| Plavac Mali | |
|---|---|
| Grape (Vitis) | |
 | |
| Color of berry skin | Red |
| Notable regions | Dalmatia,Croatia |
| Notable wines | Dingač,Postup |
| Ideal soil | Karst |
| VIVC number | 9549 |
| Wine characteristics | |
| Medium climate | Black cherry |
| Hot climate | Licorice, black pepper, cloves |
Plavac Mali (Croatian pronunciation:[plǎːʋat͡smǎli]), a cross between Crljenak Kaštelanski (ancestral Zinfandel) andDobričić grapes, is the primary redwine grape grown along theDalmatian coast ofCroatia.[1] The name refers to the small blue grapes that the vines produce: inCroatianplavo means blue;mali means small.
Plavac Mali is known for producing rich, flavorful wines that are high in bothalcohol (typically 13% but up to 17%) andgrape tannins.[1] Common flavors and aromas include carob, figs, sage, dark cherries, pepper, and spices. Croatian wines from this grape include the reds fromDingač andPostup vineyards on thePelješac peninsula,Hvar island,Brač island,Vis island,Komarna vineyards,Konavle and the rosé Opol (a vinification style). The wines from Plavac Mali can be created as dry, semi-dry or sweet. Most common are dry wines, although wines with a little bit of residual sugar are a traditional expression of Plavac Mali.
If not grown in ideal conditions, Plavac Mali is notorious among winegrowers for its uneven ripening properties - agrape cluster with both green berries and raisins. If left to ripen fully, the tannins and sugars increase, but the acids drop. This is why Plavac Mali is a challenge for the winemakers.
In the 1980s, Plavac Mali was incorrectly thought to be an ancestor of Zinfandel. In 1998, while researching the origins of Zinfandel through DNA fingerprinting, Dr.Carole Meredith atUC Davis with the urging fromMike Grgich (a well-known winemaker inNapa Valley originally from Croatia) and researchers from theUniversity of Zagreb discovered that Zinfandel is actually one parent of Plavac Mali.[2] The other parent is an ancient variety known asDobričić from the island ofŠolta which, much like Crljenak Kaštelanski is not commonly found on its own.
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