Matosevic Grimalda Red 2016

Cellar for up to 3 years. No need to decant before serving.

This quirky wine is made with Croatia’s indigenous Teran variety and Merlot which come together harmoniously in an explosion of rich dark berries, sweet spice, and hints of leather. The first sip reveals a deep dark fruit character and firm structure from the Teran softened by the smooth, well-rounded Merlot. The grapes used to make this wine are sourced from very low-yielding vines which give the wine an intense complexity and the ability to age extremely well if cellared for up to a decade or so.

Winemaker Ivica Matošević prides himself on producing some of Istria’s most exciting modern wines crafted mainly from traditional indigenous varieties. His vineyards are situated in Brdo in central Istria where they enjoy a perfect microclimate, warmed by sunny Mediterranean summers and cooled by the nearby Mirna and Butoniga rivers.

Ivica is today regarded as one of Croatia’s leading winemakers, but unlike many of his Istrian neighbours he had to begin from scratch since his family were not already established as winemakers or farmers in the region. After years of studying and working with other people’s grapes, he was eventually able to purchase his own estate and bottled his first wines in 1996 to international acclaim.