This Week's Tasting
Make it a Croatian Summer - Lighter and Grill Wines
August 12, 2026
This week we are happy to write welcome back Mirena Bagur a native Croatian who does a wonderful job recognizing those wines here.
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This Week Wednesday, August 12, 2026 Make it a Croatian Summer Lighter and Grill Wines In-store, 5 - 6:30pm
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Many people have come back from Croatia raving about the beauty of the scenery, the wonderful cuisine and of course the delicious wines that they've had there. This week we are happy to write welcome back Mirena Bagur a native Croatian who does a wonderful job recognizing those lines here. She writes: If you are not lucky enough to be in Croatia now, try some coastal Croatian wines with us.
White
Delmati Biokovo White Trbljan 2021 –
A Gold Medal in international competition
The Trbljan grape is related to Trebbiano. Its wine is dry, and light-bodied with subtle fruity notes of lemon zest, white peach, and yellow apples
Vineyards in the Dalmatian hinterland, a valley with terra rosa & limestone “lake” fields. Aging is in cement tanks, which mellow and broaden the wine.
Serve well chilled 12.5% Drink with seafood, white poultry
$21, Case $17.95
Stina Cuvee White 2024
Dry white wine crafted from carefully selected varieties of Pošip, Vugava, and Chardonnay. The wine’s true magic lies in its freshness and exceptional drinkability. It is dominated by fresh notes of citrus and tropical fruit, perfectly complemented by Pošip’s typical heady aromas.
$26.95, Case $22.95
Damjanić Malvasia Istriana 2023
From the coastal town of Poreč, on the Istrian peninsula with deep terra rossa vineyards, this varietal wine has spent a year in stainless steel. It is dry, fresh, round, balanced and harmonious, with a hint of saltiness and bitterness. ABV: 13% Food Drink with pasta with meat or seafood, risotto with seafood, shrimp, white meat with grilled vegetables.
$34, Case $28.95
Red
Delmati Biokovo Plavka
– Chillable red – Plavka is a variety that is related to Plavac Mali yet because it grows mostly in valleys, it is a lot less intense.
Dry, light bodied, balanced soft tannins and acidity. Subtle notes of carob and blackberry.
Aging: cement tanks 13.5% Serve cool 60-64F
sippable, and chillable Drink with tuna, raw or on the grill, charcuterie, pizza
$21.95, Case $18.95
Testament Dog Babić 2019
From terra rosa & limestone fields in rainier and cooler North Dalmatia, it features sour cherry notes with light tannins 14% chillable red - stainless steel, then aged in bottle
Drink with tuna, dark poultry
$22.99, Case $19.49
Terra Madre Barrique Plavac Mali 2018
Perfect for a summer BBQ, this is a modern medium-bodied wine with pronounced fruitiness with soft and tamed tannins. It is primarily Plavac Mali (the parent of Zinfandel but not at all like it) with added Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Its color is ruby red, with scents of fully ripe cherry and plum fruits. Its taste is elegant with light spices and silky tannins. Grapes come from Komarna and are organic and sustainable without the use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides. 13.5%. Relatively cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged for 12 months in oak barrels.
$34, Case $28.95
Croatian Summer Case two each of the above wines $324 $275
.....and a Bonus
Zure Grk Bartul 2022
Mirtena is bringing a very rare and limited-production grape variety from Dalmatia – Grk, indigenous to the island of Korčula. This is hardly ever available outside of the island and is scarce and highly sought-after.
Grk is unusual in that the male flower has no function, and the female flower has to have an affair with another species to become pollinated, which is much rarer in grape varieties than in ours
It’s dry, aromatic, and robust,
Decanter described this wine as having “lots of lemon zest and Mirabelle aromatics, lead into nectarine, pineapple, and a squeeze of grapefruit. The palate opens with smooth oaky style and offers yellow-flower characters, a hint of banana and mineral saltiness. The finish is with a wet-stone and pine-hinted accent.”
$70, Case $59.50
Pronunciation: The Croatian language could use a few more vowels
Here are a few tips to help.
R used as a vowel – Grk, Trbljan (tip: avoid pronouncing R): C = TZ as in ‘tzatziki’. LJ – “ll” as in llama; J = Y; Č and Ć – similar to CH; Đ – J; Š = SH, Ž = ZH
Len Rothenberg
Order by phone at 617.367.8605, or reserve here: order@federalwine.com
Please pass this on to any friends who are wine enthusiasts!
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