Sjeverna Dalmacija

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• Vineyards are mainly situated on hillsides, in hilly to undulating areas with karst depressions, plateaus, karst ridges, karst poljes, and on islands, with Dinarically structured folds; the underlying geology consists of limestones and dolomites.
• Various soil types predominate, including terra rossa (crvenica), brown soils over limestone, and carbonate-grey and brown soils over flysch; on gently sloping to sloping terrain, anthropomorphic terraced soils have developed, bounded by dry-stone walls known as prizidi.
• In karst poljes and river valleys of the coastal belt, deep alluvial soils have formed whose texture ranges from clay loam to sandy loam, while lime content is highly variable.
• The climate of this area is a mild Mediterranean type with hot summers and mild, wet winters, with a mean annual temperature of approximately 15.6 °C and an effective temperature sum during the growing season exceeding 2,000 °C.
• Annual precipitation totals approximately 819 mm, while around 425 mm falls during the growing season; rainfall is highest in the cooler part of the year, in autumn and winter, which results in dry spells during summer.

• The first winegrowing and winemaking cooperative in Dalmatia was founded in 1903 in Bol on the island of Brač, and the establishment of such cooperatives only partially contributed to the survival of viticulture.
• Wines from the Babić variety, which is cultivated mainly in the Šibenik and Primošten vineyard areas, are grown on so-called 'stone lacework' (kamene čipke), which forms a distinctive and recognisable landscape of Croatia, and of Dalmatia in particular.
• In the Sjeverna Dalmacija sub-region, the following training systems predominate: bush-vine training (Gobelet), fan, Guyot, double-arm training, and Cordon (single- and double-sided).
• The vine is cultivated, particularly on the islands, among stones, creating a distinctive Croatian cultural landscape.

• Red wines of Sjeverna Dalmacija are clear wines ranging from ruby red to deeper shades of red; they are full-bodied, with well-balanced tannins and rich aromas of fruit and spice.
• White wines of Sjeverna Dalmacija are crystal-clear wines of varying yellow-colour intensity, with medium alcoholic strength and a rich varietal palate and nose, showing floral, fruit, and spice character.

• The uneven annual distribution of rainfall allows for dry, warm autumns and late harvests; from such overripe and partially desiccated grapes, dessert and liqueur wines are produced.
• The Mediterranean climate, with a high sum of active temperatures above 2,000 °C, favours good sugar accumulation in the grapes, enables the ripening of late-ripening varieties of the fourth epoch, and supports the production of higher-alcohol wines suited to ageing.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Croatia

Sources

• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-HR-A1659
• Official trade body site — Udruženje Vino Dalmacije