The journey of the Zinfandel grape is quite interesting. Before it became a beloved wine from sunny California, it lived a tough life on the Dalmatian hillsides, known back then as Crljenak Kaštelanski. This extraordinary wine’s path to America and its Croatian roots is a story worth exploring.
A Croatian-born Californian winemaker named Mike Grgich and a team of enthusiasts urged the Zinfandel community to investigate its origins in Croatia. In 2001, UCD professor Carole Meredith successfully traced the Zinfandel grape back to Split, Croatia, specifically the town of Kaštela.
After extensive research and DNA testing of vines from vineyards worldwide, the breakthrough came from a 90-year-old grape vine found in an elderly woman’s garden in Split, Croatia. This vine provided the proof that Zinfandel was indeed a Croatian grape, known as Tribidrag since at least the 15th century.
The research also revealed that Zinfandel’s Italian cousin, the Primitivo grape, is a descendant of Crljenak Kaštelanski. Interestingly, the quality of the wine has only improved with each ocean it crossed.
If you’re in Split, you can sample the Croatian Zinfandel in one of the many local wine bars. We tried a few and noted that while Crljenak Kaštelanski shares the deep red tones of Zinfandel, it lacks the fruity, raisin notes of its American version.
Our Travel Team is committed to further exploration. More wine bars await, and we’ll gladly continue our research. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it!
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