Dalmatinska zagora

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• Soils dominated by vapnenac and dolomite; in karst poljes, deep alluvial soils, with crvenica and brown soils on vapnenac along the margins.
• Submediteranska klima prevails, mediteranska klima in the Imotski and Vrgorac areas; summers are long and warm, with approximately 1,260 mm of annual precipitation.
• Skeletal soils and rocky surfaces around karst poljes amplify diurnal temperature variation, preserving acidity in the fruit ahead of harvest.
• Karst morphology with no permanent watercourses; poljes of alluvial/colluvial origin, with relief oriented in an east–west direction.
• A cumulative active temperature sum of 1,650–2,000 °C during the growing season enables the ripening of Epoch III and IV varieties, as well as late, dry-harvest styles.

• The first industrial wineries in Dalmatia were built in 1948 in Benkovac and Imotski, marking a turning point away from traditional Mediterranean viticulture.
• Geographic and logistical isolation long restricted the penetration of international varieties, allowing a large number of indigenous and old varieties to be preserved.

• White wines: crystal clear, yellow to golden-yellow in colour, medium in alcohol, with delicate and neutral aromas.
• Red wines: deep ruby-red to ruby in colour, approachable and full-bodied, with rich aromas and well-balanced tannin maturity.

• Skeletal soils and rocky surfaces around karst poljes create greater diurnal temperature variation, which preserves acidity in the grapes.
• The heterogeneous soil composition contributes to higher microelement content in the grapes, yielding wines that are rich in minerals and extract while retaining freshness and fruit aromas.
• Uneven annual distribution of rainfall and warm, dry autumns allow the grapes to dehydrate on the vine, enabling the production of desertno and liqueur wines.
• Mediteranska klima, with a high cumulative active temperature sum (1,650–2,000 °C), enables the ripening of Epoch III and IV varieties.
• Geographic isolation restricted the penetration of international varieties, allowing a large number of indigenous and old varieties to be preserved.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.

Sources

• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-HR-A1648
• Official trade body site — Udruženje Vino Dalmacije