There are three testaments, not documents, strictly speaking, but historical pieces of evidence, that speak to the winemaking tradition in the Šibenik area. The first is a 2nd-century hypocaust, a heated room frequently used by the ancient Romans to mature harvested grapes. The second consists of 102 ancient amphorae, vessels used for transporting wine and olive oil, discovered on the seabed of the Adriatic near Šibenik.
Grape press from 16th century
The third is the Machina Nova, a grape press invented in the 16th century by the renowned inventor Faust Vrančić, a native of the Šibenik region. This information is provided on the website of the Testament winery, which operates a vineyard and tasting room in Jadrtovac, a former military training ground located about 15 kilometers from Šibenik.
Wines such as the highly interesting blend of Debit and Maraština are perfect for summer, though the overall selection is much broader. They offer Opolo, a rosé made from Babić, classic red Babić, and Babić Dalmatian Dog. This is Testament’s sister winery from Korčula, which is also home to a third sister, Merga Victa winery.
Three Wineries, Three Sisters
At Jadrtovac, visitors can taste wines under these labels, such as the Merga Victa Pošip, aged for two months on fine lees. Alongside organic wines, they offer local Dalmatian snacks and feature Babić Coral, a wine that, following fermentation, was aged on the seabed at a depth of 20 meters.
Grapes from Jadrtovac also go into the production of Dalmatian Ego wines, a sort of Adriatic outpost of the Galić winery from Kutjevo. Their range includes sparkling, white, rosé, red, and dessert wines made from Pošip, Maraština, Babić, Tribidrag, and Plavac grapes, so it is worth setting aside some time for a tasting. The tasting room is open daily from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Grapes from Jadrtovac travells to Hvar
The Hvar-based winery Zlatan Otok also has vineyards there. Following the death of Croatian winemaking pioneer Zlatan Plenković ten years ago, the winery has been successfully managed by his sons, Marin and Nikola. They cultivate as much as 65 hectares of vines, though they do not have a tasting room on-site.
To wrap things up, here are a few more striking, recent photos from the Testament tasting room and the surrounding vineyards, which offer a view of the sea, along with two shots of Jadrtovac from 2010, back when the olive trees were visible and the vines barely peeked out from the rocky terrain.
Fotografije: Ivana Pranjić (Cork Croatia) i Bakhov sin