Rizman, Primus Plavac Mali, Komarna, Dalmatia, Croatia, 2010

Tasted at 14 years old, this is a wine made from 100% Plavac Mali that expresses the patient elegance of the variety. The Primus, the top wine, is comprised of three different selections. The best blocks are chosen in the vineyards, and then a selection of the best bunches of grapes is made during harvest. A cellar selection of the best barrels is the final determination. Evocative of aged Bordeaux with violets and turned earth aromas, it carries about it an air of distinguished accomplishment. The palate shows a certain confident elegance. Incredible freshness leaps from the lively red fruits, cranberries and blood orange to make way for spicy chicory root, a sense of mushroom-driven umami and a cool note of forest floor. It is a fine wine indeed.