Wines of the Adriatic
Long before the classic regions of France, Spain, and Germany were introduced to the vine by Roman conquerors, the Adriatic coastlines of Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and Albania were thriving with ports frequented by the seafaring Greeks. As early as 3,000 years ago Illyrians, Celts, and Greek transplants were cultivating the Adriatic varietals we still drink today, from Malvazija to Montepulciano.
With this month's wine club we explore the result of three millennia of wine culture surrounding this backwater of the Mediterranean. A red from the eastern seaboard of Italy, a skin-contact white from Slovenia, a crisp white from Croatia, and a floral beauty from Greece. While Greece is technically not on the Adriatic, I couldn’t find any Albanian wines and it was Greek trade that moved wine to these places in the first place. Also, Albania was very much part of ‘Greece’ as it’s classically understood, so I’m calling it Greece - which gets us over to the Adriatic. Albanian friends, please don’t hurt me.
Agricola Cirelli
Organic Rosso 2021
Producer Profile
Agricola Cirelli is an organic farm (not vineyard!) that covers 23 hectares of land in Abruzzo. Animals graze through vineyards that intermingle with olive trees and fruit groves. Everything here is produced in symbiosis.
Tasting Notes
Juicy, balanced, and refreshing red. Cherry and strawberry on the nose with a touch of spiciness that comes through more in the finish. Pleasant herbaceous notes throughout.
Pairing Suggestions
Lighter red meats or most pasta dishes. There’s enough tannin to cut through fatty, buttery pastas.
| The region: Abruzzo, Italy |
The style: Red, Natural |
The grapes: Montepulciano |
Matic
Skin Contact Kerner 2022
Producer Profile
This is a very special wine from one of our favorite producers. These grapes were planted by Matic’s grandfather in the 1980s at a time when Kerner was an illegal variety in Yugoslavia. But, as it was his favorite grape, he went ahead with planting and nurturing the criminal kerner. Now we get to enjoy a lovely skin contact wine made with grapes from those very same vines!
Tasting Notes
This wine is a bit tight at first, so let it open up for 15 minutes or so. On the nose it’s very nectarine, peach, and other stone fruits with a slight funkiness. The palate brings out more fresh tropical fruit like ripe pineapple. There’s a pleasant touch of tannin and acid holding the body together and a tiny bit of yeastiness in the finish, which seemed to fade after the bottle had opened up for a while.
Pairing Suggestions
For dinner? Shellfish or light chicken dishes. For whenever? Sharp, hard cheeses with fresh fruit and nuts. Fairly versatile food wine.
| The region: Stajerska, Slovenia |
The style: Orange, Natural |
The grapes: Kerner |
Fakin
Malvazija 2022
Producer Profile
Fakin is the project of Marko Fakin, a young winemaker on the Istrian coast of Croatia in the town of Motovun. Motovun has been a highly regarded wine-growing area since at least Roman times. And this Malvazija is one of the purest examples of what Croatia’s most well-known grape is capable of in such great conditions.
Tasting Notes
Lemon, peach, and lime dance around on both the nose and the palate. The peach adds an aromatic backbone to the zippiness of the citrus. But the highlight of this wine (and many Malvazijas) is the punch of minerality and salinity that keeps you coming back for more sip after sip.
Pairing Suggestions
A pretty perfect summer wine to pair with just about any outdoor activity. But if you’re going food, it’s a great bottle to start dinner with and pair with a citrus-based salad.
| The region: Istria, Croatia |
The style: White, Natural |
The grapes: Malvazija |
Skouras
Salto 2021
Producer Profile
As recently as the 1990s, Greek wine was internationally regarded as quite poor in quality due to a focus on mass production over the second half of the 20th century. George Skouras, who grew up in the Peloponnese before getting a oenology degree in Burgundy, is one of the original winemakers to begin turning the tide back towards quality with his beautiful expressions of local Greek varietals in the gorgeous mountains of Southern Greece.
Tasting Notes
Ripe, almost bruised, citrus dominates. More lemon pith than lemon juice. Bright and lush florality opens up on the palate leading to a long and pleasant finish highlighted by high acidity and minerality. There’s also some depth to the body that’s interesting for how bright the wine is.
Pairing Suggestions
Similar to the Malvazija, this is a really excellent wine for the warm weather. An herb-forward salad like a basil strawberry salad would be delicious though.
| The region: Peloponnese, Greece |
The style: White, Sustainable |
The grapes: Moscofilero |