Brandy, Gin and More from Croatia's First Craft Distillery: Brigljević Distillery

On my first day in Zagreb, at the Pink Day Festival, I discovered artisanal Croatian gin through Iguana Gin and quickly learned it was a  rising phenomenon in Hrvatska. Little did I know that ten days later I would be introduced to the man and distillery who started this trend. 

Knowing that I was completely free during my last full day in Croatia, the Zagreb County Tourist Board arranged a visit to the small city of Velika Gorica and the larger Turopolye region just south of Zagreb. This region has a vibrant history and in 1225 the inhabitants of Turopolje were recognized as free noblemen by King Bela IV and were exempted from serving the Town of Zagreb. And on January 7th, 1737 King Karlo III gave the noble municipality of Turopolje the official stamp to create a coat of arms. The coat of arms of all the noble families, wooden architecture, and more local culture and history is on display at the Turopolje Museum.

Fortunately, my prudent and knowledgeable tour guide had more plans for me and had scheduled a visit to the area's only distillery:  Brigljević Distillery.  The craft distillery was founded in 2002 by Miljenko Brigljević and today is one of the oldest distilleries in Croatia. And in 2015, Brigljević decided to create a handcrafted gin which he called Flying Cat Gin. The recipe was based on London Dry Gin and featured juniper berries, fennel seeds, almonds, cinnamon, lemon peel, ginger, mint, and clove. In addition, the family has long ties to Turopolje where the Brigljević family was awarded the noble title in 1524. This family coat of arms is proudly displayed on the labels of the Brigljević liqueurs. 

I was met by Miljenko, his wife, and their daughter Gabriela -- who plans to succeed her father. The focus of this visit was not gin or liqueurs, but brandy -- and all distilled using the family's carport-ready copper pot still.  Miljenko emphasized throughout the tasting that focusing on the spirit's aromatics is the central guide to his craft. Today he and Gabriela also train their palates through regular meetings of a Zagreb whiskey club, but in the past Croatians had little concept or tradition of aged spirits. In general, Croatian Rakija is served fresh and if aged, usually in the bottle or small glass wine fermenters. In order to create a truly world-class aged spirit, Miljenko had to experiment with various oak casks to determine which worked best not only with an individual spirit but also with the local climate (mostly temperatures) as a whole. And they are still experimenting.

Barrelina Apple Brandy First Cask (50%)
This brandy is doubled distilled from local apple cider made from four apple varieties, including Pink Lady and Granny Smith, and aged 18 months in American oak barrels. Distilled in 2017 and bottled in 2020. Very harmonious between the apple aroma and flavors combined with the oak-driven vanilla and honey.. 

Barrelina Apple Brandy Teatro Vaniglia (55.1%)
This brandy is doubled distilled from local apple cider and aged for 24 months in barrique barrels made from American oak by an Italian cooperage. Distilled in 2018 and bottled in 2021. This brandy sizzles with apple aromas and flavors with notes of vanilla throughout. Very smooth at cask strength. 

Barrelina Pear Brandy Quarter Cask  (50%)
The double-distilled perry is aged four years in American oak quarter casks. Distilled in 2018 and bottled in 2022. This is a lengthy brandy with vibrant fruit and slight spices. 

Dark Forest 8-Year Pomace Brandy (44.1%)
This grape brandy was made by double-distilling four varieties of grapes grown in Baranja, Slavonia. The brandy was first aged for two years in a Slavonian oak barrel and then six years in a Bordeaux wine barrel. Distilled in 2013 and bottled in 2021. Expect complexity. Baked raisins and fig on the nose and then earthiness, raisins, honey, and more throughout the long finish. 

I also tasted several upcoming attractions of malt whisky and brandies aged in unique barrel sources such as Laphroaig and Chateau Lafite Rothschild. Innovation and experimentation are continual processes at  Brigljević Distillery.

Exploring Zagreb County and Its Culture, History, and Wine

I wish I had known last year, but Croatia's capital is surrounded by historical medieval towns, wine roads, and a gastronomical paradise. These are all easily accessible from a short drive from Zagreb and available for research through the Zagreb County Tourist Board. Within this parameter, I was able to spend time in the Turopolje region to the south and Plešivica to the west.  Each of these regions share many cultural identities but are also quite unique and in both instances, I would recommend starting with the Muzej Turopolja in Velika Gorica and the Samobor Museum in Samobor. 

