Focused on organic and sustainable practices, Kabola Winery produces a multitude of different wines, primarily from indigenous Istrian grape varieties.
A family-run winemaking business, Kabola is also noted for its use of traditional clay amphora in the maceration process of Malvasia and Teran wines.
Where is Kabola Winery?
Kabola is located in the northwest of the Istrian peninsula, around 270 meters above sea level, boasting views of both the Alps and the Dolomites, as well as lush greenery and the Adriatic Sea. The Vineyards are staggered into Stancija Hill, near Kanedolo and Momjan.
The soil in this area is mainly clay-based and rich in marl, which provides Kabola wines with unique characteristics.
Overview of Kabola Winery
Kabola has a rich winemaking legacy, dating back to 1891, when the Markežić family first started winemaking, with Grandfather Markežić producing Momjan Muscat wine using his hardworking boškarin (the indigenous Istrian ox).
Today, Kabola is known for its BIO production and all wine and olive oil produced here has been organic and environmentally sustainable since 2009.
Another unique feature of the Kabola Winery is its use of amphora clay vessels in the winemaking process for Amfora Malvasia and Amfora Teran wines, which produce authentic and unadulterated wines.
Kabola Wines
Re Sparkling /wine
This sparkling Malvasia Istriana wine is a clear green-yellow in color, dry, fresh, harmonious with a medium body and a long finish. Aromas include peach and pear, followed by lemon zest and freshly baked pastries, with lingering apricot in the aftertaste.
Istrian Malvasia
Made from Malvasia Istriana grapes, this fresh wine has a clear, green-yellow color and is dry, medium-bodied, intensely flavored, harmonious, and highly drinkable, with pleasant minerality. Aromas include acacia flower, fresh apple, lime zest, and mint leaves, with notes of peach in the aftertaste.
Secco
This fresh wine is produced from Momjan Muscat grapes, a clear green-yellow in color, with a medium body. The wine is delicate, dry, fresh, balanced, and refined. Aromas offered include chamomile, honey, candied orange peel, and pineapple, with notes of peach in the aftertaste.
Rosa
This rosé wine is a pink cherry color, made from Teran grapes. It has a medium body, expressed intensity, and medium finish, with aromas of raspberry, strawberry, jelly bean, and notes of chokeberry in the aftertaste. Rosa is dry, fresh, mildly tannic, harmonious, and drinkable.
Kabola Malvazija Unica
This macerated wine is made from the Malvasia Istriana grape, featuring a straw yellow color with a golden sheen. The Malvasia Unica is dry, full-bodied, fresh, intensely flavored, and harmonious, with mild tannins. Aromas include ripe pear, dried grass, dried almond, and dried fig, with butter and bitter almond in the aftertaste.
Kabola Malvazija Amfora
Also made from Malvasia Istriana grapes, this macerated wine is a golden straw yellow in color. Full-bodied, dry, crisp, and fresh, this wine has mild tannins, pleasant minerality, and a long finish.
Aromas include quince compote, dry fern, star anise, vanilla, and herbs, with flavors of butter, bitter almond, and ripe peach in the aftertaste. This Croatian wine is available in Ontario, Canada.
Teran
This ruby-colored Teran wine is dry, crisp, fresh, and well-balanced, with a medium body and astringent tannins. Aromas include ripe cherry, red roses, cedar, and chocolate, with notes of cherry.
Amfora Teran
This Teran wine has a deep ruby red color, with a full-body, excellent minerality, lovely tannins, and a long finish. Aromas include blueberry, vanilla, dark chocolate, dust, cedar, and leather, with notes of prune in the aftertaste.
Merlot
This ruby-red Merlot offers aromas of blueberry, raspberry, black pepper, and cinnamon, with notes of prune in the aftertaste. The wine is dry, warm, velvety, balanced, fresh, and refined, with soft tannins, a full body, and a long finish.
Cabernet Sauvignon
This dense, clear and ruby-colored Cabernet Sauvignon offers aromas such as raspberry, vanilla, black pepper, nutmeg, and balsamic vinegar, with ripe cherry notes in the aftertaste. The wine is dry, fresh, medium-bodied, and balanced, with refined tannins and a long finish.
Cuvee Supremo
This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Teran offers aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant, vanilla, smoke, dust, coffee, and leather. The Cuvee Supremo is dry, prominently mineral, well-balanced, harmonious, intense in flavor, and full-bodied, with a long finish.
Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)
This aged wine is a dense ruby-red color, with notes of raspberry, vanilla, black pepper, nutmeg, and balsamic vinegar, with a cherry aftertaste. The Cabernet Sauvignon is dry, fresh, and medium-bodied with refined tannins.
Teran (2007)
This aged Teran has a ruby-red color with a purple sheen. Aromas offered include cherry, red rose, cedar, and chocolate. The wine is medium-bodied, dry, crisp, fresh, and well-balanced, with astringent tannins.
Momjan Muscat
This semi-sweet wine is a clear green-yellow color, with notes of flowers, nectarine, lychee, and honey, with apricot in the aftertaste. The Momjan Muscat is playful, effervescent, semi-dry, fresh, and medium-bodied.
Dolce
This sweet Momjan Muscat is amber in color, with notes of quince, honey, cinnamon, apricot, figs, and caramel. The Dolce is warm, soft, fresh, and full-bodied with a very long finish.
Kabola Olive Oil
Kabola Winery also produces high-quality olive oil, made using the old local Istarska Bjelica olive variety (70%), blended with Leccino and Pendolino (30%). Olives are handpicked and processed the same day using a method of cold extraction. Kabola’s olive oil is medium bitter, spicy, harmonious, and well-rounded.
Other Istrian Wineries
Here are a few more wineries in the same area as Kabola Winery, less than an hour’s drive away, which you may wish to include on your Istrian wine-tasting itinerary:
- Clai Winery, Krasica – One of the most highly regarded wineries on the Istrian Peninsula, Clai Winery produces high-quality, critically-acclaimed, organic wines using all-natural, traditional methods. With a number of awards and accolades under the Clai belt, their wines can be found in top restaurants all around the world.
- Roxanich Winery, Motovun – Roxanich is well-known for traditional and natural wines, but also for trendy orange wines (said to be “The New Rosé”). Orange wines are originally from Georgia, but are now produced in Croatia, as well as Slovenia and Italy. Roxanich is a great place to try orange wines, which feature intense flavors, such as honey, caramel and apricot, though the aftertaste can be sour. Roxanich also produces grape wines, including reds, whites and sparkling varieties. Roxanich Winery has accommodation, so you can stay at the winery overnight.
- Benvenuti Winery, Kaldir – Located in the small Istrian village of Kaldir, the family-run Benvenuti winery is known for traditional wines produced using grapes indigenous to Istria, such as Malvasia Istriana, Teran and Muscat. Pier Benvenuti planted the first vines here in 1946, though his son and grandsons only decided to take winemaking to a commercial level in 2003. Their Malvasia Istriana is highly praised and the winery has won many prestigious international awards.
