This year's Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Trophy for went to Kutjevo, Graševina Turković, Continental 2012 (13.6%)
Tasted against:
- No other Golds in this category
Profile:
One of Croatia’s largest wine producers, Kutjevo has existed in one form or another since 1232 when Cistercian monks built the first cellar (still in use today). it took huge leaps forward between 1948 and 1983 under Ivan Lambrovic, who built the framework for Kutjevo’s transformation into a dynamic, modern company. Today it sells its wines in 16 countries, exporting half of its production.
Kutjevo’s winemaker is Ivan Marinclin, who is passionate about the land on which he works: ‘our terroir is the most important aspect of the whole story of these wines,’he says. ‘The vineyards, which are of volcanic origin, are on the southern slopes of Papuk and Krndija mountains at an altitude of 250m to 400m, surrounded by oak forests. They are sunlit the whole day and among the best locations for making wines in Croatia.’
The low-yielding Graševina vines that bore the fruit for this Trophy-winner are more than 30 years old and the volcanic soils gives the wine lovely streaks of minerality. Just 20,000 bottles were made of this 2012 vintage.
Kutjevo also found success with its sweet white wines, winning a Regional Trophy for a 2012-vintage Traminac.
Written by Decanter
