Nofta – A Small Winery with a Personal Signature

The Nofta vineyard and winery are located on Martinkovec Hill in Varaždinske Toplice. Tomislav Nofta’s family has been cultivating vines since the middle of the last century, and around twenty years ago they began planting new vineyards, which over the past five years have expanded to one hectare. Nofta is a small winery with clearly defined priorities. For spouses Daniela and Tomislav, viticulture is more than a hobby yet less than a full-time profession; both are employed and financially independent.

This position allows Nofta to produce each wine according to its own vision, without having to follow the tastes of the broader market. Tomislav illustrated this clearly with the example of Graševina (the grapes are purchased in Erdut), as he believes that this variety from his own region is not of sufficient quality, while his grapes from Martinkovec are instead used in a blend of four varieties. The same independent approach can be seen in his choice of Syrah, a variety still very rare in Croatia, and in his decision to make an orange wine.

The wines are sold directly from the winery, as current production levels do not yet allow for wider distribution. One could say that they have chosen a gradual yet firmly defined path towards broader public presentation and future sales. Around 2,000 vines from co-operative growers and about 2,000 kilograms of Graševina from Erdut (only in good years) are combined with their own harvests, resulting in an average annual production of approximately 10,000 litres.

Among the varieties they cultivate, Graševina accounts for the largest share (1,200 vines), followed by Sauvignon Blanc, Yellow Muscat, Pinot Noir (800 vines), which they market both as rosé and orange wine, and Syrah, alongside several smaller plantings of white varieties. The winery, which has been increasingly present in the public eye over the past four years (its first bottles date from 2023), won a gold medal for its 2024 Sauvignon Blanc at the local wine competition in Jalžabet, together with silver medals for Pinot Noir Rosé with 82 points and White Cuvée with 81 points. The winery has also received awards in Cestica. In both the vineyard and cellar, Nofta emphasises its collaboration with Hrvoje August of Ireks Aroma (distributors of plant protection products by AEB) and the oenological support of Varaždin-based oenologist Davor Hižak.

They also produce several types of liqueur, all based on their own vines. Their best-known is Širanino, which will be discussed later in the text.

The tasting presentation was held at HKD Napredak in the following order:

Sparkling Wine (Pinot Nero Blanc de Noirs) 2023 – 11.5% alcohol

Cuvée (60% Graševina, 25% Riesling, 10% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Yellow Muscat) 2025 – 11.5%

Graševina 2024 – 12.6%

Yellow Muscat 2024 – 11.2%

Sauvignon Blanc 2024 – 12.6%

Pinot Nero Rosé 2024 – 10.8%

Pinot Nero Orange 2023 – 12%

Shiraz 2024 – 12%

Širanino liqueur

Here I shall describe the characteristics of four of the wines.

The Pinot Noir sparkling wine spent 18 months on the lees, was disgorged, and had no liqueur added. It has subtle fruit-driven aromas and is a simple, refreshing apéritif. On the palate there is fruitiness and easy drinkability, with sufficient acidity and no bitterness. The recommended food pairings are light dishes such as fish, cheese and cream, oysters, and similar fare. Cellar price: €25.

The 2024 Yellow Muscat, with 11.2% alcohol, is a pale yellow wine with a greenish reflection and a very attractive, intense aroma of flowers and fruit, particularly apricot and citrus. It is well balanced, with a good harmony between acidity and sweetness. Compared with its Istrian counterpart, the acidity here is more pronounced. Suggested pairings include apricot dumplings, apple strudel with cinnamon, mandarin panna cotta, or pears. To quote Lugarić: “Muscat is a seducer that introduces you to the world of wine, just as it introduced me at the beginning.”

The 2023 Pinot Nero Orange, with 12% alcohol, underwent gentle maceration, is unfiltered, and has a light tannic structure, slight bitterness, and a touch of oxidation. Its colour resembles cognac or amber. The wine is very well balanced and should be served at a slightly higher temperature than most white wines – between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius – in order for its aromas and flavours to emerge fully. These include candied orange peel, dried figs, and dried yellow fruit. It would pair particularly well with beef carpaccio, octopus baked under a bell, or a nut-based cake that is not overly sweet. According to the winemaker, the inspiration for this wine came from tasting the orange wines of Bolfan, and he believes that this style remains neglected in production. He produced his first orange wine as early as 2019.

The 2024 Shiraz/Syrah, with 12% alcohol, is a fine, youthful, elegant wine that will reach its peak in a few years’ time. It displays intense aromas and flavours of forest fruits, especially blueberry and currant. It is beautifully ripe, without any green notes, as the winemaker generally harvests later, when the grapes are fully mature. This is a powerful, richly extracted wine with deep colour, capable of producing outstanding results in the category of red wines.

Finally, a few words about Širanino. Produced from a base of home-grown vines and Syrah extract, with around 18% alcohol, it is a delicious liqueur with rich aromas of carob, orange, clove, and bay leaf. It is highly aromatic, sweet, and the alcohol is moderate and never overpowering. This version was made with sugar, although according to its creator, Daniela Nofta, they intend to try making it without sugar next time.

In conclusion, the general assessment was that all the wines were well balanced, diverse, and bore the personal stamp of the winemaker and his collaborators – a powerful orange wine, a beautiful Zagorje Muscat, and an excellent sparkling wine. As the sommelier remarked at the end of the workshop: “A small winery is producing some very fine things – wines of surprisingly high quality.”