A Balkan take on Burgundy - Matošević Alba Barrique 2008 (Obscure white grapes, Part 3)

An utterly distinctive label, to match the tall, thin and rather elegant bottle

It's not every day you get the opportunity to try a Croatian white wine, without troubling the budget airlines. There is no shortage of high quality wine to be found throughout Dalmatia and Istria, but close to nothing reaches the UK. Therefore, when I saw the Matošević Alba Barrique 2008 on sale at Cartwright Brothers in Borough Market, there was no way I could leave it on the shelf.

Malvazija Istarka is a strain of the familiar Malvasia grape which can be found not only in Istria, but also in Italy (as Malvasia Istriana Bianca or Malvasia D'Istria). This example, by wine maker Ivica Matošević, has been oak aged somewhat in the style of a white burgundy.

I loved the subtle but spicy bouquet, dominated by peaches, white blossom and white pepper. The oak didn't seem too evident at this stage. It's unmissable once you start sipping, but that's not a negative by any means. There is some peachy, apricot-like fru…