about Istrian Quality
The “Istrian Quality” designation referring to the wine Istrian Malvasia is primarily intended for labelling high-quality wines made from Istrian Malvasia grapes, and for promoting further development of the production of this autochthonous wine, increasing the quality of the wine and production technology and promoting and selling the Istrian Malvasia nationally and worldwide. The designation “IQ” enables the consumer to recognize the Istrian Malvasia wines whose quality is superior to the quality required by the law covering wines with protected geographical origin, and higher than those usually required and expected by the customer.
It is a unique, active wine supervision system in Croatia which enables wine producers to gradually lift the threshold for wine qualifying for the IQ – Istrian Quality designation. The scope of this system is to uniform and raise product quality. The number of producers awarded the designation is growing steadily, just as is the number of bottles carrying this designation of quality.
The designation IQ guarantees an active system of wine supervision from production conditions and methods, wine quality to the awarding procedure and control of the use of the designation. Motivated by the ever greater competition on world and home markets, and by the soon accession of Croatia into the EU, the Vinistra Association decided to start a Project intended to assist its members to respond to new challenges, threats, but also chances which may appear in the next few years.
One of the base lines of development was to enhance the competitiveness of the Istrian Malvasia by creating a special brand or quality designation.
The solution was found in the possibility to use the designation IQ (Istrian Quality) owned by the Istrian Development Agency (IDA). IDA and Vinistra signed the Agreement on the use of the designation in 2005, and this formed the legal framework to use the designation by Istrian winemakers.
The first IQ designations were awarded to the wines of the vintage 2005. The technical implementation of activities related to the awarding of the designation was led by expert entities and professionals, coordinated by IDA and Vinistra. It must be said that the production is controlled by an independent body of experts which guarantees observance of production standards required by the Rules.
The whole awarding and supervision system is governed by the Rules on the use of the designation “Istrian Quality” for the Malvasia wine, adopted by the Government of the Region of Istria on 26 April 2005.
