Plan a trip
A route through the vines
Pick a country and a style, and we'll sketch a few days through it — real sub-regions in a sensible order, with what to expect at each stop and when to go, drawn from everything already on the site.
Where to
Style preference
Your route
A focused 3-stop route through Croatia
The character of this trip
The Adriatic, from Istria to Dalmatia
Croatia is coast, islands and hills, and wine comes with all three: fresh Malvazija in Istria, sparkling wine in the hills near Zagreb, and sun-baked Plavac Mali on Dalmatia's coast. The route stretches from north to south and the distances are long by Croatian standards, so choose a few stops and stay a while. Grapes with names you will not have heard, and food that goes with them.
A focused route through what's currently documented
Croatia has 3 places mapped on Ampelos so far. The route below draws on the ones within reach of each other — enough for a short, honest route rather than a full itinerary — and will grow as more of the country is documented.
Stops
3
Total driving
~513 km
Behind the wheel
9h 21min
Worth setting aside
5–7 days
What to expect
Notable producers
- Kozlović — Momjan; a family estate, credited with the modern, fresh style of Malvazija Istarska.
- Matošević — Ivica Matošević, who turned from agricultural research to winemaking, making Malvazija and Teran.
- Roxanich — A producer known for skin-contact Malvazija.
Best time to visit
Come for harvest, in mid-autumn (October), when the cellars are busiest — or earlier, in early summer (June), for a quieter, greener look at the vines.
~194 km · 3h 32min to the next stop
From Istria, the route turns toward Plešivica. The climate here: cool continental.
Notable producers
- Tomac — A family winery near Jastrebarsko, with a pioneering role in the region's sparkling wine.
- Jagunić — Dominik Jagunić; known for traditional-method sparkling wines and macerated whites.
- Kolarić Coletti — A winery in Jastrebarsko, known for its range of sparkling wines.
Best time to visit
Come for harvest, in mid-autumn (October), when the cellars are busiest — or earlier, in early summer (June), for a quieter, greener look at the vines.
~319 km · 5h 49min to the next stop
Dalmatia feels different from Plešivica, in the glass and in the air: cool continental, then hot mediterranean.
What to expect
Notable producers
- Miloš — Pelješac; a family estate making Plavac Mali in an organic, traditional style.
- Grgić Vina — Trstenik on Pelješac; founded by Mike Grgich, who made Napa's Chateau Montelena Chardonnay of 1973.
- Korta Katarina — Orebić, Pelješac; a modern estate for Plavac Mali and Pošip.
Best time to visit
Come for harvest, in mid-autumn (October), when the cellars are busiest — or earlier, in early summer (June), for a quieter, greener look at the vines.