A concentrated Plavac Mali red grown on near-vertical Pelješac terraces above the Adriatic, where the vines take sun three times — directly, off the white stone and off the sea. In 1961 Dingač became the first legally protected wine appellation in Croatia and Yugoslavia.
The wine is the slope: a protected appellation on terraces that must be worked by hand, made under licence in a cellar.
What goes into it
- Plavac Mali grapes
- yeast
- oak
How it is made
The grapes ripen very high in sugar on the steep south-facing slope, and are picked and carried out by hand because nothing mechanical can work the terraces. They ferment on their skins for colour and tannin, then age in large oak barrels, producing a wine that is high in alcohol and dense by nature rather than by design.
How long it takes: one vintage a year, then a year or more in oak
How it is eaten
With grilled lamb, pašticada and hard sheep’s cheese.
History
Grown on near-vertical Pelješac terraces; in 1961 Dingač became the first legally protected wine appellation in Croatia and Yugoslavia.
Frequently asked questions
What is Dingač?
Dingač is a wine & spirit from Croatia: concentrated Plavac Mali red from steep Pelješac slopes above the sea. Grown on near-vertical Pelješac terraces; in 1961 Dingač became the first legally protected wine appellation in Croatia and Yugoslavia.
How is Dingač made?
The grapes ripen very high in sugar on the steep south-facing slope, and are picked and carried out by hand because nothing mechanical can work the terraces. They ferment on their skins for colour and tannin, then age in large oak barrels, producing a wine that is high in alcohol and dense by nature rather than by design. It takes one vintage a year, then a year or more in oak.
Can I make Dingač at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. The wine is the slope: a protected appellation on terraces that must be worked by hand, made under licence in a cellar.
What goes into Dingač?
Plavac Mali grapes, yeast, oak.
How is Dingač eaten?
With grilled lamb, pašticada and hard sheep’s cheese.
