In the center of Istria lies Motovun, an acropolis known for its melange of mysticism, mystery and magic. Months later, it holds me in a magnetic grasp. The hot wind of August blows dry in Istria, flinging dust devils to interrupt the sun. Motovun shimmers and undulates in the distance. It’s a medieval mirage, atop the hill the Venetians could only take by force instead of politics in the 13th century. Natalia has brought me here on a whirlwind of her own. As we careen through the countryside in Continue Reading

“But here, enough talking, let’s taste,” Ivica Matosevic smiles as he pours his Malvasia. We’re sitting at a picnic table on the veranda of Ivica’s wine cellar in Kruncici, the middle of Istria. It’s the beginning of my love affair with Malvasia. “The only reason I got into this business was so I could play more music and drink more wine with my friends.” - Ivica Matosevic To hear him tell the story, Ivica Matosevic (pronounced ee-VEET-sa ma-TOE-sheh-vitch) is an unlikely vintner. While Continue Reading