Turopolje & Velika Gorica 

Velika Gorica is the unofficial capital of Turopolje and is situated only 16 kilometers from Zagreb and just south of the Franjo Tuđman Airport.  In Old Slavonic, Turopolje means "bull field" or "field of bulls" so expect to see murals of bulls within the city. Start at the Muzej Turopolja to receive an overview of the region's history and culture where you will learn about Andautonia (the seat of an Illyrian tribe and a Roman municipality), the Turopolje pig (an indigenous breed where the first written record dates back to 1352), the Coat of Arms of numerous noble families in the Free City, and the Turopolje wooden architecture -  whether for housing or wooden chapels. I didn't get to visit any wooden chapels but according to the tourist board, "the wooden chapel of St. Barbara in Velika Mlaka is the most attractive and certainly the most representative example of wooden church architecture in Croatia".  However, the Muzej Turopolja provides an interactive display showing the German or Croatian joints used for building these structures. As for craft beverages, plan a tasting of brandies and gin at Brigljevic Distillery, or ask around for homemade wine or rakija. I was fortunate enough to have a tour of the private vineyards of Nikola Hrvacic and taste his award-winning Vermouth. 

Samobor

Samobor is a picturous medieval town located west of Zagreb on the eastern slopes of the Samobor hills which separate Slovenia from Croatia. It has played a significant role in Croatia's national identity starting with it becoming a free royal town in 1242 as established by King Béla IV of Hungary.  The Samobor Museum documents this and many other instances of promoting the Croatian language and identity in a town located at the crossroads of the Austrian Empire. This might also explain why there are so many items designated by the EU or UN as culturally and historically significant to Croatia. This includes the aromatized wine Samoborski Bermet and Muštarda -- a sweet and spicy sauce made from local mustard seeds and sweet grape must  (See Samoborski Bermet - Croatia's First Protected Aromatized Wine). There's also the light and creamy Samoborska kremšnita, crystal,  and the Gingerbread and Licitar Hearts which are on the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Licitars are hard, sweet, decorated biscuits that in Croatia are heart-shaped and painted red, then decorated with pictures, small mirrors, and verses or messages.

Plešivica Wine Road

The majority of our time was spent visiting wineries along the Plešivica Wine Road (the smallest wine region in Croatia) from our base at the Princess Hotel in Jastrebarsko -- 25 km south of Samobor. In two days we managed to visit 6 of the 35 wineries on the wine road starting with the highly regarded Korak Family Estate Winery. This is a family estate, run by the 4th and 5th generations of grape growers and located on a family home and farmhouse that dates from 1900.  Velimir Korak currently operates the winery along with his youngest son Josip. Across multiple estates throughout Plešivica, they grow Rhine Riesling, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Portuguese with most of the estates situated between 350m to 400m above sea level and separated from Slovenia by the Žumberak and Samobor Mountains. The family has also been instrumental in developing Plešivica as a gastronomic destination as a result of Michelin star chef, and older son, Bernard Korak returning home to open the farm-to-table Korak Restaurant within the renovated winery. We tasted through most of their portfolio which includes still, sparkling, and amphora amber wines starting with the Sparkling Rose and Blanc de Blanc. Both are elegant and refreshing with a bottle of the Sparkling Pinot Noir ready to be opened here at home. I also really enjoyed the 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, 2020 Rhine Riesling, and the 2019 Križevac & Cimbuščak Pinot Noir - the latter a blend from two different estates.  This was an eye-opening experience that introduced us to the prevalence and quality of these grape varieties in Plešivica.

Robert Braje's Winery is situated in a valley surrounded by vineyards, near Jastrebarsko, and the rustic, wooden tasting room is a destination itself. The family has an interesting pedigree story to tell in that during the 1950s, Robert's Grandfather discovered a wine competition in Zagreb and created a homemade label for his homemade wine. After being awarded a diploma (medal), authorities threw him in jail because he was not authorized to produce wine. Fortunately, he was released rather quickly as there was no real regulation that he had violated. This award-winning winemaking was on display during our visit as we tasted several of Robert's wines while his wife Sanda served us Soparnik, a traditional Croatian dish of savory pie with fresh cheese and herbs.  The tasting started with a mystery wine, Veltlinac Cirveni, which we later determined to be Roter Veltliner. This Austrian grape has been planted in Plešivica for at least 300 years and makes a light wine with a noticeable floral aroma and plenty of acidity. Next, we were presented with solid representations of Pinot Sivi (Gris) and Rhine Riesling -- tart, citrus, and minerally driven for the first; full mouthfeel and structure for the second.  Finally, we tasted another Pinot Noir which strengthened our conviction of the quality of this varietal wine in Plešivica. The 2018 Pinot Crni was fermented in an open barrel and spent 12 months in small used barrels. This is an elegant wine that starts with velvety slightly tart cherries, texture, and firm tannins. Excellent. 

