We have selected the best Croatian wineries to visit during a yacht charter in Croatia. Let Magnum Yacht Charter be your very own wine connoisseurs, and guide you through the world of delicious Croatian grapes!
The Mediterranean-flavored Croatian wines many not be that familiar to the general public as the French, but they have been present on the global wine scene for a while now, and their quality has been recognized in numerous international competitions and tastings.
Although there is significant wine production in many parts of the country, we’ll focus our guide on Croatian wineries found along the coastal towns and islands in Dalmatia, which you can visit when exploring our yacht charter routes in Croatia.
A quick guide to Croatian grapes and wine sorts
The tradition of winemaking in Croatia stems from the 6th century BC, when it was continued from the ancient Greeks and Romans who used to inhabit the both the coastal and continental parts of the country.
You should note that Croatian grapes are somewhat different than the ones used in France or USA. Instead of Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon, some of the most popular wines made from red and white grapes here are called Plavac Mali and Pošip. These are award-winning indigenous grape sorts bred in vineyards all over the Dalmatian coastline, like on the Pelješac peninsula, or the islands of Brač and Korčula.
Also, did you know that Zinfandel, the famous black wine grape, originates from Croatia? It has a couple of local names which may be hard to pronounce for non-native speakers, through – like Crljenak Kaštelanski and Tribidrag. In fact, the Zinfandel grape was crossed with other sorts to produce the flagship Croatian red grape of Plavac Mali.
Now that you’re acquainted a bit with the popular local grape sorts, let’s start our wine tour along Croatia’s coast – north to south!
Best wineries to visit while sailing the Croatian coast
Boškinac Winery, Pag
Source: Boškinac
The entrepreneurial Boškinac family has bred grapes and nurtured wine production on the island of Pag for generations. On the foundations of this tradition, the Boškinac Winery was built in 2000. Led by Boris Šuljić, the family also runs a hotel and a Michelin-star restaurant, which we have included in our Top 10 Croatian restaurants for a yacht tour of the Adriatic.
Wines to try here
The Boškinac red wine is consistently recognized among Croatia's best wines to try. The Boškinac whites are also specific, combined from indigenous and global varieties. We should also mention Ocu (translated as To father), a type of dry white wine Boris Šuljić dedicated to his father. You can enjoy them all along the great seafood meals served at Boškinac restaurant.
Bibich Winery, Skradin
Source: Croatian Wine
World-renowned and family-owned, The Bibich Winery is a famous Croatian boutique winery on the hills above Skradin, a Dalmatian town near Šibenik.
The winery itself is well known for its long tradition of winemaking, lasting centuries. In fact, the first written traces of the family roots date back to the 15th century, with the vineyards and wine estates still located where they were mentioned in the history books.
Production of grapes was halted briefly in the 90s, when the property was struck heavily during the Croatian War of Independence. However, with the help of several other wine producers, oenologists and connoisseurs, The Bibich wine tradition rose back to fame, resurrecting its production and proceeding to win awards on international competitions.
Wines to try here
The Bibich Winery is known for the indigenous Croatian sort of white wine called Debit, the production of which Petar Bibich popularized after World War II. Today, the Bibich Debit is featured on numerous wine lists of restaurants in New York, San Francisco and the like. This considered a wine for every occasion, or as an ideal companion for a light lunch, white meat or lamb.
You can taste Bibich wines on their estate in Plastovo near Skradin, which is featured on our north Adriatic charter route.
Stina Winery, Brač
Source: Stina
The beautiful island of Brač in southern Dalmatia is famous for its white stone. It’s the island of virtuoso creators, artists and sculptors. But, make no mistake, its production of wine is just as masterful.
The Stina Winery (“stina” is the local word for “rock”) is one of the most important wine producers in Dalmatia. It is situated on the main promenade in the island town of Bol, in an old stone building called “The First Dalmatian Wine Cooperative”. The winery is fully renovated, consisting of winemaking facilities, a wine cellar and a great wine tasting room.
Wines to try here
Definitely try the Stina Pošip, an indigenous type of Croatian white wine (which is actually the product of a nearby island of Korčula, but we’ll get to it later on). Plavac Mali Majstor (one of the best local red wines), Vugava (white wine originating from Vis) and Prošek (great dessert wine) are also delicious wine specialties you shouldn’t miss.
