Grape Spotlight: Herzegovina Tamjanika (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) from Wines of Illyria

Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is an ancient white wine grape that originated in Greece and spread through southern Europe. In Italy, it is known as Muscat Blanc and the source of sparkling Asti and the semi-sparkling Moscato d’Asti. In France, it is one of that country's most widely planted white grape varieties -- particularly in southern France. And in the Balkins - specifically Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina -- local clones of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains are called Tamjanika. 

Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is named for its small berries and seeds (petits grains) and requires a long growing season as its buds early and ripens relatively late. Because of the small and dense berries, it is susceptible to mildew diseases and requires regular canopy management.  Like other muscat grapes, it produces a very aromatic wine either spicy, floral, and\or fruity.  It's high sugar density and acidity encourage vinification into sparkling and off-dry styles. That being said, in the Balkins, Tamjanika wines are generally drier since the hot Mediterranean climate inhibits the accumulation of sugar and acidity. 

In Bosnia-Herzegovina, Tamjanika is grown in the Mediterranean climate of Herzegovina near Mostar where agriculture is influenced by the Adriatic Sea (about 20 miles distance), several rivers, and the Herzegovinian mountains. The vines are generally planted in sandy loam soils at 150 to 1,000 feet above sea level. 

For this Wines of Illyria Galerija Vukoje Tamjanika 2019 ($21.99), the grapes are sourced from Vukoje Cellars -- located near the town of Trebinje on the banks of the Trebišnjica river. Trebinje is the southernmost city in Herzegovina and only 20 miles or so from Dubrovnik. Vukoje Cellars farms two estates with the Zasad Polje vineyards being the source of the Tamjanika. These vines are planted along the Trebišnjica riverbed with the dry and rugged country nearby. This wine starts with a floral aroma then transitioning to lime, grapefruit, and melon with some depth and finishes with food-friendly acidity. 

Milicevic Family Vineyards: Wine from Louisiana and Herzegovina

While conducting a review of craft beverage establishments by state for theCompass Craft Beverage Finder, I noticed a new winery in Louisana with ties to a unique wine region: Herzegovina. In 1950, Milicevic Family Vineyards opened in the Croatian area of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and as a young man, Ivan Milicevic worked on his family-owned vineyards. He immigrated to the United States in 1989 settling in Louisiana where he eventually purchased land in Abita Springs. In 2015 he planted a vineyard on this property in order to open a U.S. version of Milicevic Family Vineyards. This vineyard included Blatina and Zilavka, two grapevines that exist only in his native Herzegovina.  This decision presented two challenges. Can these vines prosper in the Bayou State's extreme humidity? And could the female Blatina grapevine be pollinated by the other grapevines planted in the vineyard?  

Through VinoShipper, I thought I had purchased wines from this estate vineyard in order to answer these questions; but instead, the wines were actually produced by the MFV in Herzegovina. In this regard, they were a little overvalued - but very well made and enjoyable.  After a little research, I think these wines are from the Citluk Winery, the largest winery in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and also the source of a similar wine - the Wines of Illyria Blatina.  

Milicevic Family Vineyards Red Table Wine ($28)
This is 100% Blatina which closely resembles those I had previously sampled. Think dark cherries and black raspberries and traces of mint, chocolate, and toffee. It also provides a very smooth finish with easy tannins. 

Milicevic Family Vineyards White Table Wine ($28)
This wine is comprised of 85% Žilavka (Zhi-luv-kah) with 15% Bena with the former providing the robust flavor and alcohol and the latter acidity.  Žilavka also contains a slight nutty profile which is more prevalent in this wine's aroma. The core is fresh grapefruits and lemons with a chewy and acidic boost at the tail 

Grape Spotlight: Herzegovina Trnjak

Trnjak (TER-nyak) is an indigenous grape to both Croatia and Herzegovina and is usually planted as the pollinator to the more popular female Blatina grape.  For instance, Vinarija Citluk, the biggest winery in Bosnia and Herzegovina, plants a row of Blatina, a row of Trnjak, 2 rows of Blatina, a row of Trnjak, and so on. And in the best of times, Trnjak is able to pollinate itself as well as the Blatina. Currently, Blatina is the more fashionable wine, but after opening a bottle of the 2015 Wines of Illyria Trnjak ($35.99), I see Trnjak as having more potential. It provides more body and structure than Blatina, just as rustic, with a little more spice.  Sadly, there's just not a lot of Trnjak produced or available. This and other Illyria wines are available on the East Coast and hopefully soon in the DC area through Siema Wines.

