Korčula’s Native Grape Grk Goes From Nearly Forgotten to Croatian Wine Star in a Decade

A wine once known to very few people has become one of Croatia’s most sought-after varieties in roughly ten years. Grk, the native white grape of Korčula, has moved from near obscurity in Lumbarda to a regular presence on wine lists across the country.

The story begins with Branko Cebalo, described as the first private winemaker on Korčula. At the start of the century, he made Grk from his vineyard in Lumbarda. The wine gained an early foothold when Dubrovnik restaurant owner Mato Đurović placed it on the wine list at Nautica as the house wine.

Grk survived phylloxera because Lumbarda’s vineyards sit on sandy soil. Its arrival on the island remains uncertain, as does the origin of its name. One tradition says the ancient Greeks brought it to Korčula. Another links the name to the wine’s characteristic bitter aromas. Genetic connections with other Dalmatian varieties support the conclusion that Grk is indigenous.

The variety’s revival accelerated through the Bire winery in Lumbarda. Frano Milina Bire’s wines attracted attention and highlighted Grk’s potential, followed by producers from elsewhere in Lumbarda, Korčula and other wine regions. Grk is now grown in parts of Lastovo, Pelješac, Konavle, Kaštela and Herzegovina.

Its wines have received awards at international competitions including the International Wine Challenge and Decanter World Wine Awards. Demand and prices have risen, and serious restaurants increasingly want at least one Grk on their lists. The variety has made an unusually rapid journey from local rarity to national wine trend.