It has begun as a challenge, turned into love, and developed into complete devotion to the art of winemaking.
Rizman winery makes original and authentic winemaking story always striving to meet the highest wine production standards.
The organic approach includes clean and untainted soil of the Rizman vineyards, where wild plants grow in abundance. The fruit of their labor is excellent wines.
The wine-growing tradition of the Štimac family
The wine-growing tradition of the Štimac family dates to the beginning of the 20th century. The first vineyards were planted by the great grandfather of the current generation of the Štimac family, Mihovil Mijo Popich, known by his nickname Rizman.
Rizman was born in 1885. and lived to be 96 years old. He lived in a family house in Opuzen in the valley of the Neretva river, where the vineyards were located. When the vineyards were devastated by vine disease (peronospora), Rizman was forced to emigrate to America, as were most residents of South Dalmatia.
He returned to Opuzen in 1918. and continued planting new vines. In his vineyard, Rizman cultivated eight thousand vines. Working in the vineyard was hard, and it took a lot of effort for Rizman to transport the grapes with a hull to a tavern in Opuzen to be processed. There he made wine by himself and sold it.
Since 2006, at the Rizman vineyard estate were established 22 hectares of new vineyards and 1700 olive trees at the new location of the youngest winegrowing area in Croatia, which is called Komarna.
The concept of the Komarna winegrowing area
The concept of the Komarna wine-growing area, where all producers are registered organic, was created by the Štimac family, and they initiated the project. In 2012, they built a winery that meets the highest technological standards for wine production on the vineyard territory. At the vineyard, 90% of vines belong to the indigenous varieties of Plavac mali and Pošip, together with the somewhat forgotten variety of Tribidrag. In honor of their grandfather and great grandfather, the first winemaker in the family, the winery bears his nickname, Rizman.
The first building erected on today’s Rizman vineyard, on its highest peak at 253 m above sea level, was the Chapel of Sveti Mihovil (St Michael). The name Mihovil (Michael) has been present in the Štimac family for five generations.
The chapel of St Michael
The chapel houses the statue of St Michael from the Basilica of the Monte Gargano Shrine in Italy, where the Saint appeared in the year 462 AD. The statue was brought by Vlado Štimac, a member of the brotherhood of St. Michael.
The chapel was built on 29 September 2009, on the feast day of St. Michael, an archangel with a sword in hand. That is precisely the day when the last fruits of the vine were harvested, and the process of wine creation commenced at the winery. Marking St. Michael’s Day is the opportunity to thank the Saint for the successful harvest and pray for the next fruitful year.
The family’s centuries-long tradition in winemaking and vine cultivation behind it has great faith in the future that lies ahead. Whenever you are passing by, do not miss the opportunity to come up to Rizman vineyards.
Pleasure yourself with tasting the Primus Plavac mali, the first wine made in the winery.
It is made from the most famous local red variety, Plavac Mali. However, you might like St. Michael more. The idea behind this label was to make wine only at its best age, exclusively from one part (plot) of the vineyards, with the finest fruits – the best-quality grapes in a select harvest – a label worthy of the title family collection. The series is limited edition, and every bottle is numbered separately and represents an object of value to any wine lover.
Ladies would like Rusula. The wine is named after the old Dalmatian name for the rose to pay tribute to Dalmatian heritage. Rusula is made from the most famous regional red variety of Plavac mali, with a small content of the international red type of Syrah (up to 10%). This wine is the perfect summer refreshment and features the character of its climate and variety.
At Rizman vinery, one of the most beautiful places in the south of Croatia, all of your senses will enjoy; palate in pairing wine and food and your eyes in the slopes planted with vines and olive trees, and in the view of the most crucial bridge in Croatia, the magnificent Peljesac bridge.
