Wine & Wineries of Croatia

The story of Croatian wine

As one of the oldest wine producing regions in the world, the viticulture traditions of Croatia date back to 5 BC. The dramatic and beautiful rocky coastline and more than a thousand islands in the invigorating, clear blue Adriatic Sea, unite with its lush inland rivers, mountains, lakes, and valleys to form a country of diverse climate and terroir. Historically a crossroads for cultures, resulting in an amalgamation of Eastern and Western heritage, Croatia’s winemaking culture is as diverse as its geography.

Croatian wines are both time-honored and interesting – and all mostly still unknown to the wider world!

Today, there are over 300 defined wine regions in Croatia with 66 designated appellations and more than 130 indigenous grape varietals. Croatia is famously the original home of Zinfandel.

The key wine growing regions combine into 4 areas:

Dalmatia
Istria and Kvarner
Slavonia and the Croatian Danube
The Croatian Uplands

Croatia’s grapes differ with both culture and climate, each region the home to varieties that speak to the characteristics of the soil and its inhabitants.

Croatia has developed a classification system that clearly distinguishes between different quality levels.

“Vrhunsko Vino” (Premium Quality Wine)
“Kvalitetno Vino” (Quality Wine)
“Stolno Vino” (Table Wine)

A Croatian Winemaking Renaissance

It is an exciting time for winemakers in Croatia today as a new generation of Croatian vintners are creating great quality wine. Passionate winemakers are creating boutique wines in small batches with exceptional results. Today’s Croatian wines are crafted with a modern appeal while still being produced with great respect for tradition and the unique character of the soil. While Croatia has long been esteemed for its striking natural beauty of its landscapes, in the past decade its wines have undergone a revolution in quality and are swiftly gaining increased international recognition and awards.

“Whether you’ve been to Croatia or are planning a trip there, I encourage you to taste indigenous Croatian wines. Taste the wine from the region you visited or taste some new ones and start creating new memories while planning your Tasteful Croatian Journey.”
Mirena Bagur, Co-founder, Croatian Premium Wine Imports

Award and Accolades

Check out what top wine experts at the world’s largest and most influential wine competition, Decanter World Wine Awards, say about Croatian wines.

2019 was a great harvest year for Croatian wines with 7 Gold, 55 Silver and 77 Bronze medals at the Decanter. Istrian wines took home 6 gold medals, the highest rankings scored over 95 points out of 100. In 2018; Croatian wines earned 10 gold medals, 5 of which were from Istria.

Wanda’s Croatia

A message from our Founder & President

Croatia’s history is a delicate tapestry of Greek, Roman, Ottoman, Venetian, and Austro-Hungarian culture, that remains inextricably woven into the fabric of the present moment. The sapphire waters of the Adriatic coast and the emerald hills that roll through the interior, juxtapose with precipitous limestone cliffs that separate these two landscapes, and call upon one to be engrossed in its magnificent beauty. The natural terrain offers many gifts; the sweetness of a fresh fig, a juicy tomato freshly picked from the vine still warm from the sun, a perfect crisp wild asparagus waiting to be dressed in golden olive oil and herbs. One of the most enigmatic gifts of the soil is at once delicate and vigorous, the many forms of native grapes found throughout Croatia, which have been tended to with care and curiosity for more than 2500 years.

When I tasted the fruits of the winemakers’ harvest 25 years ago, the production was about quantity, as one certainly did not enjoy these wines for their quality, yet the potential was there.

We are now in the moment that has been a quarter century in the making, today excellent wines are crafted with great care to offer complex flavors that delight the palate.

It is my pleasure to introduce our guests to the winemakers who are preserving and restoring the ancient traditions of these vines. It brings my team and I a special joy to learn of their surprise at how little known these excellent wines are to the world outside of Croatia. It is a secret that will remain concealed forever, and one we are pleased to share.

– Wanda S. Radetti

Discover Our Favorite Wineries of Croatia

To purchase your favorite Croatian wines from the US or Canada, please contact a licensed distributor.

Croatian Premium Wine – Online Store

Traveling with Tasteful Croatian Journeys

Our depth of local knowledge and long-established friendships with the winemakers mean unparalleled access, right down to private tastings of historic vintages.

Tasteful Croatian Journeys will craft your perfect wine-soaked holiday.

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