Wines

GRAŠEVINA (WELSH RIESLING) Very drinkable, this typical Welsh Riesling is a happy combination of strong wines of Slavonia and lighter wines of Northwest Croatia, but with all distinct features of the variety. Its colour is light yellow with a pinch of green. The flavour has a touch of apple and peach, with pleasant acidity and some bitterness characteristic for the variety. Elegant, with lively acids, best matched with white meat dishes, Špania homemade dried meat products, and could even be combined with strong and rich dishes.

KERNER Dry to semi-dry wine, created in Germany in 1929 as a hybrid of light-red Trollinger and Rhine Riesling. A true specialty when grown in Croatia, it finds its dream terroir (a combination of soil, climate and exposition) on Plešivica. The Špania managed to turn it into an extroverted wine, with powerful, breath-taking aroma. It’s an explosive, aromatic wine, with a mixture of apple and lime aroma and a mineral and light Muscat tone, with the remaining unfermented sugar adding a new dimension of roundness, harmony and completeness, with an aroma of southern fruits. Kerner has a tendency of sugar accumulation which isn’t followed by acids, and long fermentation would hurt the balance of the acids, alcohol and sugar which is the quality of the Špania’s kerner.

ZELENI SILVANAC – GRÜNER SILVANER This wine is known as the German Chardonnay and is usually of a neutral, unobtrusive taste. It has a colour of hay with green reflections. When it isn’t overdone, it is capable of producing stronger wines, with fruity-flowery-herbal aroma of green apple and flowers, and a hint of honey and melon. Its main quality is freshness, with an elegant body and an elegant finish. It goes well with light meat and fish dishes, pasta, vegetarian dishes and pizza.

RAJNSKI RIZLING – RHINE RIESLING Wine with a distinct yellow-green colour, with a flavour of apple, grapefruit and honey, and minerality, nowadays called – saltiness. It is of German origin and traditionally grown on Plešivica. Its body is of medium fullness, with medium to strong acidity, making– as in the case of Španic - a few grams of residual sugar useful in preserving that lively acetic-sweet-mineral flavour. It is best when combined with fish dishes, especially freshwater fish like trout, pike, pikeperch, and is almost genetically related to pork. Exotic cuisine is also a great match, especially Japanese, Chinese and vegetarian cuisine, although it is best not to combine it with very spicy food.