Vinas Mora - Kaamen I, Croatia (2021)

TASTING NOTES

With a palate that evokes Beaujolais meeting Blaufrankisch - this is herbal, savoury, peppery with wild black raspberries, blueberries, wet rocks and low-ish tannins. So layered, complex and persistent with a lovely grapefruit note on the back-end.

At Vinas Mora, passion and tradition intertwine to create exceptional natural wines. Led by Kreso Petrekovic, a former sommelier and wine professional, this winery is dedicated to preserving local farming practices and championing the indigenous Babić grape variety.

The story behind Vinas Mora is as captivating as the wines themselves. Kreso, driven by a deep connection to the area and its unique terroir, joined forces with Josipa and Neno Marinov, a local couple who had been producing wines using traditional methods passed down through generations. Together, they embraced the opportunity to revive the abandoned winemaking facilities of a local co-op, safeguarding the livelihood of the entire wine-growing community in the process.

Nestled near the Adriatic, the 30-50 year old vineyards of Vinas Mora thrive in rocky terrain just meters above sea level. Cultivated with immense care and respect, the Babić vines flourish in the crvenica soil, a blend of limestone and dolomite that imparts unique character and complexity to the wines.

After careful selection of the grapes, left on the skins for 4-5 days and spontaneously fermented in open vats. More than half of the wine is aged in fibreglass tanks, while the rest goes into neutral 500-litre oak barrels. The Kaamen I is bottled after one year without fining or filtration and with a very low dose of sulphites.