Grape Spotlight: Herzegovina Blatina

Most cultivated grapevines are hermaphroditic -- meaning that their flowers are both male and female and thus, can self-pollenate. These grapevine flowers have no petals and grow on stem clusters that will eventually turn into grape clusters (1).  However, some grapevine flowers are completely female and require cross-pollination. In these cases, the vineyards are interplanted with other grape varieties that then pollinate the female vines. Natural pollination is a fickle process so over time yields from these female grapevines are very unstable. As a result, these grapes are generally obscure and only planted in regions where the grape has historic significance (2).

Blatina (Blah-tee-nah) is one such female grape and only in Herzegovina -- specifically south of Mostar Bosnia around the towns of Čitluk, Međugorje, Ljubuški, and Čapljina.  Blatina vineyards are interplanted with a few vines of either Alicante Bouchet (Kambuša), Merlot, and Trnjak in order to cross-pollinate.  When pollination does take effect the fermented wine is generally full-bodied with juicy dark fruit. This Wines of Illyria Blatina ($10) is definitely full-bodied with juicy plum and blackberries and uniquely a little chocolate dirt. Very old world. The recommended food pairings are grilled red meats, chicken, sausage, or seafood paella made with red peppers and onions and we confirm the grilled red meats (mititei or cevapi).


(1) How to Tell a Male Grapevine From a Female Grapevine
(2) Female Grape Varieties

Grape Spotlight: Montenegro & Herzegovina Vranac

Last October, the Embassy of Montenegro poured an excellent Plantaze Vranac ProCorde Special Reserve Dry Red Wine wine during an International Club of DC dinner. For many of us, it was the first time sampling this ancient grape that is indigenous to this relatively dry, mountainous, and Mediterranean climate. Specifically, the grapes for this wine were grown in the Podgorica subregion, Montenegrin basin of Lake Skadar - the largest lake in Southern Europe and shared with Albania. This Vranac was a dense wine with dark fruit, firm tannins, earthiness, and abundant acidity - the latter being retained by the cooler climate.  DNA  evidence also suggests that Vranac is related to Kratosija - the local synonym for Tribidrag-Crljenak Kastelanski, Primitivo and Zinfandel.

From Montenegro, Vranac spread to southward into the Macedonian Republic which has the largest plantings of this blacked skinned grape and northward into Bosnia-Herzegovina which has the third-largest planting.  In Herzegovina, plantings are clustered around Mostar which is a much hotter Mediterranean climate than Montenegro - yet Vranac is still able to retain its acidity even in warm climates. This was evident by the 2012 Wines of Illyria Vranac ($17) which resembles Italian Primitivo rather than American Zinfandel as this Black Stallion has disciplined juicy dark red fruit and layers of acidity. It finishes with a hint of bitterness and saline.  This and other Illyria wines are available on the East Coast and hopefully soon in the DC area through Siema Wines.

Grape Spotlight: Žilavka of Medjugorje

The Mediterranean climate that attracts viticulture in Croatia's coastal regions do not end at the Adriatic but extend into Herzegovina -- the southern region within Bosnia-Herzegovina. Grapes have been cultivated in this region for at least a millennium, with vineyards planted in limestone soils from the coast to the city of Mostar. Žilavka is the predominant white grape that flourishes even during drought conditions.

St. James Cathedral

The grape is noted for its abundant acidity and sugar concentration providing the potential for high alcohol levels, two traits that influence its use in brandy distilling. As a single varietal wine, Žilavka provides an interesting nutty, sometimes pine-ish, character. Wineries often enhance the body with barrique oak aging, which doesn't dissuade from the nutty aspect of the wine. We found a couple of these styles in Mostar, but our most memorable was an unoaked version from a store in Medjugorje - the famous pilgrimage site.  The bottle was purchased from a market near St. James Cathedral and the clerk told us it was his family's label - translated "Homemade dry white wine".  The wine was dry, only 12% alcohol, and greenish with noticeable pine notes - made me think of Vermentino.  Looking forward to our next visit. Cheers.