Variety: Plavac Mali
Region: Dingac, on the
Peljesac Peninsula
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The Peljesac Peninsula
The narrow Peljesac, perhaps 5 miles (8km) wide and 40 miles (72km) long, juts off the Dalmatian coast just north of Dubrovnik. On the mountainous south-facing coast are the wine regions of Dingac and Postup, made up of just 168 acres of vineyards laid out in terraces on the 45° slopes leading down to the Adriatic. The Peljesac is known for having the highest annual average temperatures in Croatia, and this, with the Mediterranean climate - long, hot and dry summers, with mild, short and windy winters - produces wines rich in extract and alcohol. The climatic conditions and the pristine ecology of the coastline make spraying the vines unnecessary. The soil is rocky and well drained, and the lack of water on the hillsides will often cause the grapes to raisin slightly on the vine. The landscape is dotted with fig and olive trees, scrub, and wild herbs whose aromas float on the air.
The Plavac Mali Grape
Plavac Mali is the indigenous black grape of Southern Dalmatia and its coastal islands, including the Peljesac Peninsula. The vine prefers sandy soil and is generally head trained, without trellising. Croatia is the famed homeland of Zinfandel, and Plavac Mali’s lineage is very similar, resulting in full-bodied, deeply colored wines that taste of black cherries, blueberries and plums, laced with cocoa and herbs.
The Bura family has been making wine on the Peljesac for five generations. Here, Niko Bura continues to raise Plavac Mali by hand in the vineyards of Dingac and Postup, and vinify the grapes at his cellars just over the mountains, reached by a famous one-lane tunnel that connects the precipitous grape-growing slopes with the inland valley. Bura Plavac Mali is produced in limited amounts from slightly raisined grapes vinified with natural yeasts and matured in French barrique for 12 months, then bottled unfiltered.
Tasting Notes
Bura Plavac Mali is a masculine wine of high extract and up to 15% alcohol, with intense black fruit on the nose, along with pine and a note of dry hay. The wine is full-bodied with ample acidity and tannin to support the lush, creamy black fruit including figs and blueberry jam and earthy notes of the palate. This extravagant wine is a natural match for the lamb dishes of its home country, and pairs well, too, with venison, hearty roasts and complex stews.
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