Croatia/Slovenia: best wines & vineyards
Jun 9th, 2008, 03:46 PM
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Croatia/Slovenia: best wines & vineyards
We're planning a trip to Croatia & Slovenia and would like to bring back some wine. Our past trips to Europe have included visits to highly-regarded vineyards. Does anyone have any info on vineyards in Croatia and/or Slovenia? We're partial to reds, but enjoy whites also. Thanks for any info you can provide!
Jun 9th, 2008, 05:57 PM
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What areas in Croatia will you be visiting? Different regions will focus on different varietials.
I was recently on the island of Korcula and visited a winery called Toreta which had a very good white wine called Posip. They also had a white called Rukatac, which I found to be drier than the Posip and I liked it very much. There wasn't a lot of information on wine touring in Korcula, but we hired a driver who arranged for a private tasting for us at this winery.
I am sure that the Peljesac peninsula has more organized wine tours, but we didn't visit that area.
If you will be in the Istria region you will find more emphasis on wine tourism and well marked "wine roads". Try to find a brochure that is published by the Istria Tourist Board and called "Selected Istrian Wines". It has good information on some of the wineries, their histories and whether they have a tasting room or not. I also bought an excellent map in a shop that had information on wineries, olive oil mills, truffles, etc.
In Istria we visited Kabola Winery, which makes Malvazija (a very good white, also known as Malvasia) and Teran (a red, which is very good). We also had a private tour by the owner and winemaker of Coronica Winery. He also bottles Malvazija, Merlot, and Teran. You could buy wine at Kabola's cellar door, but Coronica told us that his wine was all committed, although he ultimately sold us a couple of bottles.We did see both Kabola and Coronica in many wine shops and nice restaurants throughout Istria. The wines we bought we mostly consumed in our apartments, although I did bring back a bottle of Coronica Gran Teran that I can't wait to open!
Hope this helps you.
I was recently on the island of Korcula and visited a winery called Toreta which had a very good white wine called Posip. They also had a white called Rukatac, which I found to be drier than the Posip and I liked it very much. There wasn't a lot of information on wine touring in Korcula, but we hired a driver who arranged for a private tasting for us at this winery.
I am sure that the Peljesac peninsula has more organized wine tours, but we didn't visit that area.
If you will be in the Istria region you will find more emphasis on wine tourism and well marked "wine roads". Try to find a brochure that is published by the Istria Tourist Board and called "Selected Istrian Wines". It has good information on some of the wineries, their histories and whether they have a tasting room or not. I also bought an excellent map in a shop that had information on wineries, olive oil mills, truffles, etc.
In Istria we visited Kabola Winery, which makes Malvazija (a very good white, also known as Malvasia) and Teran (a red, which is very good). We also had a private tour by the owner and winemaker of Coronica Winery. He also bottles Malvazija, Merlot, and Teran. You could buy wine at Kabola's cellar door, but Coronica told us that his wine was all committed, although he ultimately sold us a couple of bottles.We did see both Kabola and Coronica in many wine shops and nice restaurants throughout Istria. The wines we bought we mostly consumed in our apartments, although I did bring back a bottle of Coronica Gran Teran that I can't wait to open!
Hope this helps you.
Jun 18th, 2008, 05:27 AM
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Well, suffrock, I am a bit bummed. I wrote a long post on this very subject a couple of years ago and the powers that be have decided to delete it. It was there about 5 months ago. Anyway, in a (very small) nutshell, imo, the Goriska Brda region is the best wine region in Slovenia. It is right over the border from the Friuli in Italy and several of the wines are similar. They make excellent reds and wonderful whites. Vineyards include Jankoncic,Kristancic, and Movia (maybe the most famous). There is a wine cooperative in the Brdo Castle in the town of Dobrovo. Start there and take the small wine tasting. It is rich in history and wine. If you want to stay in the area, I recommend the tourist farm Belica (also a wine producer). It is unfair to say it is a tourist farm, because it feels like a boutique hotel and is well priced. http://www.slovenedream.com/accom_fu...riska_brda.htm
Finally, the next day, if you want to continue on to a wine/gastronomy delight, drive over the mountains into Kobarid in the Soca River Valley and stay at Hisa Franka. The chef there is amazing, the hotel is a sweet little gem and (IMHO) is the best restaurant in Slovenia. While you´re there you can also check out the WW1 museum
Finally, the next day, if you want to continue on to a wine/gastronomy delight, drive over the mountains into Kobarid in the Soca River Valley and stay at Hisa Franka. The chef there is amazing, the hotel is a sweet little gem and (IMHO) is the best restaurant in Slovenia. While you´re there you can also check out the WW1 museum
Jun 23rd, 2008, 12:30 AM
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I am well acquainted with Istria wines, and can second the recommendation for Kabola. There are 3 highly praised vineyards all within 2 kilometers of each other - Kabola, Kozlovic, and Sinkovic. Very recently, Sinkovic has won the top marks that Kabola and Kozlovic are familar with. All three center around Momjan in Istria, with Kabola's restaurant in Kremenja but his wine shop is a lovely villa nearer to Momjan; Kozlovic has his home, winery and shop in the valley on the other side of Momjan, and Sinkovic is just up the hill a few hundred meters in San Mauro. All are within walking distance of each other. Maybe not by coincidence, the favorite restaurant of many who come to Istria for the food is also found in Momjan at Rino's [who also makes some decent wines under his label 'Prelac'].
