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. 

Celebrate Martinje Virtually at the Croatian Embassy

November 11th (12th in the Eastern Church) is the Feast of St. Martin of Tours, and although he is the patron saint of France, St. Martin still receives devout reverence in Eastern Europe and the Balkans. He was born in Pannonia (present-day Szombathely, Hungary) in the early 4th century and after being baptized into the Catholic community and leaving the Roman army, Martin became a missionary in the provinces of Pannonia and Illyricum (now in the Balkan Peninsula).  Staying true to the Nicene Creed, he was forced out of Illyricum by the Arians and eventually returned to Gaul where he was made bishop of Tours.

During his years as Bishop, Martin nurtured an immense love for wine and began blessing the beverage in order to make it more popular among laypeople. Throughout Europe, this tradition has continued with winemakers giving thanks to St. Martin for a good harvest - and especially in Croatia, where Martinje celebrates the day that must, or young wine matures into wine fit for drinking.  But before indulging the wine must first be baptized and turned into chaste wine, since must is considered impure.

This year the Croatian Embassy in Washington D.C. along with Croatian Premium Wine Imports (CPWI) are celebrating Martinje through a virtual tasting on November 5th, 2020 at 6PM E.T.  The event will start with a conversation regarding the winemaking tradition and the blessing of the wine followed by a virtual wine tasting of wines from the Croatian Uplands, Istria and Dalmatia. The guests include the Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia, His Excellency Pjer Šimunovic, three-time Croatian National Champion and wine judge, Siniša Lasan, and the winemakers from Medimurje, Istria, and Dalmatia. They will be tasting two white and two red wines: Štampar Pušipel, Hažic Graševina, Ritoša Teran and Terra Madre Barrique Plavac Mali.

I will be participating in a little different scope. I will be comparing the Terra Madre Barrique Plavac Mali ($19) with the Wines of Illyria Plavac Mali ($20). The grapes are grown in a similar area -- the Komarna AVA in Croatia vs Herzegovina Bosnia. Plavac Mali wines are high in alcohol and tannins, has excellent aging capabilities, and is the offspring of Crljenak Kastelanski (Tribidrag - Zinfandel) and Dobricic. The latter is an ancient grape and may have been available during Martin's retreats to the Dalmatian coast.  Both Komarna and Herzegovina enjoy a Mediterranean climate with the Terra Madre grown directly on the Adriatic and the Illyria further inland from the sea between Mostar and Medugorje. 

Cheers to Martinje, Croatia, Herzegovina, and St. Martin of Tours. 

Note: Although it is too late to have the wines shipped to you in time for this event, CPWI will continue to honor through Saturday 11/7 a discount of 20% off for those wines. Go to CPWI, and when checking out enter the discount coupon code MARTINJE20 for home delivery to most states in the USA. Please allow about a week for delivery.

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.