Graševina

By Paul Caputo

Also known as Welschriesling, Graševina is a popular white grape variety grown in Central Europe and other parts of the Balkans, particularly in Croatia. One theory suggests that Graševina originates from the east of the Balkans. The other, that it’s from Champagne.

For many years Graševina has been hidden from the limelight. Grown throughout central Europe, it seemed to serve up uninspiring wines. In North Maceodnia there are just a few producers who are trying to produce Graševina. While many of them are enjoyable and well balanced wines, one can’t help but feel the Tikves region, where most of the Graševina vineyards are located, is just too hot for the the wines to achieve any genuine complexity.

That being said there are a handful of examples that display green fruit driven aromas of apples and pear while offering refreshing acidity that inspires lively, crisp wines.