Not long after my entry about Roxanich’s Antica, a skin-contact Malvazija from Croatian Istria, I’m back to the same theme with a bottle I purchased in a restaurant in Poreč last April when in Croatia: the Clai Sv. Jakov Malvazija 2009.

Another stunning white wine from Croatia.

Clai is another winery with Roxanich, Kozlović, Matošević and a couple of others who are pushing the boundaries of white winemaking. Skin contact and ageing in acacia barrels are two typical techniques of this new-meets-old approach (amphora ageing, still not so frequent here in Istria, is another). I’m very excited by these wines: I feel Malvazija, with its natural freshness and strong minerality, is a perfect grape for this sort of experiment.

Clai’s Sv. Jakov is a brilliant confirmation. It’s every bit as good as Roxanich’s Antica, though in a different style. It’s less extreme, starting with a lighter colour that’s more deep plate golden than orange or amber. Its bouquet is a miracle of subtlety and freshness: two characteristics you don’t usually associate with this style. And the palate reconfirms this: it’s smooth, elegant, understated, flowery, just slightly saline-mineral, and carries its 14.5% more than well. There’s nothing portentous or heavy about this wine, and the ‘alternative’ character is dosed extremely well; drinkability is preserved.

Deep golden not orange.

These skin-contact Malvazijas are wonderful food wines. This time I have deliberately avoided fish, and instead cooked some Polish baby carrots in butter and orange juice, with a sprinkle of spice. A wonderful match with the earthy & sweet expression of the Malvazija. It showed its best at around 14C temperature and half an hour in the glass. Another superb wine from Croatia.

Beyond wine quality, Clai also have lovely labels. © Vinmedia.eu.

Disclosure

Source of wine: own purchase.