2019 Matošević Grimalda crna Hrvatska Istra, Zapadna Istra – buy online

WHO?

Unlike many other Istrian winemakers who continued family traditions, Ivica Matošević started from scratch. After studying at the Faculty of Agronomy, he pursued a career in science and spent three years in Udine, in the renowned Italian wine region of Friuli. There, he earned a doctorate and developed a newfound love for wine, which he brought back to Istria. He is definitely one of the pioneers of modern wine production in Istria, with his wines now enjoyed on all continents.

WHERE?

Ivica Matošević’s cellar is located in Krunčići, Istria, almost the northernmost part of the Mediterranean. Here, wine has always been part of the tradition, identity, and daily life. Matošević’s mission was to create wine that reflects this unique region, bathed in fertile soil, sun, and sea. The grapes for his wines come from two vineyard locations. The first is in the Buje area, in northwestern Istria, where he produces grapes for fresh and aged white wines, especially Malvasia, with longtime partners. The second location is in central Istria, at Brdo near Grimalda, where two namesake wines, Grimalda white and Grimalda red, are made from blends of white and red varieties.

WHY?

The complexity is immediately noticeable on the nose (largely due to the low yields, up to 1 kg per vine) with tones of blackberry, ripe cherry, blackcurrant, plum, cinnamon, and allspice. This blend is a textbook example of drinkability. It has just the right amount of oak (15 months of aging in French barrels) with a beautiful mineral core, silky texture, fresh and juicy fruit, strong acidity, and a local signature. Maceration and fermentation on the skins last up to two weeks, followed by aging in French oak barrels from Allier/Tronçais for about 15 months. After barrel aging, it requires further aging in stainless steel and in the bottle. This is a terroir wine, in the Bordeaux style, with a very long finish in the mouth.