Šember is a three-generation family winery farming various estates in Pjenusac and with an extensive sparkling wine portfolio.  The winery is currently run by Zdenko Šember and his wife Ivanka with his parents (Ružica and Stjepan) passing along their experience to the younger generation -- Nikola, Lucija, and Klara.  The family began releasing wine under their own label in 1991, their first sparkling wine in 1997, and their first amphora wine in 2011. Always innovating. We started with the delicious Šember Brut Rosé - a fruity raspberry and effervescent Pinot Noir. This was followed by the Šember Pjenusac Brut, a traditionally made Blanc de Blanc but using Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Plavec Žuti - the latter providing increased acidity.  Expect pears, green apples, and yeasty bread. The final sparkling wine was the 2018 Pavel, a label created only in the best of years, This is a blend of Chardonnay (90) and Plavec Žuti (10) and is exceptional. Moving to the still wines, we started with the dry 2019 Rhine Riesling which provides a complex arrangement of grapefruit, other citrus, and green apples. The skin-contact amphora 2017 Rhine Riesling followed that had a bigger mouthfeel, and more tannins, but remained considerably fresh. Once again an incredibly elegant Pinot Noir rounded out our tasting with the 2018 Pinot Crni. This is a fresh wine where the grapes were planted on south-facing slopes and benefited from cool nights. The barrel aging in a combination of new and used French oak, elevated its profile without hampering the cherry flavors.

Jagunic Winery is a 4th generation wine-making team situated at the top of a small hill with broad views of the surrounding vineyards. The three Jagunic brothers currently farm eight estate locations located within a kilometer radius of the winery.  Our host, Dominik Jagunic, says all grapes are hand-harvested and they focus on producing sparkling and amber wines. These styles were on display with the traditional method Three Stars Brut - a blend of Chardonnay, indigenous varieties, and Rhine Reisling from three estate locations. Tropical and stone fruits with an extended finish. The Blanc de Noirs followed with its interestingly fresh tart cherries and slight smokiness spanning a great mouthfeel. The La Bulle Rose is a 70-30 blend of Blauer Portugieser and Pinot Noir and was the lightest and most refreshing of the three. We then turned to their Amber Selection starting with the 2020 Pinot Sivi which spent six months with skin contact in seven-year-old barrels and quickly moving to the 2020 Pinot Crni. Both are solid wines with plenty of character. The final wine was the 2020 Amber Selection Traminac Crveni which showcases a strong floral aroma that elevates into an apricot, kiwi, and herbaceous profile. A very smooth mouthfeel. These wines were also accompanied by a feast prepared by Dominik's mother of beef soup, salad, homemade bread, and a tray of veal neck and chicken stuffed with cheese and ham. Complete fulfillment.

Our final stop in Plešivica was at Kolarič Winery, a family winery that also includes 16 guest rooms for weary travelers.  Franjo Kolarič has eight hectares of estate grapes in the Sveta Jana winegrowing region and sources from another 15 hectares of cooperatives. He focuses on Pinot Grigio and created the Coletti label specifically for his upper-tier wines which is the Italian version of the family name. He also uses four 1,200 liter amphora vessels for amber wine production. The Coletti Amfora Pinot Grigio 2019 was an example of this style that spent one year on skins with a full-bodied, complex mouthfeel buttressed by chewy tannins. The Coletti Amfora Pinot Grigio 2020 is lighter with the addition of 20% Traminac.  The Coletti Pinot Grigio Classic is their best seller, spends all its time in stainless steel, and is fresh with plenty of grapefruit notes. The 2019 Coletti Grande Grigio spent two years in eight-year-old Slavonian oak and has a much richer mouthfeel and a longer finish. The most interesting Pinot Grigio was the Coletti Francesco Grande which uses wine from three vintages 2019-2021 and shows complex minerality and herbaceousness.  And to follow the Pinot Noir trend Franjo provided us samples of his 2018 Coletti Pinot Nero and NV Coletti Sparkling Rose. The 2018 is excellent after spending three years in French oak has a balanced mouthfeel with a chewy texture, and some vanilla to counter the fresh cherries. The sparkling rose is fresh showing tart cherries and a lasting effervescence.