Bura Rukatac ‘Potomje’
Winery: Bura-Mrgudić
Classification: Dry White Wine
Varietals: 100% Rukatac (aka Maraština)
Appellation: Potomje, Pelješac peninsula, Dalmatia, Croatia
Density & Yield: 6,000 vines/ha; 0.8 kg/vine
Annual Production: 3,000 Bottles
Climate: Mediterranean, with dry and hot summers, and mild winters. Potomje valley, on 300 m above sea level, with cooler nights.
Terrain: Small hillsides in the inland valley
Farming: Vineyards are practicing organic and are the truest expression of the microclimate and land of Croatia’s southern Dalmatian coast. No irrigation, spraying only with sulfur in May
Vinification: Manual harvest, destemmed, naturally fermented with native yeasts in open vats with manual punchdowns, 5 days maceration. 5 months in stainless steel, coarse filtration, 3 months in bottles before release.
Tasting Notes: The village of Potomje (poe-toem-yeh), where the Bura family’s winery has been for generations, is situated directly on the other side of the mountain of the iconic Dingač seaside vineyards. For generations, the only way for the villagers to farm the dramatic Dingač vineyards was to traverse the 400-meter mountain and haul their harvested Plavac Mali grapes over the mountain via donkeys. In 1975, they cut through the mountain to create the 1-lane Dingač Tunnel, which separates the two distinct terroirs by a mere 4km drive.
The Bura ‘Potomje’ wines are the family’s flagship village wines, made from the inland valley vineyards with reduced exposure, deeper red clay soil, and more winds in the valley that contribute to deeper freshness and brighter acidity than the intense, poor soil and sun exposure on the other side of the mountain.
Rukatac is a beautiful natural expression of a Dalmatian white, pouring golden yellow, with a pretty nose of yellow apple, ginger, and orange blossom, and a lush and fruity palate of crunchy yellow fruits, with a touch of Mediterranean herbs, gentle acidity and soft tannin on the finish.
Winery Information
Bura-Mrgudić
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!
