Water didn't help. Reddish glow was in the glass even after tasting white wine of Maraština. Before the glass was washed, Esenca was in it. Prije pranja bila je u njima Esenca. You can't wash that away, Matela added calmly. The Esenca is a wine made from Crljenak Kaštelanski. The essence of Crljenak Kaštelanski. A red wine. Brilliant red wine with brilliant aromas and flavors.
Ivan: The color of the Essence
It initially offers aromas of stewed dark fruit, followed by Mediterranean herbs such as immortelle and sage, while the first impression on the palate is one of incredible density. It contains about 12 grams of residual sugar per liter, yet the sweetness is barely perceptible and not at all intrusive, thanks to the wine's pronounced freshness. However, it is incredibly dense and concentrated due to its high extract content, which approaches the remarkable figure of 40 grams per liter.
Decanter's judges on April 2022 praised the ripe finish and awarded 87 points out of a possible 100 to Esenca 2021, a semi-dry wine with 15.3 percent alcohol that was barely six months old at that time. The same number of points was won by Matela's Babica 2021, seasoned with 10 percent of Crljenak (Zinfandel). It has 14.3 percent alcohol and is dry.
Kovač: I have 34 labels, and some more
According to Decanter’s judges, Babica 2021 is a very straightforward yet expertly crafted wine, featuring an unusual salty aroma and a flavor profile rich in dark berries, plums, and figs. Babica is the offspring of Plavac Mali, making it a descendant of Crljenak as well. It is primarily grown in the Kaštela region and blended with other varieties to enhance their color and add freshness. In the hands of skilled winegrowers and winemakers, it can offer a truly delightful surprise in the glass.
I don't measure sugar and acidity levels in the vineyard before the harvest. I look at the grapes, see when the time is right, and generally harvest twenty days later than everyone else. There are no rules. Every year is different, and I can't go against nature, says Ivan Kovač Matela, adding that winemakers who adapt to the market cause that their wines lose soul.
Matela: Two years in the barrel
He believes that fine wine must age in a wooden barrel for at least two years, and his dream is to bottle it directly from the barrel. He says that if it is stored in stainless steel tanks, it loses at least 20 percent of its original character. He intervenes as little as possible in the vineyard. He does not fertilize the soil, believing the vines should have to fight for nutrients, and he harvests between 800 and 900 grams per vine: it is just two or three bunches of grapes.
He has, to be precise, 34 labels, plus few more. Currently, there are also five prošek wines in the cellar. Our people were born and died with prošek, he explains. When a child was born, it was customary to make prošek that would later be drunk at their wedding, while a few bottles were set aside for others to drink after they passed away.
Ivan: Law forbid prošek from the Babica
He used to make one prošek, he called him Kaštelanski, but now he produces a separate one from each variety. The white versions are made from three of our Malvazija varieties: Istrian Malvazija, Malvasija Dubrovačka and Maraština, known to Italians as Malvasia Lunga or Malvasia del Chianti. The red prošeks are made from Plavac Mali an, as genetic analysis has revealed, its offspring, the Babica variety. He speaks with regret about the fact that Babica is not on the list of permitted varieties for prošek production, forcing him to label it simply as a dessert wine.
A narrow, low doorway leads to Matela’s prošek. It is worth the effort to reach the cave where this treasure is kept. The prošek made from Istrian Malvazija was a pleasant surprise, offering a delicate yet wonderful hazelnut aroma. The version made from Maraština is considerably sweeter, the kind of wine that finds its audience with relative ease.
Kovač: My wines improve blood
Malvasija dubrovačka, on the other hand, yielded a prošek with less sugar but far greater complexity. The Konavle Field, where the grapes grow, lies beneath a hill and is rich in watercourses. Consequently, the nights are cooler, allowing the grapes to retain their acidity and ensuring freshness in the wine.
Two more Essenca's he produced by papa Plavac Mali and his daughter Babica. Both are good for the heart: they offer great pleasure while also improving drinker's blood. Ivan Kovač Matela loves wines very much. He speaks tenderly about them, caresses them and plays with them with his whole heart. And with every gram of his 130-kilogram frame.
Matela: I am waiting for a red cuvée
Despite his corpulence, he has no trouble squeezing through those narrow, low doorway. He also has an excellent advisor for his vineyard and cellar. It is the famous Joe Feeling, a man many have heard of, yet few are willing to heed. Matela also possesses a great ambition: I’m looking to create a red cuvée. I have the grape varieties, but I haven't yet found the right proportions, he said. He will find them. Matela produces a sparkling wine, too. Curious what it’s like? Read on: it is as distinctive as the winemaker himself.
Fotografije: Ivana Pranjić (Cork Croatia) i Bakhov sin