Arma(da)n of Good Wines

I usually start texts about promotions with the venue and information about the winery. This time, without any major dilemmas, I decided to speak/write about Oliver Arman right away, as an introduction. In the last seven days, Franc Arman's winery was even twice on promotions. The first was conducted in a relaxed conversation with the winemaker by Tomislav Tuđen at the Antunović Hotel, and at the second at HKD Napredak, Bogović's sommelier Darko Lugarić and I gave space to this charming man in the "Time for..." workshop to show the personality of himself and his wines.

Oliver Arman is a young man, just in his forties, who, with his attitude and wine creations, at the same time shows talent, strength and yet a rarely seen non-convection. In an hour and a half, we had the opportunity to taste very good wines that since 2015, Arman has not submitted to evaluations. Not that he was spiteful for no reason, but he showed his attitude and determination that his wines, specifically Malvasia, would not smell like Sauvignon yeasts, as was once the "fashion" of the time at the big local Vinistra exhibition.

He did not give up on that. Regarding openness and honesty, in addition to the series of stories I heard at those two presentations, I only mention the one about the Kaljužari/Blatnjavci, as they called a part of the village in Narduči, because of the frequent mud that would form in that part. I am sure that 90% or more people would avoid talking about it because it is an adjective with a negative connotation. Oliver doesn't...

During the conversation, we also demystified another common platitude about yields per vine that I often heard during many visits to wineries and in our workshop. Namely, very often you will hear that the yield per vine is completely UNIFORM, for example 1.5 kg or even 0.5 kg in the entire vineyard! Arman Jr. did not hesitate to say that they also reduce the vines to 1.5 kg most often, but that there are vines that give 3-3.5 kg even after that, and if they had let go it would have been six kilograms. That's all about the profile of a winemaker who knows how to enjoy life with his Aida and afford what he likes, for example old Volkswagen cars.

Franca Arman's winery has 22 hectares, where Malvasia dominates quantitatively on 9 hectares and Teran on almost six hectares. Otatak consists of Cabernet franc (very rare in Istria and the rest of Croatia), which is monovarietal, followed by CS and Merlot, and of the white varieties, they also grow chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and a little white muscat. On average, they fill about 130,000 bottles a year with wine from grapes that come from two large positions in Stara Boška at about 270 m above sea level and in Narduče, around a winery that could hold up to 600,000 liters.

There are always more than the previously mentioned bottles in the cellar, because all red wines are aged for many years in barriques and barrels of 2,300 liters. That's how Il Grande (a black blend of teran, cab.franc, merlot grapes, dedicated to the mythical hero Vela Joža) dates back to 2016! It was created by Oliver with the artisan advice of his father Franco and the white blend Le Divine 2020 (60% Sauvignon and 40% Malvasia) macerated for 15 days and aged in large wood for 18 months. In the last three years, oenologist Marijan Krajcar joined the team, who was also at the promotion and talked about some wines.

Vižinada is known for its large concentration of good winemakers, Arman listed as many as 17 of them that are on the market. We hosted Giulio and Bruno Ferenc, David Deklić and Franco Arman in the spring workshops "It's time for...". Until the decision to leave the judging, at the time when father Franc was showing his skills, Armani received several gold medals on the Vinistra, and Oliver points out only two more important awards in 2008. They were champions with the Terran on the Vinistra, and a year later they received the Corona d*oro in Italy for the best imported wine in that country! They regularly exhibit wines at the Merano Wine Fest. Very beautiful labels, especially recognizable for red wines, were created by Željko Borčić.

They are satisfied with the placement, and it is interesting that out of 80% of the placements in Croatia, the most wines are sold in Zagreb, clearly in Istria and throughout Dalmatia. About 20% of the exports are placed mostly in Austria and slightly less in Germany and the Netherlands. We had the opportunity to taste the following wines: 1. Sparkling wine Perla 2024 12.5% alcohol 2. Malvazija Istria 2025 13.5% 3. Pinot Grigio 2025 13.5% 4. Sauvignon blanc 2025 14% 5. Malvazija Classic 2021 13.5% 6. Teran 2022 13% 7. Cabernet franc 2021 14% 8. Teran barrique 2019 14%

Here I will mention the characteristics of some wines. PINOT Gris 2025 13.5% alcohol is a crystal clear wine, more green-yellow than the rosy color that characterizes it. In the fragrance, you can feel peach, apricot, primrose, generally yellow flowers, apple. The wine is harmonious, with well-balanced alcohol and adequate body. Pinots of this variety are fluffy, drinkable, refreshing. The one we tried has all that, but it also has a stronger body. It can be drunk on its own, and it goes well with most seafood risottos, but also with sea urchin crab, bream, gregada and chicken meat.

MALVAZIJA Classic 2021 13.5% alcohol is a five-year-old wine that was aged in wood (unburnt Slavonian oak 2 -2300 liters) and is now at its peak. Golden yellow in color, crystal clear, smells of ripe yellow fruit, yellow flowers... In the mouth full-bodied, peppery, spicy, warm, nicely rounded with a slight bitterness in the aftertaste. A good dish would be beef stew with fuži or octopus under a lid

CABERNET franc 2021 14% alcohol is ruby ​​red in color, with pronounced aromas of forest fruits of raspberries but also the taste of plums, spicy notes of pepper and a specific herbal character of green pepper, pleasant tannins. The acids are pronounced, the tannins are rounded. In the mouth it is elegant, ripe, drinkable... we could say a delicate wine considering the characteristics and yet simple in its complexity. Gastronomic recommendation Boškarin steak. Armani planted it third in a row in Istria after Fernetič and Degrassi and over the years they have gained a reputation as a winery that has excellent Cabernet Franc.

TERAN barrique 2019 14% alcohol is a seven-year-old wine, clear, garnet with a ruby ​​red hue, well-blended alcohol and tannins. Discreetly felt wood, ripe sour cherry, chocolate, cocoa, cinnamon flavors. Elegant wine with all the characteristics of the variety. Lugarić recommended aged rump steak with blackberries and raspberries, a pinch of gorgonzola and baked polenta for such a strong wine. Bon appetit!

And finally, about the origin of the surname Arman. More than 170 years ago, a distant ancestor Josef Herman moved to this area and planted the first vineyard, and since then, viticulture and wine sales have been a family tradition for generations. Over time they became Ermann and during the Italian period the surname changed to Armani, one of the ancestors was Giacomo, and with the annexation of Istria to Yugoslavia/Croatia they came to the present form Arman. Whether Arman or Herman, at the beginning the harmonious family of Adriana (mother), Franca, Aida, Oliver and Bartolo (son) built and is doing a beautiful wine story in Narduči. It is not less than 300 kilometers away, it is worth seeing and the tasting room is open every day except Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. Live and see!