Winemaker of Grgich Hills in US dives into Tribidrag’s history on National Zinfandel Day
- by croatiaweek
- in Food & Wine
Ivo Jeramaz, winemaker for both Grgich Hills Estate, Napa, and Grgić Vina, Croatia (Source: Croatian Premium Wine)
On National Zinfandel Day in the USA, Croatian wine enthusiasts united to showcase how the taste of Croatia lives strong in California.
The origin of Zinfandel and its connection to Tribidrag and Plavac Mali was introduced in the Instagram Livestream by Ivo Jeramaz, winemaker for the preeminent winery from Napa, Grgich Hills Estate, and Grgić Vina, Croatia, founded by Mike Miljenko Grgich.
Mirena Bagur, co-founder of Croatian Premium Wine Imports, Inc., an online store shipping Croatian wines in the US, moderated the almost two-hour long conversation with over 100 participants.
Wine educator Daniel Čečavac, dipWSET, WeinAkademiker, and founder of Wine Club Croatia, Makarska, Croatia, whose diploma thesis from the Austrian Wine Institute, near Vienna, focused on Zinfandel, tasted the wines and shared comparisons.
The conversation ranged from the myths about Zinfandel being from California, to the Zinfandel study by UC Davis, which proved that Zinfandel in California is genetically identical to Primitivo in Italy and Tribidrag in Croatia, which was colorfully described by Ivo, who was part of the discovery process with Mike Grgich.
Daniel focused on tasting and comparing the wines. Grgich Hills Zinfandel 2016 from their Calistoga, Napa vineyard, Rizman Winery Tribidrag 2017, Komarna Appelation, and Grgić Vina Plavac Mali 2016, Pelješac from the Dubrovnik-Neretva county.
Mirena, using Coravin to taste the wines, and Daniel Čečavac, closed the conversation by asking everyone to support Zinfandel and Tribidrag, aka Crljenak Kaštelanski, which is extremely important for Croatia’s recognition on the world’s wine scene.
You can click HERE to listen to the conversation and hear the tasting notes.
The Grgich Hills Zinfandel can be found at the winery, its website and in many stores around the US. Grgić Vina Plavac Mali is available in the US only in the Grgich Hills Estate winery and via www.CroatianPremiumWine.com, shipping to many US states.
