People either love tripe or they don’t, but even the fans know that truly excellent tripe is a rare find. Dražen, hailing from Trpuci, in the far south of Zagreb, provided just such an opportunity during a friendly gathering at Ledeni’s place above the Miroševac. The preparation took hours, a slow, patient process, so we used the time to search for the wine that pairs best with the dish.
The varieties included Graševina, Chardonnay, Žilavka, Pinot Gris, Borgonja (Istrian Frankovka), Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of Teran, Borgonja and Merlot and Pinot Noir. The wines spanned vintages from 2025 to 2020.
Top marks for Plešivica Pinot Noir
Quite unexpectedly, the best match for the rich, fatty tripe was a Pinot Noir 2020 from the Damir Drago Režek winery in Plešivica. This polished, smooth wine surprised with a freshness that perfectly balanced the richness of the tripe, earning a perfect score.
Another wine from Plešivica, the long-macerated Pinot Gris Amber Selection from the Jagunić winery, received a rating of four to five.
Žilavka from Hercegovina
The Winemakers of Croatia Cabernet Sauvignon (a Lidl private label) would likely have achieved the same score had it not warmed up while waiting to be tasted. It remained at a very good rating, a level also attained by the Žilavka from the Herzegovinian winery Sušac.
