Black Island Winery The Dalmatian dog Pošip 2023

In the center of the island of Korčula, the freshwater ponds that feed the vineyards of the village of Smokvica are a remarkable gift of nature. Local people call this place “Merga Victa,” meaning “path for water” in old Dalmatian. Vineyards are located on the outskirts of Smokvica, the birthplace of Pošip. Local people have planted indigenous grape varieties on terraced fields carved out of rocky hillsides, fed by the water from the streams. Today’s winemakers do most of their work by hand, just like their ancestors. Pošip is the true Dalmatian white grape variety, originally discovered by a local farmer 150 years ago in the very village Smokvica where the winery is located. Merga Victa carefully selects its grapes from 25 local family farmers that have been growing grapes for generations. There are a total of 200 vineyards in Smokvica, between 40 and 160 meters above sea level. Vines are at least 15 years old and the selected grapes come from three different soil types (red soil, sand, and rocky) to achieve the right balance.