Istria reds are mostly from Refosk, which makes a very strong, intense red. I would not call them delicate or complex, but I have grown to love them since I bought a vacation house there. One needs a strong red to balance the abundance of truffles, fresh mushrooms and wild game in the local cuisine! In the past few years, however, the Momjan vineyards are starting to make more interesting reds, such as Kozlovic Teran Barrique.
Istria, and Momjan specifically, is more famous for white - Malvazija and Muscato. Recommended even for lovers of reds like me. And although I rarely drink anything but wine, I love two of the local rakijas - one called 'smokva' that is soaked for two years in figs, and one called 'orahovaca' ? that is flavored with nuts.
Friends from Slovenia have brought me some superb wines, and as long as one can confirm the veracity, the Postup and Dingac from Dalmatia are always great. [there seems to be more bottles for sale than can be produced on such a small island!!]
This year, a red wine from a monastery in Trebinje [near Dubrovnik] has become fantastic - it is called Tvrdash [phonetically to help you pronouce it]. It has characteristics much unlike other Balkan wines, and I've gone through almost two cases already this year - mostly giving bottles away after someone tries it for the first time.
A few surprisingly good wines can also be found in the eastern Slavonia region of Croatia and the Fruska Gora region of neighboring Serbia. I am happy to see that the quality is improving throughout the region, even if, at the same time, some vineyards are adopting more commercial methods to increase production and profits.
Hope you enjoy your trip, and I would encourage you to write about your discoveries on Fodor's.
Istria reds are mostly from Refosk, which makes a very strong, intense red. I would not call them delicate or complex, but I have grown to love them since I bought a vacation house there. One needs a strong red to balance the abundance of truffles, fresh mushrooms and wild game in the local cuisine! In the past few years, however, the Momjan vineyards are starting to make more interesting reds, such as Kozlovic Teran Barrique.
Istria, and Momjan specifically, is more famous for white - Malvazija and Muscato. Recommended even for lovers of reds like me. And although I rarely drink anything but wine, I love two of the local rakijas - one called 'smokva' that is soaked for two years in figs, and one called 'orahovaca' ? that is flavored with nuts.
Friends from Slovenia have brought me some superb wines, and as long as one can confirm the veracity, the Postup and Dingac from Dalmatia are always great. [there seems to be more bottles for sale than can be produced on such a small island!!]
This year, a red wine from a monastery in Trebinje [near Dubrovnik] has become fantastic - it is called Tvrdash [phonetically to help you pronouce it]. It has characteristics much unlike other Balkan wines, and I've gone through almost two cases already this year - mostly giving bottles away after someone tries it for the first time.
A few surprisingly good wines can also be found in the eastern Slavonia region of Croatia and the Fruska Gora region of neighboring Serbia. I am happy to see that the quality is improving throughout the region, even if, at the same time, some vineyards are adopting more commercial methods to increase production and profits.
Hope you enjoy your trip, and I would encourage you to write about your discoveries on Fodor's.
Jul 3rd, 2008, 06:27 AM
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I had wonderfull experience in tasting wines in Istria just by accident. I have met the owner of the wine shop in Opatija and he recommended and booked wine tours for us in Istria. We visited Clai, Demian, Kabola,Cuj-Kraljevic, Trapan, Gerzinic- second generations of wine producers in Istria who are not yet famous as Kozlovic, Coronica,. Matosevic. Have a look and write an e-mail for information you need www.luketic.hr
Sep 1st, 2008, 05:31 AM
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Just home having spent a few days in Opatija getting the last few things in place for our upcoming wedding at the end of the month. (i am so nervous!)
Went along to see Damir, the owner of www.luketic.hr for advice on wines for the reception and found him very knowledgeable,helpful and so giving of his time for free. Thanks Damir and to all here on Fodor's.
Will write up a report on the whole experience when we get back.
Went along to see Damir, the owner of www.luketic.hr for advice on wines for the reception and found him very knowledgeable,helpful and so giving of his time for free. Thanks Damir and to all here on Fodor's.
Will write up a report on the whole experience when we get back.
Mar 28th, 2009, 10:35 AM
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uaz04/Michael: thanks again for all your advice on Istria. I just noticed you posted great wine info in this topic. We're definitely going to hit the vineyards around Momjan that you mentioned. I'm also intrigued by the monastery in Trebinje. Our itinerary takes us from Istria to Plitvice to Mostar to Dubrovnik. I'd like to stop by the monastery on our drive into Dubrovnik. However, this would be on a Sunday. Do you happen to know if we can visit the monastery and purchase wine on a Sunday? Also, are you familiar with Mostar? Looking for a good restaurant there.
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