Peljecšac is the home land for the Plavac Mali grape. It has all it needs to thrive here, perfect soils, climate and salty sea air. It grows better here than anywhere else in the world. Mario’s farm is in the village of Ponikve in the heart of Pelješac.
The Pelješac peninsula overlooks the clear, blue waters of the Adriatic. It is free of the harmful effects of industrial pollution. No additives are needed for the soils and the vines are minimally sprayed with only copper and sulfur treatments. The simple philosophy of minimal intervention allows the natural expression of each vintage. Each vintage reflects the environmental conditions. The result is a wine that has big changes in concentration and flavor from year to year, but it always tastes like real Plavac Mali.
Cultivation is done the way it always has been on the farm. The techniques are the same that Mario’s great-grandfather was using. They kept all the methods, and even some of the same equipment. The important thing is that the winemaking techniques haven’t changed.
Mario’s first bottled vintage was 2009. Prior to this the family only made wine for themselves and sold all of their excess fruit to co-ops around Pelješac. All of the wine rests in Croatian oak (Slavonian). Each barrel is hand made. There is a special, older barrel that was made by Mario’s grandfather 60 years ago, and is still in use today.
100% Plavac Mali sourced from the Ponikve vineyard on the Peljesac Peninsula. Indigenous fermentation in wood followed by 8-12 months of ageing in oak barrels.
