Plavac Mali (), a cross between Crljenak Kaštelanski ( ancestral Zinfandel) and

Dobričić Dobričić is an ancient red wine grape variety from the island of Šolta off the Dalmatian coast in Croatia. Some areas still grow Dobričić – many vineyards were left to grow wild following World War II. Ancestry It is one parent of the ...

grapes, is the primary red wine grape grown along the

Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...

n coast of

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

. The name refers to the small blue grapes that the vines produce: in Croatian ''plavo'' means blue; ''mali'' means small. Plavac Mali is known for producing rich, flavorful wines that are high in both

alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...

(typically 13% but up to 17%) and grape tannins. Common flavors and aromas include carob, figs, sage, dark cherries, pepper, and spices. Croatian wines from this grape include the reds from

Dingač Dingač is a wine growing region on the Pelješac peninsula in the region of Dalmatia, Croatia. Situated on the southwestern facing slope of the Zabrada mountains between the small villages of Trstenik and Podobuče, it is a highly regarded ar ...

and

Postup Postup is wine growing region on Croatia's Pelješac peninsula just to the east of Orebić. It takes its name from the small village that sits at the center of it. The main grape harvested in Postup is Plavac Mali and, like the grapes from the ...

vineyards on the Pelješac peninsula, Hvar island, Brač island, Vis island,

Komarna Komarna is a village in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, in the municipality of Slivno; population 167 (2011). It is located near the larger village of Klek. The village is south of the Neretva Delta, 70 km north of Dubrovnik on the coast of ...

vineyards, Konavle and the rosé Opol (a vinification style). The wines from Plavac Mali can be created as dry, semi-dry or sweet. Most common are dry wines, although wines with a little bit of residual sugar are a traditional expression of Plavac Mali. If not grown in ideal conditions, Plavac Mali is notorious among winegrowers for its uneven ripening properties - a grape cluster with both green berries and raisins. If left to ripen fully, the tannins and sugars will be even higher, but the acids will drop. This is why Plavac Mali is a challenge for the winemakers.

History

In the 1980s, Plavac Mali was incorrectly thought to be an ancestor of Zinfandel. In 1998, while researching the origins of Zinfandel through DNA fingerprinting, Dr. Carole Meredith at

UC Davis The University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD, or Davis) is a public land-grant research university near Davis, California. Named a Public Ivy, it is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The institut ...

with the urging from

Mike Grgich Miljenko "Mike" Grgić (born April 1, 1923) is a Croatian-American winemaker in California. He was born into a winemaking family in the town of Desne on Croatia's coastal region of Dalmatia. He is notable for being the winemaker behind the 197 ...

(a well-known winemaker in Napa Valley originally from Croatia) and researchers from the University of Zagreb discovered that Zinfandel is actually one parent of Plavac Mali.Meredith, Carole
"Looking for Zinfandel in Croatia"
''Zinfandel Express'', January 2002. The other parent is an ancient variety known as

from the island of

Šolta Šolta (; it, Solta; la, Solentium) is an island in Croatia. It is situated in the Adriatic Sea in the central Dalmatian archipelago, west of the island of Brač, south of Split (separated by Split Channel) and east of the Drvenik islands, Drve ...

which, much like Crljenak Kaštelanski is not commonly found on its own.

References

External links

"Explaining Plavac Mali"
''Hudin.com'', January 14, 2011 {{wines Grape varieties of Croatia Dalmatian grape varieties Red wine grape varieties Vis (island)