Where The Wine Future Begins
a full day of wine and great food visiting two of Croatia's premier wineries, followed by a delightful olive grove picnic!

Plavac Mali is the most known autochthonic grape variety in Croatia and the Dalmatian region. First brought here by Greeks 2234 years ago, Hvar’s ancient vineyards and olive groves have been recognized by UNESCO and are now protected as a World Heritage Site, the oldest continuously cultivated agricultural plain in the world!

Admired by wine enthusiasts around the globe, plavac mali’s fame might never have happened if wasn’t for Croatia’s most famous winemaker, Mike Grgich. As a young Croat, Mike left his native land with $30 in his pocket to find his fortune in America. Today, this legendary founder of Grgich Hills Winery in California; partner of the Mondavi family (and creator of their best chardonnay) and the pioneer of USA wine production in Napa Valley is famous the world over as the wine-maker who stunned the world by winning the famous 1976 Paris blind wine tasting (made into the movie “Bottle Shock”)

For years Mike and a few of his fellow Croatians were convinced that the roots of zinfandel, “America’s grape”, were really Dalmatian. After years of research and DNA testing, Grgich was proved right. Not only was zinfandel Croatian, but it was traced to a small village in Kastela, between Split and Trogir. Another local cultivar, dobricic, from the island of Solta, was later found to be one of the parents of plavac mali which together with plavac mail and plavina, further proved a “first-degree” relationship of zinfandel. As Grgich himself said:

‘’Apart from the genes of zinfandel, plavac mali has genes of dobricic, a sort that has more colour than zinfandel, and has a thicker foreskin which is prevention to become rotten. I’m predicting a worldwide future for plavac mali, and I strongly believe that it will replace Italian primitivo and American zinfandel.’’

''Zinfandel goes to history and future of red wines lies in Plavac Mali''

Tour description:
Our glorious full day tour begins in the ‘’heart of Hvar Island’’. We'll head south, passing thought the island's 1400 meter long stone tunnel to finally reach the island's most important wine region - the lush vineyards located on the shoreside cliffs. Continuing further to Jelsa we'll visit one of the most famous Croatian winemakers, the Bastijana Wine cellar.
Winery 1: Bastijana Our tour of the winery includes both their production and cellar storage facilities (loaded with barique barrels) and an organized wine tasting in 4 courses that will be combined with island finest local appetizers. Our host will be Mr. Andro Tomic , one of the most famous wine producers in Croatia. His wines have conquered and dazzled the world many times over and continue to do so. ‘’La Revue du vin de France’’, the respected wine magazine, distinguished his wines as being a benchmark for the future millennium. We invite your group to try his Mali Plavac, made from grapes grown on the southern hills. They’ll also enjoy his award-wining port wine, Hektor, which is an almost unheard of variety.
Winery 2: Medvid - Dubokovic & 2718 hours of sun in the bottle. Our program continues as we meet the leading Croatian “garage” winemaker to taste wines that have become the most sought after in the country. The reason? They’ll taste what it's like to try ''2718 hours in the bottle”. The term “garage” winemaker is sarcastically used by big Bordeaux wine producers and vineyard landlords to denigrate young and ambitious ''wine newcomers'' without vineyards or with very small land plots. Their feeling is that basing wine production on grapes purchased from other farmers can’t possibly be as good as coming from your own vineyard. Isn’t it wonderful that we have blind taste tests to prove which wine truly deserves to be called great instead of just looking at a famous label? The ultimate truth test isn’t just winning awards, it’s the palate of wine drinkers all over the world. Here in Croatia,Dubokovic wines have become a ''must have'' in the finest restaurants, hotels and specialized wine shops. Dubokovic - Medvid wines now have the distinction of being the most expensive regular vintage wines in the country!
After the Dubokovic wine cellar tour and wine tasting we'll head to an olive grove for a fabulous lunch/dinner (depending on the time of day). This trip ends with an authentic island culinary picnic at the picturesque village of Vrisnik. Your host is one of the best Croatian olive oil producers, Mr. Borivoj Bojanic. His grove has an amazing view of Hvar's 2234 year-old Ager field, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the oldest preserved agriculture plain in the world. As your group savors the subtle flavors of all the local herbs and condiments used in the preparation of your meal and gazes out at Ager field, they will understand the essence of island living among unspoiled nature.


Meeting point: we will pick the group up at their hotel, villa, private accommodation, where their yacht is moored or meet them at one of our four tour booths in Hvar Town. We will agree on this when the program is booked.
Departure time: Mornings between 10 - 12Noon and afternoons 1 - 4PM. This program can also be arranged at a time that is convenient for your group, so please ask us what your unique requirements are and we will be happy to get back to you with the particulars and our price.
End location: We will end this program where is the most convenient for the group - at the marina, hotel, villa or private accommodation. Just let us know.
Duration: This is a full day program, 6 - 8 hours but we can make it a half-day program if you request.
What's included: the program as described, pick up, wine tour guide/driver, air-conditioned 4 WD (Toyota Landrcuiser or Mitshubishi Pajero)



What's extra: Gratuities to guides and items purchased for personal use..
Tour type: Gastronomy, history and culture
Transportation method: Toyota Landrcuiser or Mitsubishi Pajero – both 4WD vehicles.
Activity level: Light
Disabilities friendly: Yes
Kid friendly: Yes.
Minimum: 4 people
Maximum:

• Bastijana Winery – maximum is 65 people
• Dubokovic Medvid Winery – maximum is 40 people
• Agricultural Cooperative Svrice Winery – maximum is 120 people
• Zlatan Plenkovic Winery - maximum is 40 people.