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Croatian Wine 101

Hello, wine lover 🫰

People say Croatia is the Next Big Thing in wine. But with 2,500 years of winemaking history and over 130 native varieties, it is also a big topic.

Let us break it all down for you starting with the key regions, grapes and personalities you should know.

Happy scrolling,

Belle & Zoran

WINE REGIONS

Istria

The northwest corner of Croatia, where the Alps meet the Mediterranean, is where the Istrian peninsula works its magic. Among its picturesque hilltop towns is a rich tradition of skin-contact whites and earthy reds waiting to be discovered.

Must try varieties:
Malvazija, Teran, Refošk

RISING STAR

Dimitri Brečević

A half-French, half-Croatian winemaker working with traditional Istrian varieties in his signature honest style.
WINE REGIONS

Dalmatia

Home to some of the most extreme, and extremely beautiful, vineyards in the world, Dalmatia is a wine geeks paradise. It's hot and dry summers give us rich textured reds, mineral whites with gorgeous sea spray salinity, and endless hyper-local varieties to explore.

Must try varieties:
Pošip, Plavac Mali, Tribidrag (aka Zinfandel)

THE OGS

Bura-Mrgudić

Sought out by everyone from in-the-know locals to global billionaires, the Bura-Mrgudić family just does it better.
WINE REGIONS

Croatian Uplands

The cooler climate and higher altitudes of the Croatian Uplands is where classic Central European and local varieties come into their own. The wines are exceptionally gastronomic, with intense aromas and crisp acidity.

Must try varieties:
Traminac, Frankovka, Škrlet

The Pioneers

Tomac

True to their Plešivica roots but open to the world, this hard-working family is setting a progressive biodynamic agenda for the region.

Want to know more?

Why Croatian wine could be the Next Big Thing

Croatia doesn’t just produce good wines, but great ones, and the wine world has yet to recognise this.

Read on CNA Luxury

Introduction to Croatian varieties

Situated along the Adriatic Sea, Croatia has the perfect climate for making wine and olive oil.

Read on Wine Folly

The origins of Zinfandel and Primitivo

The story of Zinfandel is like a romantic thriller, and one that was solved only a very few years ago. 

Read on Jancis Robinson