Dubrovački podrumi d.d. is the leading producer of the viticulture in Konavle, near Dubrovnik with a long tradition dating from early 1876. Devastated and burned in the 1990s just like the rest of the Dubrovnik area. In 2002 the company found the power to revitalize the destroyed vineyards. Now the Dubrovački podrumi dd has 35 hectares of the renewed vineyards and about 70 hectares of vineyards in cooperation with the local wine growers. The Konavle vineyards are clearly a place where the Merlot is doing well, even better than domestic Plavac. At the very least it is on a par with other regions of Croatia for a top Merlot, with the potential perhaps for more. The identifiable terroir of Dalmatia is undeniable in its massive and rich taste, but then it also has far more elegance than is offered by classic premium positions such as Hvar, Brac, or Peljesac, where the wines are laden with extracts and alcohol. It’s rare for an introduced variety to outdo a domestic, but here in Konavle that’s exactly the case. Merlotina, with its excellent quality, has been proving that for a number of harvests in a row now.