Drnekuša is an ancient red wine grape variety from the Dalmatian coast in

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 ...

. Rarely found, when it is grown, it is typically blended with

Plavac Mali Plavac Mali (), a cross between Crljenak Kaštelanski ( ancestral Zinfandel) and Dobričić grapes, is the primary red wine grape grown along the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. The name refers to the small blue grapes that the vines produce: in C ...

, giving a deep, ruby coloration typically to when Syrah is used as a blend. On the island of

Hvar Hvar (; Chakavian: ''Hvor'' or ''For'', el, Φάρος, Pharos, la, Pharia, it, Lesina) is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, located off the Dalmatian coast, lying between the islands of Brač, Vis and Korčula. Approximately long, wi ...

, one winery will sometimes release a wine that is 100% Drnekuša but only when the growing season is the most optimal. A bisexual flower, Drnekuša starts producing in its third year of growth. It prefers deep, fertile, permeable soils to grow in, such as those found in the

Stari Grad Plain The Stari Grad Plain, near the town of Stari Grad on the island of Hvar, Croatia, is an agricultural landscape that was set up by the ancient Greek colonists in the 4th century BC, and remains in use. The plain is the largest agricultural area o ...

. Its resistance to mildew and mold is very weak and as such, the vines need to planted in a warm climate. This also results in the grape having a thin skin that breaks easily.

Synonyms

Due to Croatian dialectic shifts, the grape is also known as Drnekuša crna, Dernekuša, Darnekuša (on Hvar Island), and Drnekura.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Drnekusa Grape varieties of Croatia Dalmatian grape varieties Red wine grape varieties