The Field Guide
The Western Balkans
A coastline and a river valley, three countries, and a set of grapes that spent the twentieth century inside borders that kept moving. Almost none of it reaches an American shelf.
Three countries · four appellations
The Western Balkans
The history
Plavac Mali turned out to be a child of Zinfandel's Croatian parent, which is how California's signature grape was traced back to this coast in 2001.
The land
Steep white limestone falling straight into the Adriatic, island vineyards worked by hand, and inland a hot continental river valley with far more sun than rain.
Wine styles
Ripe, high-alcohol Plavac Mali from the Dalmatian cliffs; textured Pošip whites; dark, firm Vranec from Tikveš; and pale, aromatic Stanušina, which is grown almost nowhere else.
The underdogs to drink
Start with the grapes worth the detour. More guides land as we publish them.
Whatever you drink now, there’s an underdog you’d like more.
One overlooked wine at a time: what it tastes like, the famous one it can replace, and the catch. It’s the list our wine club will be built from.
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