Coronica Ottaviano – the rebirth of an Istrian icon
Ottaviano is the name of Moreno Coronica’s late father. Today, Moreno is recognised as one of the greatest Croatian winemakers, with many reasons to support this claim, from promoting Istrian Teran to the status his Malvasia enjoys in Croatia.
Moreno certainly belongs to the so-called first echelon of the Istrian wine renaissance, which began in the late 1990s with the creation of the now-recognizable Istrian Malvasia.
From day one, Coronica has vinified Malvasia as a young wine and as a Gran Malvazija, a wine that ages over time in the bottle and becomes even better.
Fresh Malvazija Coronica, simply vinified in stainless steel barrels, has achieved a distinctive intensity from vintage to vintage that doesn’t fade from the glass but becomes deeper, heartier and more mineral.
Gran Malvazija was perhaps the first to show clearly that this Istrian variety can be aged in wooden barrels and that it can become a complex white wine.
On March 14, 2023, the first vintage of Ottaviano was presented in Zagreb. Ottaviano is the name of the new wine from the Coronica winery, vintage 2020.
At first glance, it seems very simple and approachable, but Ottaviano raises the question in the most beautiful way…
What is Malvasia Istriana really?
Malvasia Istriana is not just a drinkable refreshment or a simple wine for a quick sip. Coronica Ottaviano is the modern reproduction of the Malvasia that father Ottaviano knew and made.
Don’t expect any amber tones or oxidative-volatile outbursts. The traditional method has achieved an ideal result. The drinkability that we expect from Malvasia is there. But there is also complexity, a progression on the palate that opens up new and new layers…
an intense herbal moment, tea, anise, and vinousness that ends with a soft salinity in the aftertaste. Ottaviano Malvazija is very delicate but also firm.
As a dignified “Contadino”, Moreno has always stood firmly on the ground. To explain what is most important for the organic cultivation he practices, he recalled his father Ottaviano’s words, “to have good grapes, three things are most important: work, work and work.”
Ottaviano is a wine made from indigenous yeasts and spontaneous fermentation, but Moreno concludes all questions about winemaking in his own way: “Whether it’s wood or stainless steel or clay, it’s less important. The chef and the ingredient are important. The rest is just a tool.”
