I have to admit, I am more than partial to Croatians (full disclosure: I am dating one), even though I have yet to visit its famed shores. So I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sit down for a meal with three Croatian winemakers at Gramercy Tavern.

Each brought two different wines for the tasting, ranging from international styles to more indigenous varietals. The most exciting were the Matošević 100% Malvasia, a funky white from Istria in the north, and the Saints Hills Plavac Mali—a relative of the zinfandel grape—from the Dingać region near Dubrovnik in the south. The deep, rich, raisinated fruits of the Plavac Mali paired beautifully with the lamb that was served, while the Malvasia proved the perfect accompaniment to all the foods, an unusual, floral alternative to Riesling, great for the adventurous wine lover. As for me, it’s just one more reason to visit.