Gracin Prošek (2010)

Prošek is produced from any one or a blend of several different varieties – white and red – indigenous to coastal Croatia. Permitted white varieties include bogdanuša, dubrovačka malvasija, grk, malvazija istarska, maraština, plavac mali, prč (aka parč), pošip, tarpinka, trbljan, vugava, and žlahtina. Red varieties are primarily babić, lasina, plavina, and plavac mali.

Prošek is produced all along the Adriatic coast of Croatia but mainly in southern Dalmatia and on many of the islands where vineyards thrive in limestone soils among olive, fig, and pine tree groves. Prošek is made from grapes harvested with a sugar level of 100° Oechsle (the equivalent of the German Auslese classification).

Once harvested, the clusters are laid out on straw mats to dry in the sun for 3-4 months or until the grapes shrivel and achieve a sugar concentration of 120° Oechsle (the equivalent of Beerenauslese). The grapes are then crushed and the must is macerated for 2-5 days, when the juice is pressed off the skins. Fermentation can be extremely slow – often lasting up to a year or longer.

Once the wine has finished fermenting, it is then aged in wood casks (usually older wood) for a minimum of one year. Most producers do not filter the wine. Typically it takes about 1 kilogram of dried grapes to produce 750 ml of Prošek. Prošek is a still wine with a minimum alcohol content of 15%-22% that has been aged in wood for at least one year. Residual sugar content ranges from 70-150 grams per liter (g/l).

Depending on the types of grapes used and the age of the wine, the color of Prošek can range from deep gold to amber, neon orange, maple syrup, and dark brown. Prošek is dark, thick, unctuous, and sweet, with flavors of dried fig, raisin nectar, coffee, toasted hazelnuts, burnt toffee, candied orange rinds, honey and vanilla.

Food pairing: Fresh roasted nuts and blue cheeses.

Grape variety	Babić
Residual sugar	sweet
Alcohol	15,0%
Size	0,5L
Serving temp.	10-12 ºC

 

The forerunner of the company was family winery founded in 2000 by Leo Gracin and his father Ante. Ivan Ratković and Lado Skorin joined them as partners and established new firm named Suha punta in 2006. The first babić was released to the market and besides it was declared as the best babić and was also classified among the best red Croatian wines.
The person responsible for a genuine and long-term recognition of this excellent variety is definitely enologist dr. Leo Gracin. Generally, babić seems to be a great variety that in good hands apparently is able to reach the most unreachable heights reserved for quality wines like Syrah from Rhone Valley and merlot from St. Emilion. Babić is autochthonous Croatian variety which is still ahead of the final quality range and the potential for aging.
Babić is the single grape variety in the wine region of Primošten and it has been like that from the beginnings of viticulture in this area. Wine region is situated in northern Dalmatia, some 25 kilometers east of Šibenik and 60 kilometers west of Split.The components which best describe Primošten terroir include stone, sun, sea, wind, and the name Suha Punta, as the name of this region due to little rainfall during the annual life-cycle. Total vineyard areas is around 50 ha. Picture of Bucavac appellation, the most famous position for babić, which is best described as "stone lace" among the vines grow was in the building of the United Nations as an ode to human labor. Density of plantation ranges between 3 and 7 thousand per hA depending on the soil or, better said, the percentage of stone in it. Vine training technique is goblet (no wires or other system of support involved) with two to three spare canes with two bud. This method of cultivation gives 4-7 clusters but the part of regular harvest usually is lost during June due to strong winds („jugo" and „bura").
Vinery Gracin has vineyards in two locations. One of them is earlier mentioned Bucavac with two vineyards of total 1,3 ha, and the other one is Šljinovac with one vineyard of total 3 ha. The most of the grapes is bought from Primošten growers and mostly from vineyards that are up to 50 years old.

 

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