What?
Juice 2019 Malvazija Istarska, Alba, Matošević, Istria, CRO
Grape 100% Malvazija Istarska
Farming Practising Organic, Vegan
Tasting Note The wine is bursting with aromas of elderflower, acacia, lime zest, quince, pear, apricot and ripe nectarine. An incredibly crisp acidity balances the concentration of flavours beautifully. It has a medium body and a long finish, marked by lovely minerality.
Who?
Described by Steven Spurrier as “Croatia’s best winemaker”, Ivica Matošević has established himself as a force of nature in the country’s burgeoning wine industry. This is due to his unbridled passion, which led him to divert his career from a PhD in agriculture, to winemaking. This passion is reflected both in his wines, which are exuberant, fresh and true to their nature, and in what he has achieved for the reputation of Croatian wine. Widely recognised as one of the leaders of the quality revolution amongst his peers, he was instrumental in setting up the Istrian appellation and establishing the wildly popular annual wine fair which takes place there to promote the wines.
Why?
We believe that Ivica’s view on his personal journey is reflected in his wine: “[I am a] better man today, more honest and common, more natural and more savage, all due to changes in my life circumstances.” We love Ivica and his wines, he’s just a bloody great bloke making bloody great wines that are wonderfully defined, precise and have a wonderful sense of place.
With?
Istria’s proximity to the ocean along with the vibrancy and energy in Ivica’s wines make it the ideal partner for beautiful sea bound bounties. We love it with crudo of sea bream or bass, served simply with blood orange or mandarin segments and new season olive oil. A simple Spaghetti ‘alla Vongole’ (with clams) and a healthy handful of fresh parsley would work wonderfully well or why not go the whole hog and put on a full seafood platter spread.
