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Winery Kozlovic
Winery Kozlović
Istria is known as the center of the Croatian wine industry, whose development year after year enriches the gastronomic tourist offer of this region. The production of top-quality Istrian wines is concentrated in the interior of the peninsula, whose wineries over the years have become real relaxing oases and ideal destinations for enjoying a glass of top-quality wine and a view of the beautiful Istrian landscapes.
Wines in Istria today are deservedly gaining more and more recognition on the Croatian and European wine scene, thanks to the dedication and tradition nurtured by the families of Istrian winemakers for generations.
For all those who decide to book a villa in Istria through the Home Rent agency, as well as all other visitors to Istria, below is the story of the Kozlović family, their long winegrowing tradition and love for wine, which made the winery of the same name one of the most successful in preserving and nurturing the character of autochthonous varieties wines in Istria. This beautiful 'House for people and wine', as the winery is often called, is located in Momjan, on the northwestern part of the peninsula, in the Valle valley with a view of the Momjan castle and the vineyard where their success story began.
Photo copyright of Kozlović Winery
1. How was the Kozlović Winery established and how long is the tradition of winemaking in your family?
The Kozlović family has lived from and with wine for 4 generations, since 1904 to be precise. The first generation, as well as all after them, settled in the Valle valley, and from the 1 hectare vineyard with which the story began, each generation added more plantations to the family business. Thus, from generation to generation, viticulture and winemaking form the fabric and love of the family. You can find more information and an overview of the development of the family and the family winery here.
Photo copyright of Kozlović Winery
2. What types of wine do you predominantly produce and can you single out any as your favorite?
It is impossible to single out a favorite wine. It's like asking which child is your favorite. What we can single out is the focus on autochthonous varieties - Malvasia, Teran and Muscat from Momjan. In our portfolio, which consists of several lines of wine, the dominant place is occupied by malvasia, which we create in several styles: from fresh to aged, including varieties of macerated malvasia and malvasia aged in acacia barrique barrels.
Photo copyright of Kozlović Winery
3. We know that every year the most important moment for the winery is of course the beginning of the harvest. How long are the preparations for the harvest, and the harvest itself in the vineyards of the Kozlović winery?
The harvest is the most solemn and stressful, but also the happiest moment for every winegrower and winemaker, and we are first and foremost winegrowers, since in addition to the cellar part (winemaking), we focus our business on the vineyard (winegrowing). In fact, you prepare for a whole year, and even longer, because the vine begins to bear fruit after 5 years, so with young plantations, at each step, you wait for that first, 5th year to see what you got. In the case of older and old plantations, since the vineyard requires constant and meticulous work, and we especially pay a lot of attention to specific agrotechnical procedures for specific positions, even rows, during the harvest you can see the results of that work. If you did something wrong, you should wait at least a year for repairs, so we prepare for the harvest every day, and we harvest when nature tells us that the fruits are fully ripe.
Photo copyright of Kozlović Winery
4. What would you say is the key to producing top-quality wine?
For us, it is primarily about the raw material, i.e. grapes. That is why it is so important to be a viticulturist, to know the viticultural part of the business, to have your own vineyards, and to supervise what is cultivated by subcontractors. You can still make mistakes with good raw materials if you don't have knowledge and precision in the cellaring and oenological part. So knowledge that is a combination of past experiences and science, passion for wine because it is alive, and no two harvests are ever the same, and finally some luck, because climate and soil are external factors that must be respected.
Photo copyright of Kozlović Winery
5. How can visitors best experience the story of Kozlović Winery and try yours products?
In our winery, which we call the House for People and Wine, everything is focused on experience. The property overlooks the Valle vineyard, the one where the first generation had the first hectare of plantations. Guests can choose from several programs of guided tastings, and for a complete experience we have also created snacks, cold and hot, real small dishes that will complete the enjoyment of wine.
All additional information can be found on the website of the winery:
- story about winery and architecture
- wine tasting and enjoyment programs
As part of its programs and events, the Kozlović Winery holds wine workshops and guided tasting programs that will introduce you to the history of Istria, Istrian winemaking in the best possible way, and guide you through the very process of creating top-quality wine, which certainly guarantees a special experience that you don't want to miss.
When planning a visit to the Kozlović winery and a vacation in Istria, take a look at Home Rent's offer of luxury villas in Istria, and find more about Istria's top destinations, activities and other interesting things on our blog Croatia in style.
Dron photography - Dean Hren.
