Matosevic Grimalda White 2016

Cellar for up to 5 years. Serve lightly chilled.

Unlike many of Croatia’s top winemakers, Ivica Matošević did not come from a local winemaking family. While studying for his PhD at the Faculty of Agriculture he was bitten by the enology bug and set out on the long journey to crafting his own wines. Initially he worked in Friuli in Italy before setting out on his own with purchased grapes from relatives. Eventually he was able to acquire his own estate in Brdo in central Istria and in 1996 he proudly bottled his first wines which soon drew the attention of international wine critics.

Ivica’s Grimalda white is a stunning blend of Chardonnay, Istrian Malvasia and Sauvignon Blanc which demonstrates the remarkable quality of Ivica’s grapes and his inspired approach to winemaking. Ivica sources the grapes for this wine from his sunny south-facing terraces which provide very low yields and ferments and ages the wine in French oak barrels for 12 months.

The result is a rich, creamy white wine which exudes tropical and citrus notes overlaid with hints of buttercream, toasted nuts and honey. The first sip reveals a vibrant freshness, full body, and well-rounded texture with zingy citrus flavours that linger long on the tongue. This unique blend is a stellar gastronomic wine, combining well even with foods which are more difficult to pair with wine like asparagus, olives, and artichokes.