Interview With Ana Peršurić Palčić – Misal

Speaking with the lovely Ana Peršurić Palčić from Misal, one of the finest producers of Croatian Sparkling Wines receiving very well deserved trophies and medals. She’s shared with us some insight into her bubbly world, her thoughts on the future of Croatian Sparkling Wine, some great food pairing recommendations and her three dessert island wines.

It’s Great To Speak With You, Ana, Can You Tell Us A Little About Yourself & Your Journey Into The Wine Industry?

Hello, I am glad to have the opportunity to have an interview with you. I am Ana from the Misal winery, which is actually a small, family winery, but with the largest range of sparkling wines in the Croatian market and one of the largest producers of sparkling wines in Croatia. I am proud of the success of my family, and our winery. My father started producing sparkling wine as a scientific work and hobby, and my sister Katarina and I continued it together as a professional business, together with our husbands. There are only four of us working in the winery, and we do most of it ourselves and it is something that fulfils us and for us, it is not a job but a way of life. I entered the wine business quite early, my parents always gave us the choice to be whatever we wanted, but I liked it when I saw how dynamic it is, how much it fulfils my parents, and how it allows me to have time for my hobbies, family and that I can progress without the pressure of a boss, because I can be my own boss. So, when I was young, I first decided to go to an agricultural high school, and I actually did all my summer jobs at our winery. After that, I enrolled in the Faculty of Agriculture – majoring in viticulture, winemaking and fruit growing. Considering that at home we always made sure that we were up to date with new things in our wine industry, and my dad was a scientist, I started doing scientific work myself, so that I eventually got my doctorate. Today, I am the only doctor of science in Croatia with a doctorate in the field of sparkling wines. My winery is like one of my children to me, it makes me happy to watch it grow and develop and how my family creates new generations of sparkling wines. We always try to make the best of what each year has to offer and we are passionate fans of our work. There are no working hours for me, but we are not slaves to work either, we really enjoy it.

When It Comes To Pairing Sparkling Wine With Food, Do You Have Any Favourite Combinations That You Would Personally Recommend?

We often drink sparkling wines, because actually when we have open bottles at the winery at the end of the working day and there is a little sparkling wine in them, we take it home for lunch. We often choose what to have for lunch based on the bottle we bring home, while most choose food first and then wine. I have many favorite combinations because for me sparkling wine really goes with everything. From rose sparkling wine with pizza to aged sparkling wines such as our Misal Istra with some of our traditional dishes from Istria such as ‘maneštra’ (stew with dried meat, beans and vegetables), to some fine combinations such as fish carpaccio with some extra brut or pasta with truffles and Millennium brut.

How Do You See The Future Of Croatian Sparkling Wine?

I think that Croatian sparkling wines, given that we are a tourist country, have a great future, if the producers take this production seriously and if they do quality work. Perhaps the coastal part of Croatia, especially the south, is not ideal for the production of sparkling wines, but it is possible to make very, very fine sparkling wines from our autochthonous varieties, of which we have a lot in Croatia, if we do not make copies of world varieties but something local.

For Anyone Getting Married This Year, Looking For A Perfect Glass Of Bubbly, Which One Of Your Labels Would You Put Forward For That Very Special Moment?

When it comes to weddings, I like to find the best choice with the newlyweds, because it’s not the same if the wedding is in summer or winter, as well as whether there are 10 or 100 people at the wedding. However, if they are looking for something for an aperitif, Misal Prestige is always a great choice, while with cakes they usually choose Misal Amor. Still, it’s a Muscat-based sparkling wine, elegant and goes well with desserts, and its name is love, so many are happy to choose it.

You’re Stuck On A Desert Island, And Fortunately, Three Bottles Of Misal Wash Up Onto Shore, Perfectly Chilled, Which Three Labels Would You Want Them To Be?

Uh, tough choice… I think it would be Misal Millennium because our whole story about the production of sparkling wines started with him. The second would be perhaps Misal Mister – a sparkling wine we make with the addition of teranino (a traditional Istrian liqueur from the Teran grape variety with spices) that we drink like cocktails at home, so I guess the desert island would be warm and it would effectively cool me down. And last but not least, I would like it to be one bottle without a label, one from a vintage that has not yet been released on the market, so that when I open it I will be surprised.

Where’s The Most Memorable Place You’ve Enjoyed A Glass of Bubbly?

I often travel with my family, because I love travelling, it’s my hobby, and we always have a bottle of Misal in our travel bag. So there are some crazy places where I was drinking my bubbly – from the Sahara to Thailand and New Zealand, but definitely the most special moment was toasting with my husband and daughter at the very top of the Eiffel Tower for my birthday. As a joke, I told my husband that I wanted that for my birthday and a few days later he made my wish come true. It was truly unforgettable to drink Misal in the heart of Paris, with an unforgettable view of the city, in the country that actually invented all that sparkling in the wine world. And I can’t wait for new places, because the bottle always goes with us.

Thank you Ana, for sharing your words, knowledge and experience with us and we at Glass of Bubbly wish you the very best for the future!

Images belong to Ana Peršurić Palčić. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission to use them.