KVARNER WINES is very proud to announce that the project Kvarner Žlahtina Wine Gift Set won a prestigious international award BEST CORPORATE FOOD GIFT IN THE WORLD in the competition WORLD FOOD GIFT CHALLENGE 2026, held as part of 32nd WORLD REGION OF GASTRONOMY Platform Meeting on Crete.
The award was accepted on behalf of KVARNER WINES and the Kvarner Tourist Board by the association's director, Dr. Žarko Stilin, who, during his stay in Crete, held a series of meetings with representatives of the European and world gastronomy regions 2026 – Manabí, Crete, Gozo and Kvarner – at which international cooperation, the development of eno-gastro tourism and joint promotional projects were discussed.
This award represents an important international confirmation of the quality and seriousness of the development of the Kvarner wine scene, but also confirmation that Kvarner is today successfully building a modern identity of a wine region based on authenticity, local varieties and clear destination branding.
At the heart of this identity is Žlahtina — a variety that has undergone a strong qualitative transformation in recent years. Thanks to the work of Kvarner winemakers, investments in vineyards, and modern approaches to production, Žlahtina today shows the exceptional potential of fresh, elegant, and gastronomically precise wines with a Mediterranean character.
Žlahtina is no longer just a traditional Kvarner wine.
It becomes the wine of a new generation.
„"Born in Kvarner, created for a new generation."“
A particularly important development project is:
Žlahtina & Kvarner shrimp – a perfect match
with which KVARNER WINES wants to further position the combination of the indigenous variety and Kvarner scampi as one of the most striking gastronomic identities of the Croatian Adriatic. It is precisely in this combination of wine, sea and local gastronomy that Kvarner sees its greatest authenticity and international competitiveness.
This success is particularly emotional for more than 150 Kvarner wine families who have been preserving Žlahtina, its vineyards and life alongside stone, bora and sea for generations. Each new success of Žlahtina is a confirmation of their work, knowledge and perseverance, but also proof that a local variety, when backed by quality and vision, can become an internationally relevant product.
We would like to express our great gratitude to the Kvarner Tourist Board, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, all partners, sommeliers, wine professionals, creatives and KVARNER WINES ambassadors who participated in the realization of the project and the long-term development of the Kvarner wine scene.
KVARNER WINES continues to develop projects:
Žlahtina – The Wine Queen of Kvarner Kvarner Wine Route
as part of the European cultural route Iter Vitis, with the aim of further positioning Kvarner among the most relevant European eno-gastronomic destinations.
This award is not just a recognition of one project.
This is recognition to all Žlahtina producers, all the people who believe in Kvarner, and all those who have patiently built the identity of our region through wine, gastronomy, and culture for years. 
