Plavac Mali from the Pelješac Peninsula

Pelješki Vrhovi Plavac Mali comes from one of the great landscapes of Croatian wine – the Pelješac Peninsula in southern Dalmatia.

The wine is produced by Pelješki Vrhovi PZ Janjina, a historic agricultural cooperative established in 1902 in Janjina, in the central part of Pelješac. Its winery is located in the coastal village of Drače, immediately beside the sea, where wine was historically transported from the old port.

Today, Plavac Mali remains at the heart of the producer's range.

What is Plavac Mali?

Plavac Mali is one of Croatia's most important indigenous red grape varieties and is particularly associated with the vineyards of Dalmatia and Pelješac.

Pelješki Vrhovi has placed particular emphasis on the variety for decades. The cooperative bottled its first wine carrying the Plavac Mali Janjina name in 1997, at a time when explicitly highlighting the grape variety on the label was still relatively uncommon locally.

This Pelješac expression is a dry red wine blended from five different vineyard positions around Janjina. A proportion includes wine that has spent time in barrique, creating what the producer describes as a more modern interpretation of Plavac Mali.

The result is a wine that provides an approachable way into the distinctive reds of the Croatian Adriatic.

Wine from a Historic Pelješac Cooperative

The story behind the bottle is particularly interesting.

PZ Janjina has operated continuously since its establishment in 1902 and today brings together local growers from Janjina and the surrounding area. The cooperative's winery at Drače sits directly beside the Adriatic, reflecting the close relationship between wine, agriculture and the sea that has long shaped life on Pelješac.

Plavac Mali dominates production here, with the winery producing several interpretations of the grape – from approachable everyday wines through to powerful wines from the steep southern Dranče position and traditional sweet Prošek.

For Australians wanting to explore beyond Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot, Plavac Mali offers something unmistakably Croatian.

Whether you're searching for Plavac Mali in Australia, Croatian red wine, Pelješac wine, Dalmatian wine or Balkan wine, Pelješki Vrhovi provides an authentic introduction to the grape and the peninsula it calls home.

Product Details

Producer: Pelješki Vrhovi – PZ Janjina
Winery: Drače
Wine: Plavac Mali Pelješac
Grape: Plavac Mali
Style: Dry Red Wine
Region: Pelješac, Dalmatia
Country: Croatia
Bottle Size: 750ml
Product of Croatia