A total of 19 winemakers, 33 aged Terans, an excellent masterclass, the luxurious atmosphere of the Esplanade Hotel - Vinistra held the first in a series of promenade tastings

Vinistra has once again decided to take an innovative step forward on the Croatian wine scene. This time the bar has been raised very high. In Zagreb's Esplanade, the first promenade tasting of aged Teran was held, a prestigious wine event with the symbolic name Vintage by Vinistra.

A total of 19 winemakers presented 33 wines at the one-day event, the youngest from 2019, the oldest from 2006, and some of them multiple champion and medal winners. All of them were from well-known wineries - Kabola, Franković and Kozlović from the area of Buje and Momjan, Cattunar from Brtonigla, Dešković from Kostanjica, Benvenuti wines, Bertoš, Fakin, Tomaz and Valenta from Motovun and Kaldir, Deklić, Franc Arman, Gerženić, Pilato, Sosich Wines and Vorić from Vižinada, Poletti and Brčić from Višnjan, Dobravac from Rovinj.

Selected wines for a selected audience

In the Esplanade, you could attend Vintage - the presentation of aged Teran wines by Vinistra through invitation only. Thus, restaurant owners, food and beverage managers, famous chefs, wine shop owners, sommeliers, enologists, wine distributors, media representatives who follow the eno-gastro scene could enjoy the best Istrian aged Teran wines...

“The indigenous Teran and Malvasia varieties have positioned Istria as a renowned wine region and an attractive tourist destination. In order to confirm our status as the leader on the domestic wine market and to promote our strongest assets, we decided to organize new wine events under the joint name Vintage, the first of which is dedicated to aged Teran wines. We wanted to emphasize the undiscovered potential of this variety and announce the beginning of the era of modern Teran, our great wine. While being the most challenging red variety in Croatia, Teran is a wild stallion that Istrians decided to saddle", said Luka Rossi, president of Vinistra.

Masterclass World of Teran

A great prelude to the promenade tasting was an inspiring masterclass called World of Teran, where guests tasted this powerful wine in seven different styles chosen by the masterclass lecturer, famous sommelier Emil Perdec, and with a carefully designed menu of seven exquisite courses by Esplanada chef Ana Grgić Tomić.

“Although Teran has been nurtured in Istrian vineyards for centuries, we decided on a modern approach, so the masterclass opened with a Teranino spritz cocktail to bring this variety closer to a wider audience. Teran is presented in seven different styles - from sparkling wine, fine rosé and fresh Teran to coupage, then Teran aged for ten and 18 years, and finally Teran distillate," Perdec pointed out.

Top quality

A broader context for this serious Istrian variety was given by Marijan Bubola, PhD, from the Institute of Agriculture and Tourism in Poreč, who discovered that in Udine in 1390 Teran was given as a gift to distinguished guests, and in 1641 it was mentioned by Bishop Tommasini of Novigrad in the work "De Commentari storici geografici della Provincia dell'Istria". 

“In the 19th century, when there were more than 34 thousand hectares of vineyards in Istria, which is more than today's area in the entire Croatia, Teran was the most represented variety with a share of more than 80 percent. In comparison, today only ten percent of vineyard areas are planted with it, while Istrian Malvasia accounts for 60 percent," said Professor Bubola.

He added that twenty years ago, because of unsuitable access to the vineyards, Teran was considered a variety for wines of mediocre quality, from which only young and light wines are made, but thanks to the enthusiasm of several Istrian winemakers, the approach to its production has completely changed, and this variety today produces wines of exceptional quality and different styles. This year, a clonal selection of Teran was started in old vineyards in Istria, with 18 locations in vineyards planted between 1903 and 1975 examined.

“This is a big event, not only because Teran was promoted today in Zagreb, in the capital that certainly has the greatest potential for the promotion and consumption of such top products, but also because it is the first event at such a high level since the dispute with Slovenia when we officially got the possibility to use the name Teran. I am extremely proud of Vinistra for deciding to take such a step forward and for presenting the aged Teran in the most beautiful manner possible", said Ezio Pinzan, the head of the Administrative Department for Agriculture, Forestry, Hunting, Fisheries and Water Management of the Istria County.