Master of Wine Elizabeth Gabay visited Kvarner, namely the wineries that are members of the Kvarner Wines Association, and tasted almost 20 rosé wines from Kvarner as part of the cooperation between the Croatian Tourist Board, the Kvarner Tourist Board and the international pink wine festival Pink Day, and held a masterclass "Kvarner Wines Rosé" in Zagreb for the wine and gastronomy audience, as well as professional media. The Kvarner Tourist Board, in cooperation with the Kvarner Wines Association, organized a study visit by one of the most respected wine experts for rosé wines in the world as part of the Kvarner - European Region of Gastronomy 2026 project to the Kvarner wineries Kuća vina Ivan Katunar and Vinska kuća Pavlomir, where the project itself, the gastronomic brands of the Kvarner Tourist Board, and the wine and gastronomic offer of Kvarner were presented.
Elisabeth Gabay has been a Master of Wine since 1998 and has closely followed the development of rosé wines over the past 40 years. She has published several books on rosé wines, primarily from the South of France and elsewhere. She has also written numerous articles on rosé wines and is the organizer of the international rosé wine fair “Drink Pink Wednesday” in London. Master of Wine (MW) is the highest and most prestigious title in the world of wine, awarded by The Institute of Masters of Wine from London. It denotes an exceptionally deep theoretical and practical knowledge of viticulture, winemaking, wine business and wine evaluation (tasting). The exam is known to be extremely difficult, and only 425 experts in the world hold the title.
After visiting Kvarner and the Masterclass, Ms. Gabay said that her first visit to Kvarner and the island of Krk was a complete surprise. "I was delighted by the rural landscape of the island, the beautiful views of the Vinodolski Channel, the uniqueness of Novi Vinodolski and the opulence of Crikvenica. History seemed very present - and a visit to the 17th century Nova Kraljevica castle, where I was presented with the projects The Paths of the Frankopan in the visitor and interpretation center and the Small Museum of Fisheries and Shipbuilding Kraljevica, looked like a fairy tale. I was also presented with the project "Croatian House of Wine" with a visitor center, which I think will be truly great. An idyllic fish lunch by the sea in the century-old Rivica restaurant in Njivice raised local products to a high gastronomic level. I also enjoyed the excellent ice cream in Selce (even in the icy bora). The wines were also a surprise. I have tasted a few žlahtinas at wine tastings, but it was great to taste more and see the diversity, to discover so many unknown varieties. Quite a surprise that only 200 hectares can produce such a unique variety. The rosé wines of Kvarner are divided into two groups. Local varieties, many of which are almost extinct: Trojišćina, Brajdica, Kamenina, Debejan, Bašćan and Sansigot, but they seem to show good adaptability to the climate with fresh acidity, and international varieties with milder acidity and more fruit. I would like to see how small varieties can develop to show more varietal character in their rosé wines – because they are truly unique, and the potential for top-notch and unique wines on the (international) wine market is great. At the masterclass we had the unusual result of equal appreciation of each wine, without nominating a favorite, although my favorite was close,„ concluded Gabay with a smile.
The President of the Kvarner Wines Association, Egle Katunar, emphasized the importance of such visits: "The arrival of one of the world's most influential experts on rosé wines is a strong confirmation of the quality and authenticity of Kvarner wines. Such collaborations are key to further strategic positioning of Kvarner as a recognizable wine and gastronomic region on the international scene. I am extremely pleased that Ms. Gabay included wines from indigenous varieties that have shown excellent characteristics in the Masterclass. The wines presented at the masterclass come from the Šipun, Nada, Gospoja, PZ Vrbnik, Mandić, Ivan Katunar Wine House and Pavlomir Wine House, while the Kapić Winery's rosé wine was included in the Masterclass of Croatian Rosé Wines. I invite everyone to come to the International Pink Day Pink Wine Festival on April 25th from 11:00 to 20:00 in the Zagreb Lauba and visit our exhibition stand."„
photos: Rene Karaman, MenuHr | Kvarner Wines
