Young Wine, Old Customs
The French open up their famous Beaujolais nouveau wine and shout about it to the whole wide world every third Thursday in November. Fine, but Croatia has its own young wine to brag about, too, and it's already out there. It's called Portugizac and it is typical for Plešivica, small but prolific wine region only a 40-minute ride south-west from Zagreb. Portugizac grapes ripen early and abundantly to give a light, fruity, slightly tart, refreshing and simple wine, best when consumed young. It's made to be enjoyed in late autumn and early winter, with roasted chestnuts or as accompaniment to heavy seasonal dishes like sausages, restani krumpir (potato boiled and then sauteed on lard with onion), sauerkraut, buncek (smoked pork shank), bean and turnip stew, duck, goose or pork roasts...
“Typical food to go with young wine.” Image credit: Šember winery
In Zagreb there is an annual street festival dedicated to Portugizac wine and many restaurants feature it and pair with food throughout the winter season. The best known producers are Korak, Režek, Ivančić, Gregorić, Jagunić, Kolarić, Kurtalj, Mladina, etc. Basically, all the winemakers in Plešivica have it. Even though the tradition of closing the past winemaking year (and ushering the new one in) by drinking young wine is quite old, Portugizac still has to shake off the image of a cheap and dull wine. Put in the right perspective, it definitely can.
“Winemaker Krešimir Ivančić and his very young wine still fermenting.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia
Portugizac comes just in time for Martinje, the popular celebration of St. Martin's Day, on November 11. In the winemaker’s calendar, it marks the day when the must traditionally turns to wine. Martinje is the best known and most widely celebrated of all Catholic saints’ days connected with vineyards and winemaking, and there is certainly quite a number of those in Croatia. In Zagreb and surroundings that usually means going out to a local restaurant or winery, enjoying a big and filling meat-packed dinner, washing it down with lots of wine and listening to traditional music. If you want to respect the old customs, roast goose is a must-have at St. Martin’s Day feast. The story goes that Martin, a devout Christian from 4th century AD, was too humble and didn’t want to be appointed bishop of today’s city of Tours in France, so he hid in a barn with geese. They cackled and gave away his position, and naturally, had to be punished by being roasted on the same day eternally. So not only are they super tasty, but the geese are also symbolic and connected to the origins of the holiday itself. Most often the bird will be served with local mlinci pasta tatters, deliciously juicy from all the God-given fat from the goose, and some sauteed red cabbage on the side. If you really want to impress everyone, a rich stuffing is also welcome - bread and liver, even apples or chestnuts. The highlight of every Martinje party is having a fake priest (bishop, no more or less) baptize the must and welcome it to the world of wine. This often turns to stand-up comedy. Beware, this is also the day when all the traffic policemen are out just waiting to get you. Whatever you do, don’t mix drinking and driving, try to be well organized. November is a challenging and demanding month for every true gourman and wine lover, but you can do it.
“The ceremony of baptizing and blessing young wine.” Image credit: Vuglec breg
Header image credit: Croatian National Tourist Board
Author: Taste of Croatia