Dalmatia's flagship red grape, grown on steep south-facing terraces of the Pelješac peninsula and the islands of Hvar, Brač and Vis. Tannic, dark-fruited and high-alcohol; the offspring of Croatian Zinfandel.
Plavac mali has been cultivated in Dalmatia since antiquity. DNA testing at UC Davis in 1998 by Carole Meredith showed that Plavac mali is a natural cross between Crljenak Kaštelanski (the Croatian Zinfandel) and Dobričić, a near-extinct variety from the island of Šolta; Crljenak Kaštelanski is itself the same variety as California Zinfandel and a near-twin of Italian Primitivo. Dingač on the Pelješac peninsula was named Croatia's and the former Yugoslavia's first protected wine appellation in 1961, with Postup following in 1967. Split wine bars run extensive Plavac lists; Bokeria Wine Cellar and Zinfandel Food and Wine are the canonical city pours.
4 editor picks for Plavac Mali in Split, ranked by editorial score. All Split signature dishes · Plavac Mali across every city.
MoNIKa's Wine Bar ★ 4.6
diocletians-palace · Ul. ban Mladenova 1, 21000 Split, Croatia
MoNIKa's Wine Bar on Ban Mladenova in Split Old Town pours the family's Zrnovnica estate wines next to a Croatian regional list in a small, locally run.
Zinfandel Food & Wine ★ 4.4
diocletians-palace · Maruliceva ul. 2, 21000 Split, Croatia
Zinfandel Food & Wine on Maruliceva in Split is a 2013 wine-led bistro pouring over 100 Croatian bottles, with 30 wines by the glass on the Pjaca route.
Bokeria Wine Cellar ★ 4.3
diocletians-palace · Domaldova ul. 8, 21000 Split, Croatia
Bokeria's wine room in Split shifts the Old Town restaurant into a wine-bar mood after 22:00, pouring Plavac mali and Posip by the glass into the early hours.
Uje Oil Bar ★ 4.3
diocletians-palace · Dominisova ulica 3, 21000 Split, Croatia
Uje Oil Bar inside Split's Diocletian Palace is the city's Dalmatian small-plates room, built on olive oil tastings, paski sir and Dalmatian prsut.