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Want to organise a wine tasting at home? Turn it into a journey of discovery through Croatia. Taste distinctive wines made from indigenous grape varieties such as Graševina, Pošip, Teran and Plavac Mali, compare different wine regions and pair the wines with delicious small bites. With these tips, organising your own Croatian wine tasting is easy.
Croatia is a fascinating wine country. Yet many of its wines and grape varieties are still relatively unknown to the wider public. And that is a shame, because there is so much to discover.
From the green, cool hills of Zagorje to Mediterranean Istria, and from the vineyards of Slavonia to the sun-drenched islands and steep slopes of Dalmatia: each region has its own climate, grape varieties and wine styles. Croatia also has an impressive number of indigenous grape varieties. Names such as Graševina, Pošip, Bogdanuša, Teran and Plavac Mali may not sound as familiar as Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon – but that is precisely what makes discovering them so much fun.
Croatian wines may not yet be widely known among consumers, but they are certainly no strangers to Dutch fine dining. Wines from Croatian wineries such as Vina Carić, Kabola, Bolfan and Skaramuča have found their way onto the wine lists of restaurants with one, two and even three Michelin stars. Plovac Ploški from Vina Carić on the island of Hvar was even served at three-Michelin-starred restaurant De Librije.
But you certainly do not need to visit a Michelin-starred restaurant to discover Croatian wine. You can do that at home. So why not bring a little bit of Croatia to your own kitchen table?
Croatia is already a theme in itself, of course. But even within Croatian wine there are plenty of different directions you can take. You could compare different wine regions and discover just how different a wine from the continental north can be from one produced in warm Dalmatia. Or focus on different indigenous grape varieties.
Try, for example, a fresh Graševina alongside an aromatic Malvazija and a fuller-bodied Pošip. With red wines, you could explore the differences between Frankovka, Teran and Plavac Mali. Other ideas include an exclusively white or red Croatian wine tasting, continental Croatia versus the Adriatic coast, indigenous versus international grape varieties, or several wines made from the same grape variety.
Want to learn a little more before making your selection? Read about the wine regions of Croatia or discover more about Croatian grape varieties.
Prefer to make things easy? Choose one of our carefully selected tasting sets. If you would rather create your own tasting, you will also find a selection of interesting Croatian wines on this page that are perfect for discovering different styles side by side.
For an enjoyable wine tasting at home, around six wines will usually be more than enough. The aim is not to taste as many bottles as possible, but to taste consciously, discover the differences and talk about what you smell and taste.
A 75 cl bottle will provide around 15 small tasting measures. So rather than pouring a regular glass of wine, pour just a small amount for each tasting. That way, you can explore several different wines without the evening becoming rather too convivial halfway through.
Make sure there is plenty of water on the table and, if you like, some neutral bread. It is best to avoid strongly flavoured or heavily spiced food during the actual tasting, as this can influence how the next wine tastes.
The order in which you taste your wines makes a difference. A powerful red wine can easily overpower a delicate white wine served afterwards.
As a simple guideline, try: sparkling → fresh white → fuller white → orange → lighter red → powerful red → sweet.
If you are tasting red wines only, start with the freshest and fruitiest style and gradually work your way towards the most powerful and tannic wine.
And remember: wine tasting is not an exam. Start by looking at the colour, take your time to smell the wine and only then take a sip. What can you smell? What can you taste? Is the wine fresh, rounded, spicy, powerful or perhaps elegant? And ultimately, perhaps the most important question of all: do you like it?
You can, of course, taste the wines without food. But adding a few small bites makes a wine tasting at home even more enjoyable. It also gives you the chance to discover what happens when wine and food meet.
Here are a few ideas:
Think of these combinations as inspiration rather than rules. One of the pleasures of a wine tasting is discovering for yourself which combinations work for you – and which ones do not.
Why stop after the final tasting glass? Turn your wine tasting into a complete Croatian evening and serve a dish to accompany one of the wines you have just discovered.
Croatian cuisine offers plenty of inspiration, from simple appetisers with cheese, cured ham and olives to seafood, grilled meat and vegetable dishes. For more ideas, have a look at this selection of Croatian appetisers. It is a great way to discover not only Croatian wine, but a little of the country's food culture as well.
Organising the tasting for friends, family or a wine club? It becomes even more interesting when you can tell your guests not only what is in their glass, but also where it comes from.
Why does a Plavac Mali from Dalmatia taste so different from a Frankovka from continental Croatia? What makes Istria such a natural home for Malvazija? And why is Pošip so closely associated with Dalmatia?
On our website you will find extensive information about Croatia's wine regions and grape varieties. Our individual wine pages also contain information about the winery, origin, vinification and, of course, the flavour of the wine. That gives you everything you need to put together your own presentation for your tasting.
You do not need to be a wine expert to organise an enjoyable tasting. Choose a theme, put a selection of different bottles on the table, invite some friends or family and, most importantly, enjoy discovering the wines together.
Use our information about wine regions, grape varieties, wineries and food pairings as inspiration. Or choose one of our carefully selected tasting sets as your starting point.
Still missing some information or would you like advice about a specific wine or pairing? Send us a message on WhatsApp. We always try to reply as quickly as possible, but we are not always immediately available.
Which Croatian wine will you discover first?
