Poetry in the glass? We could definitely call it this way!
Traditional top quality wine that’s being produced on the island of Krk with such a passion and sacrifice for generations, simply deserves this romantic description – poetry in the glass!
Charming little town of Vrbnik nurtures numerous hardworking local families who dedicated their life to creation of exquisite homemade local products. And these products are not only top quality wine varieties, but also olives and olive oil, sheep cheese, figs and everything else they could grow and create with their own hands thanks to Vrbnik’s fertile soil and perfect location next to crystal clear Adriatic sea.
Among that, viticulture is a special trade nurtured by almost every family member in this town, even the little ones enjoy it the second they make their first steps 🙂
Wines of Island of Krk cannot be described only by words but let us say a little bit about it just to give you a hint:
Sparkling Wine: Pearl Žlahtina Wine ( Biser Žlahtine in croatian)
This crisp and light dry local sparkling wine is just perfect for hot summer days. Its delicate bubbles and citrus flavours invites you to relax completely while pairing it with appetizers and fresh seafood delicacies at some random terrace next to the sea.
Biser Žlahtine, made by Charmat method, comes from vineyards located only in Vrbnik fields and you can taste it exclusively in cellar of Wine House Ivan Katunar in Vrbnik or at their local wine shops in Vrbnik, Punat and Crikvenica.
White wine: Vrbnička Žlahtina
Autochthonous variety, native wine, rare grape sort, noble, indigenous… these are only a few synonyms which describe perfectly the most famous dry white wine produced exclusively on the Island of Krk, that is Vrbnička Žlahtina.
The whole Island of Krk is very proud of its dry white wine produced from autochthonous grape variety called white žlahtina. The adjective žlahtno in the grape and wine name Žlahtina stands for noble in Old Slavic language which represents perfectly this rare and brilliant wine variety grown exclusively in the fields of Vrbnik.
Vrbnička Žlahtina is refined and refreshing white wine with juicy texture, fruity and mineral aromas which you can enjoy in every café, local Taverna or restaurant on the Island of Krk and beyond.
We would recommend you to try it at the most famous terrace in Vrbnik, the one overlooking the sea at Konoba Nada – the view is simply breathtaking!
This kind of authentic local wine is perfect to enrich whichever local food delicacy you choose to pair with!
Red wine: Brajda Barrique or Sansigot?
If you’re a red wine fan, either one of this two you choose, you cannot go wrong! Both Brajda Barrique and Sansigot are dry red local wines made from indigenous grapes grown in Vrbnik fields, left to mature in wooden barrels.
While Sansigot comes from 100% Sansigot grape variety, Brajda Barrique is a bold combination of red wines from the wine-growing area of Krk which all together make a perfect strong red wine.
Their colour ranges from intensive dark red to purple red with a distinctive sour taste and a fruity note. It should be served at temperature of 14 – 16°C but during hot summer evenings it can also be served even a little bit cooler. When on the Island of Krk, you should pair it with local home-made specialties like autochthonous pasta ‘Šurlice’ with goulash, Krk’s lamb under the bell and hard mature cheeses.
Valomet – first sea champagne in the world!
And it’s made of Žlahtina! How cool is that?
Thanks to hardworking members of agricultural community of Vrbnik, today we can also enjoy the most unusual but excellent quality sparkling wine from the sea.
These sparkling wine bottles are placed in steel-barred chests at a depth of 30 meters around the coast of Vrbnik where fishermen do not throw their nets and where the temperature is ideal for sparkling wine fermentation. As you probably know, Žlahtina grape is naturally sweet enough so there is no need of adding extra liqueur to Valomet, like it’s a tradition when it comes to sparkling wines in general, which in the end gives us a perfect sparkling wine that is completely dry and has no sugar.
And Valomet’s design is something else..
Can you imagine how a bottle can look like after years and years spent at the bottom of the sea? Honestly, there are no words which could describe it! The bottles covered with shells and corals as its natural design are simply something out of this world 🙂
Just remember, this is something you shouldn’t skip on your next vacation to Croatia and Island of Krk!
Happy Krk wine tasting!!! 🙂