Since wine was my main agenda - we opted for the wine tasting featuring 4 glasses of wine with snacks to match. Lead by the educated waitstaff, we were given a general understanding and familiarity of Croatian wine, their characteristics, and history. Mainly, I learned that Zinfandel, the grape made famous by Californian vineyards, has strong roots tied very closely to a grape that is within kilometers of Split, thus the namesake of the restaurant. After years of research and DNA testing of wines from vineyards across the globe, a single 90-year-old grapevine in Croatia, provided the evidence to show that Zinfandel was a Croatian grape.
We first tasted a white wine - Malvasija. This is a very light and crisp, easy to drink grape, which was paired with a shrimp salad. Next was a rose followed by two reds featuring Plavac Mali and the Zinfandel grape, each paired with a different cheese and smoke-cured meat called kulen, which is similar to prosciutto. We loved all of the wines!!
In addition, we ordered Bluefin Adriatic Tuna Tartare with a cucumber-lemongrass sauce, mint, basil, and aleppo chilli. It was pretty tasty with a subtle spicy kick. We also ordered a half dozen Oysters, as we learned that a few hours away is the town of Ston where they are famous for their super briny bay oysters. Both were incredibly fresh and the perfect bite for lunch.
With over 100 bottled wines and an innovative and extensive range of 30 wines by the glass, Zinfandel is a wonderful wine bar and restaurant. The menu is always focused on seasonal ingredients with regular changes according to the current season focusing on quality ingredients, locally-sourced, with a modern twist on much-loved Dalmatian classics. Service is top notch and the prices are very reasonable. Live music is featured on many nights as well. If you are in Split and are a wine lover like me, I highly recommend you check out Zinfandel!
Total Rating: 4.05
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 4.5, Ambience: 3.5, Accessibility: 5
