an age-old refreshing white wine of a golden colour that is particularly popular as an accomplishment with seafood at an Istrian seafront restaurant.
By comparison, Malvazija’s rival, Muskat, has a more floral scent that is much drier than Malvazija but also goes deliciously well with fish and is believed to be an aphrodisiac. If you are a lover of meat and find yourself in Istria be sure to wash your meal down with a healthy serving of Teran, a full-bodied, fruity red that is bursting with body and flavour.