Discovering the Wines of Andro Tomic: Sveti Klement (Red)

A classic Bordeaux in the heart of Dalmatia, the Tomic Sveti Klement red reflects the French education of Andro, who has replicated a classic French claret from grapes grown on a vineyard just 1 metre above sea level on the Pakleni Islands.

"Sv. Klement (red) is obtained from grapes grown in the vineyard that we manage jointly with the Bracanovic family in the Pakleni islands. With this wine we wanted to transfer the classical combination of the varieties of "Bordeaux blend" to a location on Hvar at which autochthonous varieties such as Plavac would not give top quality results. In this vineyard situated at sea level, the combination of Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc however proved to be perfect. The wine is not yet eligible to carry the appellation of origin and grape variety, but we are certain that it deserves it due to its quality.

Wine Type: dry red wine

Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon 50 %, Merlot 40%, Cabernet Franc 10 %
Locality: Pakleni islands (Sv. Klement)
Alc.: 13–13,5%
Content: 0,75 lit.

Served at temperature of ca. 18°C it makes a great match with red meat, game, oily fish, and pairs well with many other full-flavored dishes."

Discovering the Wines of Andro Tomic: Plavac

Although there are other varieties which produce red wines on Hvar, none comes close in terms of quality to the noblest Croatian grape variety of all, Plavac Mali, which translates as 'little blue'. Related to the better-known Zinfandel, the plavac wines are strong and concentrated, and require considerable skill to achieve the right results.

"For years, Plavac Tomic has been debunking the myth that a steep price necessarily follows the high quality of the Plavac wines. As one of the varieties with the longest vegetation period, Plavac demands a large number of sunny days, which is why it has become common in Hvar, where the selected grapes used for Plavac Tomic also come from. The specific quality of our wine is the softness and elegance which we try to obtain from the otherwise arrogant nature of this autochthonous Dalmatian variety. Typical varietal aromas of earth, plum and dark berries are given a finishing touch by a shorter aging in oak barrels, which gives the wine discrete notes of wood, coffee and spices.

Wine Type and Quality: Dry red wine, Quality wine
Grape varieties: Plavac Veliki and Plavac Mali (with traces of Drnekušica)
Locality: Central part of the island, Svirče, Jelsa, Vrbanj
Alc.: 12,5–13,5%
Content: 0,75 lit.

Served at a room temperature (18–20 °C), Plavac pairs well with a variety of meat dishes, tomato sauces, bruschettas, dried tomatoes etc."

Discover the Wines of Andro Tomic: Sveti Klement (White)

Although more famous on the island of Korcula, the Pošip grape variety is becoming more popular on Hvar, and there has been a significant improvement in quality in recent years. One of the most popular wines in the Tomic range is the Sveti Klement white, made from 100% Pošip, and the waterfront restaurants of Hvar Town are able to point out the island of Sveti Klement, where the grapes are produced, to their guests.

"Sv. Klement (Pošip) is obtained from grapes grown in the vineyard that we manage together with the Bracanović family on the island of Sv. Klement (St. Clement), one in a chain of islands (Pakleni islands) in the Hvar archipelago. The wine is made using sur-lie technology which gives it a specific blend of toasty and nutty aromas that pair the fresh fruitiness of the Pošip variety. Since vineyards did not exist previously on this location, Sv. Klement does not yet have the appellation of origin or grape variety specified on the labeled, although it certainly deserves it on account of its quality.

Wine Type: dry white wine
Grape Variety: Pošip
Locality: Pakleni islands (Sv. Klement)
Alc.: 13–13,5%
Content: 0,75 lit.

Serve chilled to 10–12°C. It pairs excellently with different hors-d'ouvres, white fish, seafood, creamy sauces, pesto, variety of cheeses…"

Discover the Wines of Andro Tomic: Caplar

Caplar, the top of the Tomic range, is a unique blend of the very best grapes combining the noble and indigenous Plavac Mali and the robust Cabernet Sauvignon in equal measures. The unusual name, CaPlaR, reflects that blend and quality, for it is short for CabernetPlavacReserva. 

"Plavac Mali grown on the south slopes of Hvar, and Cabernet from our vineyards on the north side of the island, are vinified separately, after which they are blended and aged for six months in barrique barrels. The result is a wine of softer tannins, in which the intensity and varietal aromas of the Plavac are refined by the elegance and freshness of the Cabernet. Characteristic flavours of plums, dried grapes and earth are complemented by aromas of blackcurrant, spices and other undertones. We predict that the wine has the potential for aging greater than that of other Plavac Mali wines. Every bottle proudly carries the signature of the winemaker which stands behind the idea printed on the label: "Produced in collaboration between Hvar, love and knowledge."

