2019 GRIMALDA, Matosevic. Istria, Croatia

UK agent Liberty Wines:
“Described by the late Steven Spurrier as “Croatia’s best winemaker”, Ivica Matošević has established himself as a force of nature in the country’s turbulent yet burgeoning wine industry. His incredible family history simply explains the last 100 years: “My grandfather was born in Austria, my father was born in Italy, I was born in Yugoslavia and my daughter was born in Croatia. We were all born in the same house”. Spirited by the emergence of the Istrian wine scene that followed the fall of Yugoslavia in the early ‘90s and driven by an unbridled passion, Ivica Matošević diverted his career from a PhD in agriculture to winemaking. This passion is reflected both in his wines, which are exuberant, fresh and true to their nature, and in what he has achieved for the reputation of Croatian wine. Widely recognised among his peers as one of the leaders of the quality revolution, he was instrumental in setting up the Istrian appellation and establishing the wildly popular annual wine fair there.
The ‘Grimalda’ Red is a blend of Teran and Merlot from Brdo: a terraced, sunny, single vineyard in Central Istria. An alpine variety similar to Refosco, Teran provides forest berry aromas, high levels of acidity and crunchy, slightly wild tannins. The Merlot adds flesh to the mid-palate and lends a suppleness to the texture. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for around 15 months, which contributes spicy complexity.”

We loved the intensity and personality of this Merlot – rather unlike most soft, round (sometimes predictable) Merlot. Like a powerful Valpol, which isn’t so far away…