The story of extraordinary successes in the world of wine
The story that stretches back twenty years began with a bold move by Ivo Enjingi in 2004 when he submitted his wines to a prestigious international competition. That year marked the start of significant international recognition for modern Croatian winemaking.
The Decanter World Wine Awards in London in 2004 awarded two exceptional prizes to Croatian wines. The spotlight first shone on Graševina. Enjingi's late harvest Graševina from 2002 won gold and the regional trophy for Croatian wine, opening the doors to international acclaim. But that wasn't the only moment of glory. The legendary Venje wine, a blend of white varieties, also claimed the prestigious International Trophy Winner in the same category, with Graševina playing a significant role.
These moments paved the way for the affirmation of Croatian wines on a global scale, especially when 'Croatian wine' is mentioned, no grape variety deserves as much attention as Graševina. Year after year, accolades from international competitions poured in. One particularly memorable instance was in 2014 when the Graševina Turković from the 2012 vintage at the Kutjevo cellar won the Regional Trophy, continuing the path of Enjingi's success a decade earlier.
However, the most pleasant surprise came with Graševina de Gotho, the 2018 vintage from Kutjevo. Judges at the Decanter World Wine Awards awarded it an incredible 97 out of 100 points, elevating Graševina to 'Platinum' status – a step above gold. This wasn't the first nor the last time this Graševina from different vintages has won awards, but the psychological impact of 97 points is immeasurable. The vintage was quickly snapped up, reminiscent of when in 2010, the British restaurant 'Fat Duck' of Heston Blumenthal purchased the entire selection of dried berry selection of Graševina from 2007 from the Krauthaker cellar.
Even globally renowned chefs like Heston Blumenthal recognized what international wine judges have long known - predicate Graševinas. Late harvest Graševinas, selections, selections of berries, selections of dried berries, and especially ice wines, have become so prestigious that wineries no longer even send samples for evaluation. It's clear to everyone that Golden Slavonia has exceptional conditions for top titles and that Graševina is the path to excellence.
And we don't need to go to London or pay high prices for rare vintages to experience this. Premium Graševina from Kutjevo is one of the most accessible wines in Croatia. Did you know that this distinctive label consistently wins silver and gold at the International Wine Challenge, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, and the aforementioned Decanter annual evaluations? Perhaps now is the moment to raise a glass of Graševina from one of the Golden Slavonia cellars and reflect on all the accolades of Croatian winemaking tradition.