Guilty Pleasure Blog Dubrovnik FestiWine 2016

The third year in a row. In Dubrovnik. Regional Wine Festival and international competition of South Dalmatian wine varieties. For the third time in a row Bojan Kobal has been the President of the international committee with tasters from UK to China. All together judged 61 samples of wine. Dominant white Malvasija Dubrovačka and Plavac Mali amongst the red. Whites were fresh and mainly vintage of 2015 while the reds were matured and down to the vintage of 2008. The quality of the wines was higher this year, partly due to the extremly good vintage of 2015. Dingač and Postup regions from Pelješac peninsula with numerous representatives at the competition could not hide the concentration of grape juice which can be reached only at the best growing positions, like both of them in Pelješac. Bojan Kobal told us at the press conference those are one of the most exclusive positions for growing red wines and continues naming Haloze hills in Slovenia as such for the white varieties. Prizes were given to the following: Dubrovnik FestiWine Trophy 2016 (the very first in the history of the festival) – Dingač selection 2008, Poljoprivredna zadruga Dingač, Potomlje. The best red: Dingač reserva 2009, Matuško; the best white: Pošip 2015, Blato 1902; the best rosé: Volarević Rose 2015 (silver), Vinogradi Volarević. Best sparkling with the silver medal, produced of Malvasija Dubrovačka, Buržuj pjenušac Konavle 2014, Winemaker Božo Metkovič. A couple of words about the festival. It has been held in the historic Dubrovnik, at the newly renovated Lazareti building, which used to serve as a quarantine before entering the town behind the walls. Guests, locals and tourists, could be enjoying the wines of 39 cellars and chitchat with the winemakers with a lovely view on the sea and old walls. Culinary offer was rich with local Ston Oysters and cheese from Dubrovačko-Neretvanska county. For next year the organizers wish to extend the competition for the wider Dalmatia including the Northern parts. The exact date has not been published yet, however the 4th Dubrovnik FestiWine will be held in the same period as its previous editions.