If they hadn't banned Joško's wine, they would have banned mine, often says Marino Markežić Kabola from Momjan, who pioneered the practice in Croatia of aging wine in clay vessels with Malvazija 2005. Shortly after him, the Tomac family from Plešivica released an amphora-aged wine to the market. It was a blend of Chardonnay and old Plešivica grape varieties from the 2007 vintage. Two years later, they also aged Riesling in amphorae, and from the 2010 vintage, they produced the amphora sparkling wine, which the British magazine Decanter named one of the 75 most exciting wines in the world. Only six sparkling wines werw at that list.
The Šember family from Plešivica has produced an excellent amphora-aged Riesling. Their Qvevri 2011, named after the Georgian word for amphora, was named the best white wine on the Croatian market in 2015. Producing amphora wine is a lengthy process. It begins in the vineyard with grape preparation, yield reduction, and the avoidance of chemical treatments. After the harvest, the grapes are placed into a buried amphora, where they macerate for months in their own juice while fermentation takes place simultaneously. Finally, the contents of the amphora are pressed, and the wine is transferred to barrels for aging. Large barrels are typically used to minimize the influence of the wood on the wine.
The wine spends a few years in barrels after leaving the amphora, followed by further aging in the bottle. In total, a minimum of three years elapses before it goes on sale. Most winemakers passionate about amphorae try to keep the wine in the cellar for five years, while Gravner keeps it for at least seven. Almost all the amphorae used by European winemakers to age their wines come from Georgia. The clay there is said to be the best for making them. Yet, some of the finest Europian amphora-aged wines are Croatian. They boast pure aromas and flavors, captivating everyone wherever they appear.