Vugava (also known as Bugava) is a white grape variety mostly cultivated on the

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 ...

n island of Vis in central Dalmatia. Vugava is often compared to Viognier due to its aromatic profile, but it has been genetically proven that they have no relationship. It is a very old variety, anecdotally said to be over 2,000 years old and to have been cultivated by the

ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic p ...

colonists when the island was known as ''Issa'', or introduced by the

Roman army The Roman army (Latin: ) was the armed forces deployed by the Romans throughout the duration of Ancient Rome, from the Roman Kingdom (c. 500 BC) to the Roman Republic (500–31 BC) and the Roman Empire (31 BC–395 AD), and its medieval contin ...

, although there is hard no proof of this. There is even a debate on whether

Agatharchides Agatharchides or Agatharchus ( grc-gre, Ἀγαθαρχίδης or , ''Agatharchos'') of Cnidus was a Greek historian and geographer (flourished 2nd century BC). Life Agatharchides is believed to have been born at Cnidus, hence his appellation. A ...

was referring to Vugava when he wrote: "On the island of Vis is a wine produced that no other wine equals". Vugava requires a lot of attention and needs to be harvested at the right time. Although recognized as a high quality grape variety, it is usually used for blending with other varieties such as Chardonnay,

Pinot Gris Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio (, ) or Grauburgunder is a white wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot Noir variety, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name, but the gra ...

, or Sauvignon Blanc. This is because in its traditional form, Vugava wine has a very high sugar content and overripe aromas. Vugava wines can best be described as having sweet and fruity flavors which may be lacking in terms of acidity levels. Wines produced from Vugava grapes are best paired with savory foods rich in flavor, such as fish and poultry dishes.

References

{{Wine-grape-stub Grape varieties of Croatia Dalmatian grape varieties White wine grape varieties Vis (island)