Brački varenik awarded EU Protected Geographical Indication status

ZAGREB, Sept 29 (Hina) – The European Commission announced on Tuesday it had approved the inclusion of “Brački varenik”, a food additive originating from the southern Croatian Adriatic island of Brač, on the list of products with a protected geographical indication.

“Brački varenik”, a product used as a condiment, is produced by cooking the juice pressed from fresh or dried grapes until its volume falls to roughly one-third of the initial volume. It is a sweet, viscous liquid with notes of honey, a mildly pronounced flavour and aroma of grapes and a moderately pronounced flavour of caramel.

Brački varenik  (Photo: Croatian Ministry of Agriculture)

“Brački varenik” may be dark red to dark brown in colour where red grape varieties are used, and dark yellow to light brown where white grape varieties are used.

All steps in the production of “Brački varenik”, from picking, pressing and straining the grapes to cooking them, must take place within the island of Brač.

Croatia now has 26 products on the register of Protected Geographical Indications (PGI).

The products include Paški sir, Lička janjetina, pršut from Dalmatia, Drniš, Krk and Istria, olive oil from Cres, Krk, Solta and Korčula, mandarins from Neretva, Poljički soparnik, sour cabbage from Ogulin, Kulen from Baranja and Slavonian, cabbage from Varazdin, Slavonian honey, salt and lamb from Pag, Međimursko meso ‘z tiblice’, turkey from Zagorje, potatoes from Lika and Bjelovarski kvargl cheese.