Croatia is a beautiful country.
Years ago I spent four months on the Dalmatian coast, traveling in a VW camper. Split to Dubrovnik was one of the many drives where the seaside and somewhat dangerous coast roads, with memorials and monuments to those who perished in freak accidents, adorned the road.
The beauty of Croatia was the lure.
Since those days, my curiosity of food and wine from Croatia has been very high on my list of what to learn more about. I have a great Croatian friend, who has been an inspiration for the past twenty years. He has opened my eyes with observations about Croatian food and wine. I’m seafood oriented, he’s meat oriented.
We both agree on wines.
So, when we both were about to taste this “High Quality” Dry Red Wine, as the label expressed, we were doubters, simply because who in their right mind would prejudice you with the words “ HIGH QUALITY” That means that the wine has to, 100% of the time, turn into a “ High Quality” wine on your palate a hundred per cent of the time.
We all know that’s impossible.
So, after definitive advice from Brendan David Edwards of 21st Century Wines, regarding decanting the 2016 Plavac Mali, I followed his direction for the wine to breathe. In fact, two hours was necessary for this “High Quality” wine to reach its peak.
Seems like I sampled its growth, every fifteen minutes.
Like a new born horse, it takes a little while to get on your feet.
Once this 2016 Komarna Plavac Mali woke up, (2 hours), the super “High Quality” of the complex wine kicked in. My Croatian friend would say it’s definitely a “meat wine,” and I would agree. Its dry with medium tannins, rich, but needs to age, rounded with medium acidity, has concentrated fruits, a long finish and has lots of spice and chocolate.
At under $24 a bottle, paired with aging capabilities, this is the wine to buy.
Komarna 7, actually is a serious name for the wine.
Seven vineyards blend their Plavac Mali wines together as a collaborative experience, market only one Plavac Mali together, the Komarna7, and market it to America through Croatian Premium Wine Imports (Boston, Ma).
If you like wines like Sagrantino from Umbria and Primotivo from Puglia, you will love this wine. Its big, bold, with 14.5% abv and complex.
Why not put a case in your basement and age this underpriced beauty.
It won’t be here very long!
Philip S. Kampe
Philip.kampe@yahoo.com
