Ivica Florijanović, popularly known as Floki in Moslavina, is an avid promoter of Škrlet in Croatia. The vineyards he planted all over the western Moslavina hills are here to get the best of the best. The county incentives gave him opportunity to plant a fairly new vineyard in Gornja Jelenska, which is already deeper in Moslavina Hill, at a height of 155 to 180 meters. He gave us a nice opportunity for a walk uphill, where we pass the vines where Škrlet abounds, followed with Frankovka. At the end of the walk in the hot July sunshine, we received a deserved prize: the cooled wine of Florijanović winery under a wooden observatory from where a beautiful view onto the Moslavina hills give pleasure of life.
A total silence came in the summer afternoon. Here and there it is broken by a bee, and the ornate bottle of Florijanović's young Škrlet calls for repeated tasting of young dry selection. Flower fragrances and tastes remind us of acacia, almond and nuts, and for this wine Florijanović got a county trophy. In the winery there are between 30 and 40 thousand litres of wine bottled annually, and a total of 80,000 litres of wine are produced annually. In vineyards, of course, Škrlet prevail. Half of the vineyards makes this indigenous Moslavina grapevine. The rest mostly comprise Moslavac and Frankovka, but there are also Graševina and Riesling, and other varieties that are represented in Moslavina.
We met Florijanović at the wine fairs in Istria and Kvarner, and with anticipation and joy we have been tasting his wine and promised to come to Moslavina two years ago. In fact, Florijanović's wine is a major culprit for our final departure to Kutina. Although the wine cellar in Potok and the vineyards are located in the municipality of Popovača, and not in Kutina, we still had to visit our wine friend. And we did not make any mistake here! His wine is the first Moslavina top quality wine. No, it's not Škrlet, but Frankovka 2017, an intense ruby red wine with refreshing fruity aromas, especially cherry.
You can book in autumn at Florijanović winery a demonstration of "How did our elders made harvest" where old-fashioned processing and grape harvesting tools are used from their own collection. This preserves the rural heritage of Moslavina and is particularly well connected with the story of Škrlet. After young Škrlet, in the vineyard we tried the Škrlet 2016 Selection, which is more constructive, with less acids, more rounded flavours and citrus scents. We drink it high above the vineyard, on the observatory which is arranged as an oasis of relaxation, with a lovely sofa and even more beautiful views of the vineyards and forests of Moslavina Hill. Here we are also discussing the plans for making the first sparkling wine that will arrive in Florijanović's winery next year. For sparkling wines, Pinot Noir, Moslavac and Chardonnay will be used.
Our quick visit to Florijanović could not have been without the tasting of the Yellow Moscato 2015, a semi-sweet wine with a sweet smell and oddly refreshing taste in the summer heat. Before Florijanović's wine bottles went to the photo safaris on the Adriatic beaches, we used his presence to learn more about the Moslavina wine tradition, but also to go to hills around Voloder in search of new wine stories. And you can begin or finish your study of Moslavina wines at Florijanović’s winery:
Vinarija Florijanović Potok, Sredanija 3, 44317 Popovača 00385 98 130 4111, 00385 44 652 232 ivicaflorijanovic@yahoo.com www.vinarija-florijanovic.hr
Photos by: Vedran Obućina, Mint Media