Bura-Mrgudić 'Basina Plavac' 2022
The vibe: We’ve been on an Eastern European kick since our Slovenian wine club theme (ok, we’re always on that kick so sue us). So here, this is a coastal Croatian red that will blow your speedo off (or scarf, it’s freezing outside I just checked, hi it’s Nick). Plavac Mali is a traditional red grape grown in Dalmatia, Croatia’s coastal peninsula. Growing on steep slopes facing the Adriatic with southern exposure and hot, dry summers, these grapes are big, bold and ripe. Traditionally, plavac would have been harvested and bottled as such, but here, grape are picked a bit earlier from younger vines and therefore the wine is softer and more elegant, with a modern touch of freshness. On the palate, a rich and earthy profile with incredible complexity follows with fig and blueberry fruit with a touch of salty, kelpy brine. Truly a unique experience and if you close your eyes you can almost hear the Dalmatian pelicans.
The winemaker: Located on the steep 45 degree Southern slopes of Pelješac Peninsula known for its big reds, Bura vineyards produce the most unique, delicious and prestigious wine to ever come out of the Dalmatian Coast. As much as there is talk about all the different wineries and winemakers in Croatia, no other winemaker stands out more than Niko Bura and his sacred Bura Dingač. Niko Bura’s vineyards are fully organic and are the truest expression of the microclimate and land of Croatia’s southern Dalmatian coast. The Bura family has one of the longest traditions of winemaking in Dingač and Croatia as a whole, spanning over sixteen generations -- since the year 1410!
The geeky details: 100% plavac mali. Dry farmed, organic vineyards. Manual harvest, slightly raisinated grapes, destemmed, naturally fermented in open vats with manual punchdowns, 6 days maceration. 10 months in 225-liter used French oak barrels, one year in bottles before release.
Serve: Cellar temp.
Food pairing: Looks up some traditional Croatian recipes to try out! Dishes with lots of herbs will bring out these notes in the Plavac Mali. Perhaps counterintuitively, fish would be an incredible pairing here, given the umami finish on this wine!
Album pairing: Bonobo - The North Borders