White grape variety
Pošip
Croatia’s leading white, from the island of Korčula: full-bodied with a bitter-almond finish.
What is Pošip?
Pošip gives a fuller white than the Mediterranean climate would suggest, with real weight of texture and a characteristic bitter-almond note on the finish.
Acidity is moderate rather than high, so the best examples come from sites that keep the fruit fresh — the higher inland plateau of Korčula rather than the coast.
It is increasingly made with lees ageing and a little oak, which suits the variety’s texture better than the neutral early-drinking style it was long made in.
The island of Korčula in southern Dalmatia, where it was selected from wild vines. It was the first Croatian white variety given protected status, in 1967.
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 16018 under the prime name POSIP BIJELI, with berry skin colour blanc and country of origin croatia, and the pedigree "ZLATARICA BLATSKA BIJELI X BRATKOVINA BIJELI". Checked 2026-08-17.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of Pošip, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low | Consistent | |
| Acidity | medium | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Body | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium | Some variation | |
| Oak influence | low-medium | Some variation | |
| Savoury character | low-medium | Consistent | |
| Floral character | low | Consistent | |
| Herbal / green character | low | Consistent | |
| Spice | low | Consistent | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | medium | Some variation | |
| Texture | medium-plus | Some variation |
Common flavours
Wines made from it
The same grape in different places and different hands. These are where the wide ranges above resolve into something specific.
Where it grows
- Dalmatia — Croatia
If you like Pošip, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Fiano
A comparable combination of body, moderate acidity and a nutty, faintly bitter finish.
Fiano is a little tighter and more mineral.
Pošip
Both are made from pošip, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both come from the same country.
Vermentino
The same Mediterranean-island profile, with the same bitter-citrus finish.
Vermentino is lighter and fresher.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
Vermentino
The same Mediterranean-island profile, with the same bitter-citrus finish.
Vermentino is lighter and fresher.
Istrian Malvazija
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more savoury, and fresher and more acidic.
Malvazija Istarska
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be less oaky, and fresher and more acidic.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Vermentino
The same Mediterranean-island profile, with the same bitter-citrus finish.
Vermentino is lighter and fresher.
Verdicchio
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be lighter, and fresher.
Slavonian Graševina
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be lighter, and sweeter.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Condrieu
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect it to be more floral, and more aromatic.
Viognier
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect it to be more floral, and more aromatic.
Pedro Ximénez
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect it to be sweeter, and less oaky.
What to eat with it
Ranked by WineHQ's pairing engine, which reasons from the structure of the dish.
Fillet steak
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Asparagus
Works because bitterness in the dish and tannin in the wine accumulate rather than balance.
Trout
Works because low tannin avoids the metallic interaction with fish.
Turkey
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Artichoke
Works because bitterness in the dish and tannin in the wine accumulate rather than balance.
Cauliflower and brassicas
Works because bitterness in the dish and tannin in the wine accumulate rather than balance.
What to avoid with it
Dishes the pairing engine scores badly, and the principle that explains why. A short list: most things are fine.
How to serve it
Temperature
11–14°C
52–57°F · Lightly chilled
About 45 minutes to an hour in the fridge from room temperature, or take it out of the fridge about an hour before serving.
Decanting
No need to decant
Nothing about this wine suggests it needs decanting. Light, aromatic and sparkling wines generally lose more than they gain.
Glass
Universal wine glass
A medium tulip-shaped glass handles almost everything well. If you own one set of glasses, this is the set to own — the difference between a good universal glass and a grape-specific one is far smaller than the difference between a good glass and a bad one.
Ageing
Most wines made from this grape are for drinking now, but certain styles reward keeping.
The fresh style from Korčula is for the year of release. Lees-aged bottlings from the higher inland plateau around Čara and Smokvica hold five years and gain a nutty depth over the bitter-almond finish.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof