Croatia

From the beginning of the 12th century, a personal union with the Kingdom of Hungary emerged. In 1232 was founded by Cistercian monks founded a wine cellar in Kutjevo that still exists today. In the middle of the 15th century, Hungary and Croatia suffered severe loss of territory due to the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. After many battles against the Ottomans, much of Croatia came under the administration of the Habsburgs in the 18th century. As a result, there was a mutual influence of viticulture. The privileged import of Italian wines at the end of the 19th century made viticulture difficult. After the Second World War, Croatia became a republic Yugoslavia and in 1991 independently as "Republika Hrvatska".

In 2012, the vineyards covered 29,000 hectares of vineyards, of which 1.293 million hectoliters of wine were produced. The area under vines has decreased by half in just 12 years since 2000. Well-known producers are Enjini Ivan, Katunar, Frano Milos, Grgich Miljenko (cellar master of Grgich Hills in Napa Valley), Milos Frano, Krauthaker Vlado, Skaramuca, Zdjelarevic, Zlatan Otok (Zlatan Plenkovic). There are two distinct wine regions. These are divided into sub-regions and these into cultivation areas. Northern continental Croatia (Continental Hrvatska) extends from Slovenia in the west to the border Serbia in the East. The climate here is continental. The region consists of the seven subregions Moslavina, Plesivica, Podunavlje ( Danube ), Pokuplje (Kupa), Prigorje-Bilogora, Slavonija (Slavonia) and Zagorje-Medjimurje. Two thirds of white wines are produced here.

The Croatian coastal region (Primorska Hrvatska) in the south is best known for Dalmatia, where the vineyards stretch from Rijeka to Dubrovnik. The Mediterranean climate prevails here. The region is divided into five sub-regions, namely Dalmatinska Zagora (Dalmatian hinterland), Hrvatsko Primorje (coastal area with many islands such as Hvar, Korčula, Krk, Lastovo and Vis), Istra (Istria), Sjeverna Dalmacija (North Dalmatia) and Srednja / Juzna Dalmacija (Central and South Dalmatia). Red wines in particular grow here, and are among the best-known Croatian brand wines Dingac. Faros. Peljesac. postup. Prošek and Teran, The Blend 2010 illustrates that many autochthonous Varieties are grown:

Wine categories : In August 2009 the EU wine market regulations with fundamental changes in wine names and quality levels became valid for all member countries. There are the following new names and quality levels (see also in detail under quality system ):

• Vino (formerly Stolno Vino or table wine ) = Wine
• ZOZP = Regionalno Vino or country wine
• ZOI = Kvalitetno Vino / Predikatno Vino or quality wine / Prädikatswein

ZOZP (Zaštićena Oznaka Zemljopisnog Podrijetla)
A country wine with a protected geographical indication.

ZOI (Zaštićena Oznaka Izvornosti)
A quality wine with a protected designation of origin.

Prädikatswein / Predikatno Vino

• Kasna Berba late vintage
• Izborna Berba choice
• Izborna Berba Bobica Beerenauslese
• Izborna Berba Prosušenih Bobica logo CNRS logo INIST Trockenbeerenauslese
• Ledeno Vino = Eiswein

Special wine names / types

• Arhivsko Vino = archive wine (longer maturation in barrel and bottle)
• Desertno Vino = sweet wine
• Istrian Quality (IQ, reference to basic qualities of Istrian wines)
• KZP (Kontroliranim Zemljopisnim Podrijetlom) = controlled geographical origin
• Mlado Vino = young wine
• Opolo = Rose
• Pjenušca = sparkling wine
• Sortno Vino = varietal wine
• Vrhunsko Vino = top wine, high quality wine

Map: From UN Cartographic Section, public domain, link
Vineyards: By Danilo Tic - originally posted to Flickr as Vineyards , CC BY-SA 2.0 , Link