We also took the opportunity to visit the vineyards and the cellar, as well as the beautiful Mosaic Hall, which remained intact amidst the otherwise dilapidated premises of the former Imota winery. It was the third-largest winery in the former Yugoslavia, though it fared poorly during the privatization process in the current state. It was purchased by Nikica Katić, a builder and winemaker from Imotski. His winery is named Katich, as he also produces wine in the Moslavina region.
Artist Slobodanka Matić, a native of Proložac near Imotski, has used small stones to depict the mythical Topana fortress, the Blue Lake and Red Lake over which white fairies fly, as well as traditional Imotski kitchens, wooden baking boards, fireplace chains, low round dining tables, stools, and wooden food-storage vessels. She linked dozens of different images with the motif of the grapevine. The tasting, of course, was a highlight in itself. It began with Kujundžuša, and what else could it have been, given that this variety grows on three of the winery's seven hectares?
The 2024 vintage came as a bit of a surprise in August 2025 due to its level of ripeness, a result of the winemaking process. Winemaker Viktor Zdilar explained that, until March, the wine was aged in stainless steel tanks on fine lees with occasional stirring. He added that the wines were crafted to allow for some bottle aging, noting that Nikica Katić has been making wine since 2008. He initially purchased grapes, began planting his own vines in 2012, and started bottling his own production with the 2015 vintage. After the Kujundžuša, the Pošip 2024 was presented.
This fine wine demonstrated that the variety thrives even far from its native island of Korčula. The 2022 Pošip was still being sold last summer, whereas the 2023 vintage was not produced at all. A comparison between the 2022 and 2024 vintages clearly illustrated the impact of the vintage year on the wine. Although produced using the same methods, they are vastly different, yet both are excellent. The 2024 Chardonnay, meanwhile, shows tremendous potential. It is a Chablis-style wine, slightly crisp and sharp, and an excellent example of that style. It will wait until the spring of 2026 for its market release, and promising years lie ahead for it.
Chardonnay also features in the Mirite Blanc 2022, making up a full 80 percent, with Sauvignon accounting for the rest. Mirite is the specific vineyard site. The 2024 vintage awaits its market release, having been aged in three 500-liter barrels and one 225-liter barrel. This time, we tasted the reds straight from the barrels and Trnjak, naturally, came first. The 2024 vintage clearly demonstrated the variety's power. Trnjak delivers on its own everything that Bordeaux producers must seek by blending different varieties. Even at that stage, it was a phenomenal wine: young, yet full-bodied, juicy, and spicy.
The 2023 harvest demonstrated just how headstrong the Trnjak variety is. Three small barrels, three distinct Trnjaks, yet each possesses everything it needs. They are dry and boast wonderful aromas of dark fruit, elegantly spiced with notes of coconut and chocolate. The tour of the cellar concluded with the 2020 Merlot. It is the true successor to the renowned Beg 2018, a wine named after the winery owner's grandfather's nickname. It is powerful, clocking in at 16% alcohol, yet it is neither heavy nor cloyingly sweet, as high-alcohol wines can sometimes be. In fact, it is delightfully spicy.
Mutual friends stopped by, so we revisited some wines and opened others. Later, once the threat of rain had passed, we took a stroll through the vineyard. It had fared well, only the puddles on the ground hinted at the wild downpour. The canopy had done its job, too, offering the berries some protection against the onslaught. Here are some more photos taken by Ivana Pranjić (Cork Croatia), including a selfie under a rainbow and another with my favorite small barrel. Memories of Summer 7 you can reed here.
