red grape · regional staple
Plavina
Croatia, Dalmatia
Say it
pla·vee·na
Stress the second syllable: pla-VEE-na.
On the palate
cranberryraspberryred berriesmintearthy
How you spot it blind: lighter, higher-acid Dalmatian red with soft tannins, unlike Plavac Mali
The story
First written down · 1821, Dubrovnik area, Croatia
DNA work shows Plavina is a natural cross of Tribidrag and the Italian white Verdeca. It was first recorded in 1821 near Dubrovnik and later became one of the common Dalmatian reds; today it is concentrated in northern Dalmatia with growing interest in varietal bottlings.
Family tree: Tribidrag × Verdeca
Where it lives
Northern Dalmatia, Croatia · Central and Southern Dalmatia, Croatia · Croatian Littoral, Croatia
Shows up as
still redrosésparklingpassito
If you like this, try
Frankovka (Blaufränkisch)Lasina