Plavac Mali

Plavac Mali is the literally named "small blue wine grape" of Croatia that is that country’s most important red grape, and the first to have an appellation (Dingač, on the Adriatic coast) dedicated to it. On south-facing slopes it creates ageworthy, full-bodied, structured wines with black fruit character and no lack of alcohol, as befits a relative of Zinfandel. Elsewhere it makes lighter, less powerful wines. The grape variety was first recorded in 1841, but has been cultivated and prized for its powerful wines for centuries before that.