The Korlat wines are one of the greatest success stories of Croatian viticulture. They are made in the Benkovac winery, which belongs to Badel 1862, and whose huge production hall bears witness to its past as a socialist combine. A new course was set here in 2005, when Korlat Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah were planted according to the latest scientific findings. The large chunks were removed from the stony soil of Dalmatia using heavy machines, ground and put back into the earth as small pebbles. Only now could the vines be planted. The Korlat location was chosen with care, as there is always a fresh breeze blowing in from the sea, so that rot or vine diseases practically never occur, which makes the use of plant protection practically unnecessary. The first harvest of Korlat, with a small production in 2007, was spectacular: the Korlat Syrah 2007 won the Big Gold Medal at Vinitaly 2011 in the category red wine with geographical origin - more or less: best red wine at all! That was confirmation and motivation at the same time, in the following years more new barriques and modern fermentation tanks were donated to the Korlat in order to further increase the quality. In fact, the tannins of the following vintages have become even finer, which has had a positive effect on the overall elegance of the wines. The wines are intense, juicy and, despite their power, have a lot of Mediterranean charm. Great class!
