Škrlet is coming!!

After everyone caught their flights out of Zagreb, we took a quick drive down to Moslavina to visit the young prince of Škrlet, Tomislav Voštinić of Voštinić-Klasnić. @vk_winery_gallery

We were warmly greeted by Tomislav (aka Tomba) and his partner Antonia (aka Tonka) who greeted us with a glass of Fraktal (Sparkling Škrlet) and we overlooked the oldest vineyards of Škrlet in Croatia, mingled amongst green hills and peach trees.

Škrlet has a rich history in this part of the world, and was in fact the 1st certified and protected white grape in Croatia within the Austro-Hungarian empire. Given it has lower yields than other whites, during communist times it was nearly extinct in favor of other higher yielding white grapes in the continental part of Croatia.

Tomba’s grandfather, however, embraced the authenticity of this grape for his home in Moslavina and dedicated his family’s estate to reviving this amazing grape starting in 1930, which some of the original Škrlet vines (90 years old!) are still producing fruit at VK to this day.

It is clear Tomislav is very serious about Škrlet, but also loves what he does. He has a perpetual smile on his face and takes joy in sharing the multiple expressions of the sunny Škrlet grape. He farms organically and all fermentations are performed with native yeasts, often under cool temperatures to preserve the authentic beautiful aromatics of the Škrlet grape.

Tasting through their various expressions of Škrlet with a bowl of tree ripened peaches nearby, we were reminded how amazing, lively, and exciting these wines are. There is so much to offer including Unikat (a later-ripening Škrlet), an amazing refreshing blend of Škrlet+Grasveina, and a fun skin macerated Škrlet fermented underground in ceramic bottle, called Natur.

We are so excited to see what Tomba and Tonka have in store for VK. We know we have big plans.

Let it be known --- Škrlet is coming!!