Hercegovinavino - Leader in Quality

In Zagreb, the wines of the Hercegovina company from Mostar were presented at the workshop "Time is FOR..." at the premises of HKD Napredak. Hercegovina, together with the Čitluk winery, is the largest winery in Herzegovina and the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Over 3 million liters of wine are produced annually on about 350 hectares. The most famous vineyard is in Blizanci near Čitluk, where the Žilavka grape variety grows. Over 100 hectares have been planted there, and significant vineyards are located in Dubrava, Konjusi, Kručevići, Lopate, Tepčići, Trtla and Žitomislić in Gornje and Donje polje. The winery systematically restores and creates new plantations, such as in Konjusi (about 65 hectares with about 130,000 vines), which, along with the already known lines, were successfully presented at the workshop in Zagreb.

It is characteristic that this large group has recognised, and is doing so very successfully, that the market demands diversity both in terms of varieties and prices. That is why there are several lines, and the leading variety, Žilavka, is sent to market in as many as a dozen varieties. It's similar with Blatina, with slightly fewer labels, but when you add them all up, including sparkling wine, there are about thirty of them.

Hercegovinavino, and the key winery here is Čitluk d.d., successfully promotes the key varieties of its region: Žilavka, Blatina, Trnjak, Vranac, along with the nearby Dalmatian Plavac and Malvazija, and the pollinators Krkošija and Bena, with 80% of the total production and around 20% of introduced world varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay...

The capacity of the winery in Čitluk is up to 11 million liters, and a significant portion of the annual production is exported to 25 countries worldwide! Longtime enologist Tihomir Prusina, the first doctor of enology in Herzegovina, has been working with a group of collaborators for years to improve the quality and recognition of these wines.

Under the expert guidance of third-degree sommelier Darko Lugarić and the representative of the winery from Zagreb, Stanislav Lubina, we had the opportunity to taste and enjoy the following wines: 1. Konjusi Žilavka & Malvasia 2026, 13% alcohol 2. Kameno 2024 13% 3. Teuta Žilavka selection 2024 13.5% 4. Konjusi ružica (blatina) 2025 13% 5. Blatina de Broto 2023 13.5% 6. Konjusi Cuvée (70% Blatina, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon) 2024 13% 7. Konjusi cuvee (70% Blatina 30% Trnjak) 2024 13% 8. Teuta Trnjak 2023 14% alcohol, and finally, as a surprise wine, Blatina de Broto Grand Cru 2018 14.5% alcohol!

Here I will describe five of the eight wines mentioned.

1. Konjusi Žilavka&Malvazija 2026 13% is a wine of beautiful straw yellow colour with green nuances that indicate the freshness of this newly bottled young wine. On the nose, herbal aromas of Žilavka (smilja) and floral Malvasia (acacia) are felt. In the mouth, it is a refreshing, modern, trendy wine successfully made for the market. This was a good decision to pair these two varieties from different climates, and Malvasia is planted in the Konjuh and Lopat areas. Gastronomically, the wine would pair well with zeljanica or soparnila, asparagus risotto, or eggplant moussaka. The price of 10 euros is very good value for money...

3. Teuta Žilavka Selection 2024 13.5% is one of the house's several leading wines. Golden yellow in colour, crystal clear, with an intense fruity aroma and mild herbal notes. It is delicious in the mouth, with good acidity and minerals, and is drinkable. You can feel the honeyed maturity, and this Žilavka is a seriously aged wine with a solid body. This bottle with the yellow selection label is popular in Croatia, and with the green one it is sold better in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany. Lugarić recognized a good combination of turkey with splukanci, serious grilled white fish, dentex, gilthead sea bream...

6. Konjusi Cuvée Blatina and CS 2024 with 13% alcohol is a garnet red wine with purple tones. Intense aroma of blue fruit: plum, blueberry, currant, and cranberry. In the mouth, it is drinkable, still young, with soft tannins. We can say that CS gave it backbone and structure, and the essential characteristics of Blatina are still present; that is, the varietal is not covered. Vitello tonnato, classic steak, grilled tuna, steak tartare would go well with such a nice wine. This wine also has a really good price, at around 10 euros.

7. Konjusi cuvee (Blatina, Trnjak) 2024, 13% alcohol, is also garnet red in colour, and the aroma is blackberry, forest fruit, sweet spices, and vanilla. In the mouth, it is dry, strong, and elegant, a well-structured wine with rounded tannins. Trnjak, although it is only a third, gives these solid characteristics to the blend. And again a well-chosen blend, this time of local varieties. Gastronomic recommendation: sautéed stroganoff, Dalmatian pasticada, pisanica with dried plums and red meat with mushrooms...

8. Teuta trnjak 2023, 14% alcohol: a deep dark colour, a concentrated wine with character. You can feel the intensity of aronia, dark berries in general, well-integrated wood, elegant, beautifully structured, and drinkable. It would pair well with all red meats: T-bone steak, rump steak, beefsteak. In a layman's comparison, we could say that trnjak is "our Barolo", elegant and drinkable.

As I mentioned earlier, the winery has a wide range of valuable wines. Here, I will mention only Percento to show its wealth. Percento 50:50 (cuvee chardonnay and Sauvignon). Percento 40:30:30 (Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah)

Finally, I can say that Hercegovinavino, with its flagship winery Čitluk d.d., firmly holds the leading position in the wider region, and that, with new, innovative blends, it hits the mark and elevates traditional varieties even higher and stronger. And here Trnjak has risen high, now seeking its deserved place as a leader in all of Herzegovina, alongside, of course, Žilavka...