The wines of Vina Carić

Vina Carić is a small family winery on the Croatian island of Hvar, in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Dalmatia. The winery mainly makes wines from indigenous grapes, such as the red Plavac Mali and the white Bogdanuša. Winemaker Ivo Carić is known for being creative and independent-minded. Whereas many Croatian winemakers traditionally vinify these grapes as varietal wines, he also makes surprising blends.

Check out our 4 wines made by Vina Carić

The island of Hvar has a long history of winemaking. In the fourth century BC, Greek colonists settled on the island and planted vineyards on the plain near Stari Grad. That plain, the Ager Pharensis, has barely changed since: the original Greek layout of plots, with stone walls, has been preserved. Since 2008 the area has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Carić family has grown grapes on Hvar for generations, but only began making its own wine after Ivo Carić founded the company Vino-Hvar in 1993. Ivo had previously been a highly regarded chef and restaurant owner before devoting himself fully to winegrowing. In 2011 his wife Ivana and his nephew Ljubo joined the business, and the three of them now run the winery together. Ivana Carić also plays an important role in the island's wine world. She chaired Hvar's winemakers' association for twelve years and was the driving force behind a collection on the history of winegrowing in the village of Pitve.

The winery is located in the village of Svirče, in the middle of the island. In nearby Vrboska the family has a konoba, a traditional Dalmatian wine cellar. In the past, wine on Hvar was made in the cellars of old stone houses in the village. Visitors can attend tastings in the Carić konoba.

Vina Carić has around 7 hectares of vineyards spread across various locations on the island, and also buys small quantities of grapes from regular growers. Production amounts to 400 to 500 hectolitres a year, or around 50,000 to 65,000 bottles.

The vineyards are found in three types of location. On the Stari Grad plain, the Ager Pharensis, the family has several plots between Jelsa and Stari Grad, where mainly the white grapes grow: Bogdanuša, Kuč, Maraština and Pošip. There are also terraced vineyards near Svirče. On the island's steep southern slope, near Zavala and Ivan Dolac, Plavac Mali is planted. The many hours of sunshine, the steep slopes and the stony limestone soil produce the best grapes here, which are used for the house's top wines.

Alongside the indigenous varieties Plavac Mali, Bogdanuša, Pošip, Maraština, Kuč, Darnekuša and Prč, the winery grows small amounts of international grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chardonnay.

The range comprises around nine wines. Bogdanuša, which literally means "gift from God", is a fresh, light white wine with a salty touch that goes well with fish and shellfish. Cesarica, "empress", is a white blend of Bogdanuša, Pošip, Maraština, Prč and Yellow Muscat. There is also a Pošip.

Among the reds, the Plovac Ploški is the calling card, a Plavac Mali from the southern slope. There is also a version aged in barriques. Other reds include the Veli Visko, also from Plavac Mali, Nedija, an award-winning blend, and Jubo'v Cuvée, named after nephew Ljubo. Carić's wines have won several gold and double gold medals. We currently have four wines from Vina Carić in our range. You can view all our wines from Vina Carić here.