Croatia wine country
Pure in every drop, sincere in taste
A comprehensive overview of Croatian wine regions, varieties, styles and character
Croatia is a wine country that produces an sincere taste wine, which means that it produces a unique palette of wines from its own terroir. Still relatively unknown, but that is changing very quickly. After all, the country is a holiday destination that many people have now become acquainted with. Holidaymakers are aware of the quality level of local food and wine. The many wineries are characterized by character and are connected to their own region. This makes it a real treasure for wine lovers who are looking for something new but with a European character.
The many wineries are often run by small families who have all retained their own character.
170
Indigenous grape varieties
1600
Producers
19.000
Hectare of vineyards
500.000
Hectolitre wine in 2024
Overview in numbers
""All in all, Croatia is perfect to explore, as its wine regions are not only interesting from the perspective of viticulture and winemaking, but also from the perspective of a thirsty traveler. The country's wines are rapidly gaining international recognition and this is the right time to get involved with Croatian wine, whether as an enthusiastic collector, wine traveler, distributor or potential vineyard owner"".
Božidar Jukić ( educator, storyteller, travel designer.)
Wine production in Croatia and EU countries
In 2024, Croatia had an avarage production of 500,000 hectoliters of wine. This is a considerable volume for a relatively small country. Most of this wine is consumed locally, which means that only a limited number of bottles are available for export. However, the amount of Croatian wines exported is steadily increasing.
Country
Production
1. Italy
2. France
3. Spain
4. Germany
5. Portugal
6 Romania
7. Hungary
8. Austria
9. Greece
10. Bulgaria
11. Slovenia
12. Croatia
41
36.9
33.6
8.1
6.9
3.7
3.0
2.2
1.4
0.7
0.5
0.5
Winery Crvik and the vinification, a top producer from South Dalmatia.
Numbers in million hectoliters
Source: https://www.oiv.int
Grape varieties
In addition to the international grape varieties, Croatia has 170 indigenous varieties, a special wealth. The distribution of production is divided between many indigenous and international varieties, but wine from the white Graševina grape has been produced in large volumes for quite some time. Followed by the white Istrian Malvazija, which is the benchmark in terms of quality and a variety for which the country of Croatia is mainly known. Plavac Mali takes third place among the indigenous grape varieties from Croatia, from these grapes solid red wines are produced with a Mediterranean character.
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Regional grape varieties
Each region is distinguished by its unique history, culture, climate and microclimate. Winemakers adhere to the unwritten law of keeping tradition and viticulture alive. The grape varieties that have been cultivated in the different regions for centuries are still found today thanks to these deep-rooted local traditions.
The Croatian wine regions
What makes Croatia special is its geographical location and shape. The country is located at the crossroads of both geographical and historical regions. The shape of the country makes it part of Central Europe and Southern Europe at the same time. Cultural and geographical features are witnesses that this statement is true. These elements create something that makes Croatia very unique as a wine country. It has an enormous diversity in a relatively small area, a real treasure that wants to be discovered by the wine lover.
Wine country Croatia consists of 2 parts:
Continental Croatia and the Coast (see animation)
Each part consists of 2 regions (wine growing areas):
Slavonia, the Croatian Highlands, Istria and Dalmatia
Each of the four regions distinguishes itself in its own way. We would like to introduce you to these regions, their specific wine growing and the special wines that are produced there. Click on a region for more information.
Top wines from Croatia | Selected favorites
Wine: Vilin Ples
Winery: Crvik
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Plavac Mali, Malvasija Dubrovačka
Colour: Red
Alcohol: 13.5%
Location: Konavle
Region: Dalmatia
Year: 2023
Profile←
This ruby red Vilin Ples gives elegant aromas of dark and red fruits such as red plums, red berries, cherries, raspberries and violets. Balanced with aromas coming from the oak barrel; pepper, sweet spices and vanilla. A strong body and light tannins are the characteristics of this first Cuvée from the Konavle region.
Explaining the description on the label of the bottle
Croatian wines are traditionally labelled by grape variety, but today cuvées are increasingly produced. The quality indications on the label are not always immediately recognisable, especially when certain terms are unfamiliar. On the labels you will usually find indications about colour, style and quality.
Colour
Bijelo = White
Crveno = Red
Crno = Black
Stile
Suho = Dry
Slatko = Sweet
Poluslatko = Semi sweet
Pjenušavo = Sparkling
Indication of Quality
Stolno = Table wine
Kvalitetno = Wine of quality (80 – 85 points)
Vrhunsko = Wine of top quality (86-100 points)
ZOI Zaštićena Oznaka Izvornosti = PDO
85% of the grapes used must be from
the designated region.
Other important descriptions
Vino = Wine
Vinarija = Winery
Vinogorje = Vineyard location
Berba = Vintage
Proizvodi = Producer
Puni = Bottler
Producer
Name of the wine
Grape variety
Vineyard location
Vintage
Quality indication
PDO
Producer and bottler