Wine Type and Quality: Dry red wine, Top quality wine 

Grape varieties: Plavac Mali (50%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (50%)

Locality: southern slopes of the island Hvar, Stari Grad and Jelsa

Alc.: 14–14.5%

Content: 0,75 l.

It is served at room temperature of 18°C. It is recommended as accompaniment to fried steak and red meat and game dishes, as well as various other dishes of a richer taste.

Discover the Wines of Andro Tomic: Opolo Nobile Rose

The plavac mali grape is the king of Dalmatian red wines, and the southern slopes of Hvar are among the best locations in the world for this relative of Zinfandel to flourish. And yet while the red wines may attract most of the plaudits, plavac mali also produces some fine rose wines, and the Bastijana rose is among one of our most popular wines.

Rosé wine Opolo Nobile is made from Plavac Mali grapes, using a special technology (skin contact: 12 hours) that gives this wine an attractive pink colour and its distinctive fruity freshness. Opolo Nobile was modelled on young French (Beaujolais Nouveau) wines, and is enjoyed as a young i.e. a year old wine (ideally up to 10 months).

Wine Type and Quality: Dry pink wine, Quality wine

Grape varieties: Plavac Mali

Locality: central part of the island, Svirče, Jelsa, Vrbanj

Alc.: 11,5–12%

Content: 0,75 lit.

Serve chilled to a temperature of 10–12°C. It pairs very well with light dishes, hors-d'oeuvres, pastas, risottos, carpacio, etc..

Discover the Wines of Andro Tomic: Beleca

Visitors to Croatia are increasingly interested in the wines of the region, and with such a high number of indigenous grape varieties, there is a level of ignorance about the wines and the grapes used in producing some of our quality wines.

So it is time to unravel some of the mysteries of the wines of Andro Tomic. In the first in the series, we introduce one of our most popular white wines, Beleca.

Beleca wine is the first blend of Pošip and Bogdanuša. Originally from Korčula, Pošip has taken root in Hvar as well, and has recently become popular on the international wine scene as one of the most praised Croatian grape varieties. Bogdanuša, as an autochthonous Croatian variety, is planted on red soil which gives it a specific refreshing sour taste, which is why it pairs excellently with Pošip. In that synergy, each of the varieties provides its best: Pošip provides the strength, the typical fruity and floral varietal aromas (of apricot, peach and other fresh fruit) and minerality, while Bogdanuša provides the gentler floral aromas and freshness. The name of the wine means "beauty" in vernacular (Ital. bellezza).

Wine Type and Quality: Dry white wine, Quality wine
Grape varieties: Pošip (50%) and Bogdanuša (50%)
Locality: Jelsa, Vrboska, Vrbanj, Dol
Alc.: 12,5–13%
Content: 0,75 l

It is served chilled, at a temperature of 10–12°C. It is recommended as accompaniment to white meat, fish and shellfish dishes, as well as to more spicy dishes such as pesto, hard cheeses like Paški sir etc.

For more information about the Tomic range, and to organise a tasting, visit us at www.bastijana.hr 

Andro Tomic, a Dalmatian Wine Bard...

Andro has been called a few things in his life, but one of the nicer names comes in this very nice profile from Voljen Grbac - a Dalmatian Wine Bard! Thank you, Voljen, for this very nice article:

Andro Tomic is one of the few highly educated enologists among winemakers of his generation. Twenty years absent from his native island, constantly improving his knowledge of grapes and wine. Returning to the visionary, after the socialist dark wine time, predicted the return of wine Croats and Croats to wine and in the 1997 founded a company to produce premium wines "Bastijana." He is one of the innovators of the modern approach to winemaking on Hvar and in Dalmatia in general. Several other wineries with his selfless help have reached a level of well-established and renowned winemakers. Read more... 

Tomic Wines Featured in the Yorkshire Post

Word about the wines of Andro Tomic has reached the North of England...

A nice piece about Hvar in the influential Yorkshire Post called 'Following the Stars' had this to say about the Jelsa winery:

The Ancient Greeks planted the first vines in 384BC and Hvar’s wine making has flourished ever since, with a few grape varieties (Bogdanusa, Prc and Drnekusa) being grown only in these parts. If you want a quick taste of the region’s 2,400 year wine history, then, Bastijna (www.bastijana.hr) is the place.

Headed by the award-winning Andro Tomic – a grape god in these parts – Bastijna gave way to Romanesque wine tasting rooms where we sat beneath
the arched ceilings of a beautiful travertine stone cellar, and spent a couple of giddy hours sampling the four red, two white and one rose wines to come from one of the country’s most famous wine makers.

We polished them off with Prošek, a centuries-old dessert wine that (much to the Croatians’ dismay) is set to lose its name when Croatia joins the EU for being too similar to Italy’s “Prosecco”. (For the record, the two wines are nothing alike.)

To read the full article, click here.