KRK

Pri~a o ~ovjeku vinu i trsu konstanta je koja se
ovdje ponavljala stolje}ima, milenijima sve dok se u
na{e vrijeme nije izmijenila. Za moga oca Jo`a Peru,
kao i za tolike druge te`ake vinograd, trs, gro`|e i
vino bili su ljubav i svetinja. U vinogradima su njegovi
`uljevi, molitve i kletve, posrtanja i usponi. Obrada
vinograda, pravljenje i njegovanje vina bio je njegov
svakodnevni posao. Pri~a je to, kao i gotovo svaka
pri~a na otoku, o upornom trudu i te{kom radu, o
znojnom ~elu i `uljevitim rukama, o filokseri i peronospori,
o {krtoj zemlji, su{i, tu~i, posolici, o strepnjama
i nadanjima, patnjama i radostima.
Loza je bila plemenita dama koja je `ivjela na
kr{evitim lokalitetima otoka s pogledom na blistave
odsjaje povr{ine mora, cijeli dan izlo`ena suncu i njegovoj
toplini isijavanoj s kamena. Tu staru damu trebalo
je nesebi~nom pa`njom njegovati i milovati. A do
tih vinograda moglo se je do}i samo uskim i strmim
stazama dugim pje{a~enjem ili na muli i magarcu.
U kamenjaru je nakon svake ki{e trebalo sakupljati
otplavljenu zemlju, nositi je u vre}i na le|ima ili u
kopanici na ramenu i rukama je stavljati ponovno oko
trsa. Svaka {aka zemlje pod trsom bila je dragocjenost,
a trebalo je i zdenac ili gustirnu za kap vode u
kamenu iskopati. Od zemlje, od kamena, od mora, od
sunca uz pjesmu, sopele, ro`enice, mi{nice, duplice
crpio je ~ovjek ovog podneblja uvijek novu snagu. Za
takav posao, muku i trud trebalo je puno ljubavi. A i
loza je znala uzvratiti na skrb i ljubav, bila je sama
slast. Kruna tog mukotrpnog rada, svih tih `rtvovanja,
darivanja i nesebi~ne ljubavi bila je berba. Berba
je u tim dalekim vinogradima bila muka, sve~anost i
radost. Pamtim uz pjesmu veselo trganje slasnih grozdova
`lahtine i neugodno lijepljenje prstiju od visoka
sladora. Ubrano gro`|e prvo se iz vinograda u Priletima
i Sr{}ici u ov~jim i kozjim mje{inama na mulama
prenosilo do mora i ukrcavalo na barku, a onda bi
jedni barkom krenuli do luke u Vrbniku a drugi bi i{li
kopnom s mulama da bi opet iz barke vozili gro`|e u
konobu.
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which is made out of it is considered by wine lovers
and connoisseurs the best white wine in this region
and classified among the leading Croatian white
wines. The crystal clarity, refined aroma, the dry and
satin smooth taste, as well as the gold color of the
Vrbni~ka @lahtina justify its name derived from the
Old-Slavonic adjective “`lahten” meaning noble.
Viticulture and winemaking represent both the
written and the unwritten history of our man. The
tale of man, wine and the vine stock is a constant
which has been repeated here for centuries and millennia,
until it changed in our times. To my father Jo`a
Pere, as well as many other peasants, the vineyard,
vine stock, grapes and wine were beloved and sacred.
In the vineyards are his calluses, prayers and curses,
stumbling and rise. The cultivation of the vineyard,
the making and caring for the wine were his everyday
work. This is a tale, just as almost any other tale on
the island, of persistent effort, hard work, sweat-covered
forehead and callous hands, phylloxera and
downy mildew, barren land, drought, hailstorm, salt
from the sea, trepidation and hope, suffering and joy.
The vine was a noble lady who lived on the karst
sections of the island with a view on the shiny reflections
of the surface of the sea, all day exposed to the
sun and its warmth radiating from the rock. This old
lady had to be nursed and caressed with unselfish
care. And the vineyards could have been accessed only
through narrow and steep paths after a long hike or
on a mule or donkey.
After every rain, the washed away soil had to be
recovered from the rocks, carried in a bag on the back
or in the trough on the shoulders and by hand put
back around the vine stock. Each fistful of soil under
the stock was precious, and a well or cistern also had
to be dug in the rock to collect a drop of water. From
the soil, the rock, the sea, and the sun with song,
Istrian long flutes and bagpipes, the man of this land
drew renewed strength. Such work, toil and effort
required much love. The vine knew how to reciprocate
for the care and the love being delicious as it is. The
crown of this painstaking work, of all the sacrifice,
giving and selfless love, was the grape harvesting.
Harvesting in those distant vineyards was pain, celebration
and joy. I recall the merry picking of delicious
clusters of @lahtina accompanied by song and the
unpleasantly sticky fingers due to high levels of sugar.