🇭🇷 Croatian Wine
Croatia's winemaking history dates back to ancient times. Influenced by the ancient Greeks, walls that were once used to divide vineyards still stand today and are registered as World Heritage Sites.
Location of Croatia
Croatia is a country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and the Adriatic Sea. It is a land blessed with abundant natural beauty, and high-quality wines are produced here. The total area of Croatia is 56,594 square kilometers.
History of Croatian Wine
Croatia's winemaking tradition dates back to ancient times, influenced by the Greeks, with vineyard walls from that era still in use and recognized as World Heritage Sites.
In the Middle Ages, the wine industry expanded and wines were exported, but production declined during the Ottoman Empire. From the 18th century, Croatia was part of the Habsburg Empire, and its wine culture was greatly influenced by Austria and Germany. After World War II, Croatia became part of Yugoslavia, where the wine industry suffered under the Iron Curtain. Croatia declared independence in 1991 and joined the EU in 2013.
Basic Data on Croatia’s Wine Industry
According to 2019 OIV data, Croatia's vineyard area was 21,311 hectares, with 361 grape varieties being cultivated. The total grape harvest was 108,296 tons, with an average yield of 5.1 tons per hectare.
Nineteen EU-approved geographical indications (DOC and IG) are registered.
There are five EU-approved master’s or doctoral degree courses available within Croatia related to viticulture and wine production.
Croatia produces 704,000 hectoliters (70.4 million liters) of wine annually. Approximately 75.5% of the production is consumed domestically, while 24.5% is exported. The annual wine consumption per capita is 28.9 liters (for individuals aged 15 and older).
Croatian Wine Regions
Croatia is divided into three main wine regions.
① Eastern Continental Region (Istočna kontinentalna)
This is a flat region bordered by the Danube, Drava, and Sava rivers, with vineyards mostly located on low hills. It has a continental climate with very cold winters and hot summers, and mainly white grape varieties are cultivated.
There are two wine districts in this region:
- Hrvatsko Podunavlje District
- Slavonija District
② Western Continental Region (Zapadna kontinentalna)
This is a relatively cool region where vineyards are planted on south-facing slopes of hills. Mainly white grape varieties are grown, and the wines of this region are known for their firm acidity and aromatic character.
This region consists of five wine districts:
- Moslavina District
- Plešivica District
- Pokuplje District
- Prigorje–Bilogorje District
- Zagorje–Međimurje District
③ Coastal Region (Primorska)
Although this is officially considered one wine region, the different styles and grape varieties grown often lead to a distinction between the Istria and Dalmatia regions.
The climate in Istria is influenced by the Alps, making it cooler than Dalmatia, with fertile soils that are ideal for agriculture. In Istria, fresh dry white wines and dry red wines are produced.
Dalmatia is Croatia’s warmest wine region, characterized by rocky landscapes. This region includes numerous islands and produces a wide variety of wines, including many indigenous grape varieties.
The Coastal Region is divided into five wine districts:
- Hrvatska Istra District
- Hrvatsko Primorje District
- Sjeverna Dalmacija District
- Dalmatinska Zagora District
- Srednja i Južna Dalmacija District
Croatia’s Wine Laws
Croatia's wine quality classifications are as follows:
① Stolno vino
Stolno vino (Table wine) is the most basic category of wine. It allows for the blending of grapes from different regions, and the origin is not listed on the label.
② ZOZP / PGI
The ZOZP system was introduced when Croatia joined the EU. ZOZP stands for “Zaštićene oznake zemljopisnog podrijetla,” corresponding to the EU’s Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).
Before the ZOZP system, a classification system for table wine with controlled origin (Stolno Vino s Kontrolirano Podrijetlo) was used and is still in use today.
There are three EU-recognized ZOZP / PGI categories in Croatia:
- Hrvatska Loza
- Hrvatska travarica
- Samoborski bermet
③ ZOI / PDO
The ZOI system was also introduced upon EU accession. ZOI stands for “Zaštićena oznaka izvornosti,” corresponding to the EU’s Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).
Croatia’s ZOI system includes two quality classifications:
Kvalitetno Vino s Kontrolirano Podrijetlo
This is the quality wine category.
Vrhunsko Vino s Kontrolirano Podrijetlo
This is the highest quality wine category in Croatia. Within this category, wines are further classified based on the sugar content of the grapes, similar to Germany’s Prädikatswein classification:
- Kasna berba (Late harvest) / Must weight of 94° Oechsle or higher
- Izborna berba (Selected harvest) / Must weight of 105° Oechsle or higher
- Izborna berba bobica (Selected berry harvest) / Uses overripe or botrytized grapes / Must weight of 127° Oechsle or higher
- Izborna berba prosušenih bobica (Selected dried berry harvest) / Uses dried grapes / Must weight of 154° Oechsle or higher
- Ledeno vino (Ice wine) / Must weight of 127° Oechsle or higher
There are 16 EU-recognized ZOI / PDO classifications in Croatia:
- Istočna kontinentalna Hrvatska
- Hrvatsko Podunavlje
- Slavonija
- Zapadna kontinentalna Hrvatska
- Moslavina
- Prigorje-Bilogora
- Plešivica
- Pokuplje
- Zagorje-Međimurje
- Primorska Hrvatska
- Hrvatska Istra
- Hrvatsko Primorje
- Sjeverna Dalmacija
- Dalmatinska Zagora
- Srednja i južna Dalmacija
- Dingač
Pesticide Use in Croatia
The average pesticide use in Croatia is low, with data from 2021 showing an annual application rate of 1.8 kg per hectare.
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