Fab Wine Tasting Vineyard Near Zagreb

Fab Wine Tasting
Vineyard Near Zagreb

Fall in Europe is the best
time to road trip Croatia
& visit wineries at harvest.

Fall in Europe is the best time to road trip Croatia and visit wineries at the colorful harvest. The days are cooler, the roads emptier and harvest season is one of the most coveted times of the year for wine lovers to visit vineyards. The Dalmatian coast & Istrian peninsula are the show-stealing wine regions of Croatia, but don't miss the Plešivica champagne road, just a stone throw from the quirky capital Zagreb with picturesque scenery, rolling hills and exciting wines! It may seem small in geographical and production size, but many claim it is Croatia's  most exciting wine region.

Jagunić’s winery, one of the most instagrammable spots in Plešivica  produces one of the most recognized and most-awarded Croatian sparkling wines. Truly the best I have ever tasted! Who doesn't love a glass of this bubbly drink? The gracious Jagunić family has been making wine here for generations, so we were thrilled to discover it.

Croatia has a long grape-growing history as the ancient Greeks planted vineyards here in the 5th century so viticulture holds a long legacy in this Balkan country. With its white stone villages with red tiled roofs,  lavender fields and azure Adriatic water, it’s easy to see why it is popular. Many of Croatia’s wineries are family-owned, and visitors are often happily surprised to spend time with the winemakers themselves during a visit.

A Croatia road trip is the perfect way to experience all of these elements in a never to be forgotten journey. We did this on October 1st starting in Zagreb ( less than 30 kilometers drive away) and the weather was prefect. The scenery is nothing short of breathtaking. The countryside is filled with lush greenery, rolling hills, and even a castle, providing the perfect atmosphere for a romantic couples adventure. We had been to Croatia before for a long stay in 2007, but had never explored this area.

By beginning our Croatian road trip  in the capital city of Zagreb, ( we had flown in from nearby Sophia,  after spending the summer months in Bansko) we enjoyed first immersing in its historic architecture, charming Old Town and  the lively food and wine scene. I will be writing more about Zagreb soon.

Plešivica is touted as “Croatia’s Champagne”. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir thrive here because the microclimate of this region is ideal when it comes to vine growing from the hilly terrain and sunlight to steep slopes that protect the grapes. Plus, the calcareous soil here is similar to that in Champagne, which is perfect for sparkling wine production.

 About 60% of the wine produced in Plešivica ends up as sparkling, so it is champion of the Croatian sparkling wines. This charming sparkling wine road has over 40 different wineries & it reminded us visually of some parts of Italy. Most of the wineries here own small plots of vineyards amounting to less than 10 hectares per producer. 

 
Written records from 1370 indicate that in Plešivica grapes were grown for wine production from six centuries ago. Yet, this wine region is relatively undiscovered  by international travelers. Many wine experts now see this area as the most exciting wine region in the country. It is home to the best sparkling wines in Croatia and some rival the best bubblies in the world.

 

Although it has only 2.300 hectares of vineyards,  Plešivica is one of the most interesting in Europe. (One hectare is approximately 2 1/2 acres). In Croatia, there are 300 defined wine districts, 66 appellations, 16 sub-regions and 4 main regions.

 Croatian wine may not be familiar to most Americans, since producers were only able to export after the country joined the European Union in 2013. But wine lovers should pay attention. 

“Croatian wine doesn’t have a huge presence on the export market for a variety of reasons. Almost all the producers in Croatia are small, artisanal wineries. Small production, a high volume of tourists and a voracious domestic market means there are not a lot of wines available for export. The best wines don’t make it outside the country.”- Dr. Matthew Horkey

Plešivica has also been suggested as the best area in Croatia for Pinot Noir. Since we grew our own organic  Pinot Noir vineyard in California, this variety is always of great interest to us. It is a variety that is great at making red wine or champagne. Several producers here make some very good Pinot Noir wines that show great elegance. It’s the coldest wine region in Croatia as Zagreb area is a very different climate than the Dalmatian coast. Another reason why we started here first, following the weather & heading to more  warmer fall weather in the south on our long stay tour.

In the stunning, relaxing part of Plesivica, Vinarija Jagunić winery offers a contemporary tradition of enogastronomy/ food & wine tourism. The enchanting wine tasting environment is picture perfect and very peaceful with gracious hospitality,  yummy local specialties and fabulous wines. Jagunić was one of the first in the region to begin bottling their wines.

The Jagunić winery is dedicated to sparkling wines made using traditional methods, lovely orange amber wines which are macerated for a long time and delicious white wines. This 4th generation family winery is owned and operated by three brothers. They inherited the property from their parents who still work on the vineyard with great love and caring. Dominik and his brothers Martin and Zvonimir fell in love with natural wines and added skin-contact creations to the family winery’s portfolio in 2016. They produce wines entirely from their own grapes. We were hosted by the delightful and helpful youngest son who was home from college.

 

 Old photographs adorn the walls here as we toured, showcasing the vineyard’s history. The Jagunić Family Farm is one of the most beautiful spots on the Plešivica Wine Road. The beauty took our breath away and we also loved the family story and passion for creating great wine, great beauty and great food.

If you’re a wine enthusiast and love discovering unique, delicious wines,  you will love this winery. We were so impressed by how truly special these wines were. Interestingly, they pick the grapes for the amber wines about three weeks later than for their classic-method sparkling wines.

Many do not remember that prior to the Croatian War of Independence ( 1991 – 1995), only a select few state-run wineries were allowed to produce wine, forcing most vineyards to create their wines under the table for family and friends.

 Some of these vines here were planted by their grandmother, who still goes out to work in them every day. Dominik went to school for wine, finishing college in 2011, and he began making wine in 2013. His father "retired" from  the winery in 2017, but still works it daily.

Old photographs adorn the brick walls here, showcasing the vineyard’s history. By opening the Plešivica Wine Route in 2000, they smartly remodeled their old family wine cellar and built the wine tasting room very close to the winery.

Hard work and innovation culminated in numerous wine competition medals, awards and accolades from the association of winemakers on the national & international level.

The family story would not be complete without their 75 year old grandmother who is also a master chef & creates the scrumptious, irresistible local special meals like homemade duck and hand made croquettes, strudel etc. We were lucky to pick a beautiful day where we had it pretty much to ourselves. Knowing first hand the work needed to create a vineyard, we admired how well this family did it.

Much to our delight and surprise, we really loved this vineyard and wine tasting

as well as the family that created it.

I am not a wine expert, but I have tried a lot over the years and this was truly some of the best I ever tasted!!