Source: Stina
This wine packaging from Stina was voted as the world’s 3rd best wine packaging on the Art Directors Club competition in New York.
Dubokovic Winery,Hvar
Source: Hvar Tours
This fantastic boutique winery is located in the town of Jelsa on Hvar. It is family-run for centuries, currently headed by Ivo Duboković, an innovative winemaker who personally guides you through his own magical wine cellar organizes the tasting, accompanied by candlelight and great food. Apart from wine, you can also taste local olives and homemade olive oil.
Wines to try here
You will have to try the local Plavac Mali and Prošek, and other varieties of local grapes with unique names, such as the 2718 Hours of Sun in a Bottle (which is the yearly average of hours with sunshine on Hvar), First Kiss, 6009 Years Ago, and others.
You can try the Duboković wines by visiting Hvar on day 2 of our southern Adriatic yacht charter route.
Tomić Winery, Hvar
Source: Tomić Winery
While on Hvar, the Tomić Winery is a place you must not leave out from your itinerary. This exquisite winery was founded by the well-known Croatian winemaker Andro Tomić, who continued the 150-year old family tradition of wine production.
The Tomić Winery is located in Hvar’s Mina Bay. Their unique wine tasting room is inspired by the Diocletian’s cellars, reminiscent of ancient Rome.
Wines to try here
If we had to pin down our choice on just a couple, we’d say to definitely try Tomić’s Veliki Plavac Mali and Prošek Hectorovich. The motto of this winery states that people here “drink by the hour, not by the liter” – we’ll let you find out for yourself by visiting Hvar on our yacht charter route of the southern Adriatic!
Bire Winery-Lumbarda,Korčula
Source: Bire.hr
The story of Bire Winery on the majestic island of Korčula is 400 years old. Owned by the Milina family, this is a whole agro tourist estate located in Lumbarda, on the eastern part of the island. Its beautiful rustic and antique-looking surroundings set in stone will have you enjoy the “nectar of the Gods” just as if you were in ancient Greece.
Wines to try here
The climate of the southern Adriatic is ideal for growing Greeks and Plavac mali, which is often called Pagadebit black. These are autochthonous grape sorts which thrive in the sandy and dry soil at Korčula. Add these to the list of fantastic Croatian wines to try, and what better place than Korčula’s own Bire Winery?
You can visit Bire and the island of Korčula on day 6 of our southern Adriatic yacht charter route.
Grgić Winery, Pelješac
Source: Grgić Winery
The Grgić Winery is located in Trstenik on the Pelješac peninsula, in the Croatian south.
It’s the place owned by a legendary winemaking pioneer, Mr Miljenko “Mike” Grgić. Hailed as one of the most important Croatian winemakers, he started producing delicious wines a quarter century ago, together with other family members after returning to Croatia from the US. He took the grapes from the island of Korčula and applied Californian winemaking techniques to produce amazing white & red wines whose supreme quality lasts for decades.
Wines to try here
This winery is famous for its own Pošip (white) and Plavac Mali (red), so it’s definitely a must. These are first-class local wines, featured on wine lists of prestigious restaurants in the world.
Korta Katarina, Pelješac
Source: Korta Katarina
Talk about a luxurious, yacht-friendly winery – you can anchor right in front of Korta Katarina’s entrance!
Like the previous Grgić Winery, this one is also located on the gorgeous Pelješac peninsula, rich with grapes and known for a great wine tradition. Korta Katarina Winery is headed by Lee and Penny Anderson, passionate wine enthusiasts who fell in love with Croatia after first visiting it. Naturally, they saw the winemaking potential of the land and established this state-of-the-art winery, whose name is a combination of the local word korta, meaning garden, and their daughter’s name Katarina.
Wines to try here
Korta Katarina has a great selection of their own premium wines originating from the famous vineyards of Dingač and Postup on Pelješac. Their offer includes several variations of the Plavac Mali red wine, like Reuben’s Private Reserve, white sparkling wines (Sabion) and a couple silky Rosé wines. They also offer their own wine-tasting tours of various lengths and wine menus. You really can’t miss with your choice here!
Ready to set sail and visit the best Croatian wineries?
Now that you know all about the best Croatian wineries and wines to try along the coast, you’re ready to start a truly special wine tour of Croatia – start planning your luxury yacht charter by exploring our selection of yachts for a Croatian yacht charter here!