Istria 4 – the wines (at last!)

The grapes

Wine has been made in Istria for over 2,400 years, since the ancient Greeks settled on the Croatian coast in the 5th century BC. Many of the grape varieties are native to Croatia and little known outside the country, but the nearby countries of Italy, Hungary and Austria have had a distinct influence on grape varieties and wine styles. In Istria the two notable grape varieties are Malvazija Istarska (see Richard goes to Croatia) and Teran (see Julia's take on Teran in Croatia – land of Malvazija). Other native varieties that flourish in the region include...