Wines of Illyria Blatina 2019

Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Wines of Illyria Blatina is a premium dry red from Herzegovina. In 2016, Indira Bayer founded Wines of Illyria, a wine import company dedicated to bringing wines from the Balkan peninsula to American consumers. Her goal was to create demand for Balkan wines in the U.S. which would in turn create jobs for unemployed youth in Bosnia-Herzegovina and other Balkan countries and stop the brain drain, one of the biggest issues these countries were facing at that time. In addition, Indira wanted to create a positive image of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the region plus add it to the list of the world’s well-known wine producing countries as its long history of wine making warrants it.

Wines of Illyria Blatina is made of 100% Blatina, an indigenous grape of the Herzegovina region. It is comparable to Chianti Classico Malbec or full-bodied, warm-climate Pinot Noir. Blatina is unique and very hard to cultivate. It does not grow anywhere outside of Neretva river valley. Blatina is fickle, has a functional female flower, rendering it auto-sterile, meaning it requires other varieties to be planted nearby in order to pollinate and allow fruits. Trnjak (TER-njak) variety is used to pollinate our Blatina.

This wine exhibits a glowing ruby red color with garnet reflections. It opens gradually on the nose with soft aromas of black currant and elderberry and a hint of licorice. The palate reveals full, fresh notes of red and black currant, traces of dried figs, roasted almonds, ripe plums, and chocolate with an undertone of minerality and a savory dash of salt. Delicious freshness highlights the well-integrated acidity. 750ML ALC. 13% BY VOL. Vegan wine.

Wines of Illyria Blatina is a perfect wine with any spicy meal or as a cocktail wine. Try it with BBQ chicken, pork chops, or rich vegetarian dishes.