Kvarner Wines

At a time when authenticity is becoming the greatest luxury, the Kvarner International Wine Festival WineRi confirms its position as one of the most prestigious wine events in the region - an event that is not attended by chance, but for a reason. This year, Rijeka and Kvarner once again become the unavoidable center of the wine and gastronomic scene of the Adriatic.

The festival is organized by the Kvarner Wines Association, a marketing cooperative of professional winemakers of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and the wine subregions of Kvarner and the Croatian Littoral. Created by the union of winemakers into the Žlahtina Association 15 years ago, today it brings together producers who annually produce almost 1.5 million bottles of wine, cultivate around 200 hectares of vineyards and employ almost 100 workers during the season. As one of the key carriers of the Kvarner – European Region of Gastronomy 2026 project, the Association systematically raises the bar of professionalism and international visibility of the region.

WineRi has established itself as the largest wine fair in the Adriatic, with more than 120 exhibitors from 8 countries and over 600 labels of wine and spirits. During the festival, the city comes alive – from hotels and restaurants to cultural and educational programs – confirming the importance of the event, which extends the tourist season and strongly positions Rijeka on the map of fair and congress destinations. The festival will be held on March 13th and 14th from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Exportdrvo in Rijeka, and the price of tickets, which will be sold at the entrance, is €35.

Special professional weight is given to the Kvarner Wines Association by the Kvarner Trophy - a national international evaluation of wines and spirits, which is counted among the most objective and professional evaluations according to the highest international standards. After an exceptional success with more than 260 samples from 5 countries and 30 certified assessors, Trophy is becoming the point of reference for producers who want confirmation of excellence. Applications are open until March 13 on the kvarner.wine website, and the announcement of the champion will take place at the end of March in Zagreb.

The strength of the region's identity is symbolized by Žlahtina - Kvarner Wines Queen, a project that described a glass and made a wine glass from this variety, while the marketing platform Kvarner Wines Route additionally connects winemakers, restaurants, destinations and experiences. In the year ahead, the launch of the project on the Kvarner Wines know-how experience Kvarner Olive Oil was announced, as well as the application of the route to Iter Vitis - the cultural route of the Council of Europe, which makes Kvarner an even stronger entry into the elite circle of European wine destinations.

WineRi has had a humanitarian dimension since its beginnings. In collaboration with the Heart for Her association, funds are being raised to help women suffering from serious illnesses, along with health education that has so far brought together more than 40 lecturers and almost 200 participants - proof that a top festival can also have a big heart.

The support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the City of Rijeka, the Croatian Tourist Board, the Kvarner Tourist Board and the Rijeka City Tourist Board, the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development and the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Chamber of Crafts further confirms the strategic importance of the project. Kvarner is a small but extremely important boutique wine region whose wines from indigenous varieties follow global tourism trends, and it is precisely this authenticity that attracts an audience that is looking for more than just an ordinary event. Exceptional partners of Kvarner Wines are the WineCo Winery, where many activities, education and presentations are held, Italesse, which produced the Žlahtina glass, Jamnica voda, which accompanies all the events, and the HalloIce company.

That is why WineRi is not just a festival - it is an experience, a knowledge platform, a meeting place and a mirror of the ambition of a region that knows where it is going.

We invite winemakers, distillers, industry professionals, and all lovers of top wines and gastronomy to be part of the event that will be discussed. Because there are places that are nice to visit – and those that you simply have to be. WineRi and Kvarner Trophy are among them.

We would like to thank all the sponsors, partners and friends of the Kvarner Wines Association who, together with us, create a festival and judging worthy of the international stage. See you in Kvarner.

For all additional information and information about publication in your media, please feel free to contact us at vina.kvarnera@gmail.com and/or +385917639776.

Kind regards,

Winemakers' cooperative
Production organization
Wines of Kvarner
governor
Mr. Zarko Stilin

Ivica Lukanović, Prefect of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County:
„"I congratulate the Kvarner Wines Association on its continued work and on the events that have become an important part of our wine-gastronomic story - from WineRi and Trophy to the Kvarner Wines Route. The county supports these activities and we will continue to be a strong partner, because this kind of promotion best highlights what we have. Our main advantages are indigenous varieties and their abundance, and the quality of our winemakers. What bothers us is the quantities, because there are still not enough of them, and that is why it is important that in the years ahead we work on larger plantations and strengthening production. It is also particularly important to me that our winemakers have shown in which direction the association of farmers should go, and I hope that other food producers will follow this example."“

Aleksandar – Saša Milaković, Deputy Mayor of the City of Rijeka:
„"WineRi is more than a festival today - it has become a key eno-gastro platform that strongly positions Rijeka as the wine and congress center of the Adriatic. With more than 120 exhibitors from eight countries and hundreds of labels, the event confirms the international reputation of our city and connects tradition, innovation and modern economy.
By renovating and repurposing the Export space, we want to create a modern center for large events and further strengthen the vision of Rijeka as an unavoidable destination for business and tourist meetings."“

Dr. Irena Peršić Živadinov, Director of the Kvarner Tourist Board:
„"The Kvarner International Wine Festival WineRi strongly contributes to the recognition of Kvarner as an authentic wine and gastronomic destination. As a small but extremely high-quality boutique region with wines from autochthonous varieties, we follow global tourist trends that seek originality and experience.
By partnering with Kvarner Wines, we continue to invest in projects that raise the international visibility of the region — from WineRi and the Kvarner Trophy to the development of the Kvarner Wines Route platform — because wine today is not just a product, but a strong motive for coming to Kvarner."“

Petar Skarpa, director of the Tourist Board of the City of Rijeka:

„"Over the years, WineRi has outgrown the framework of a classic wine fair. Today, we are talking about a platform for meetings - for winemakers, sommeliers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, distributors, but also for all wine lovers who recognize quality, authenticity and a story. It is particularly important to emphasize that WineRi is being held at a time when Rijeka and Kvarner are strongly developing their gastronomic position, especially in the context of the Kvarner - European Region of Gastronomy 2026 project. Such events are not just events, but strategic tools for branding a destination. I would like to thank the organizers, partners, exhibitors and media who follow and support this story. I invite everyone to visit WineRi, taste, meet winemakers, discover new labels and enjoy the combination of wine and gastronomy."“

Dr. Ivana Puhelek, President of the Kvarner Trophy Jury

„"The Kvarner Trophy has grown in a very short time into one of the most important professional wine and spirits evaluations in this part of Europe, setting the highest standards of expertise, objectivity and international relevance. By expanding the evaluation to spirits, with the chairmanship of the commission by the leading Croatian authority Marin Mihaljević Žulj, we further confirm the ambition of creating a reference platform for top-notch quality evaluation.".
With more than 260 samples from five countries, almost a hundred wineries and thirty certified judges in 2025, the Kvarner Trophy is today an indispensable point for producers who want relevant international confirmation of excellence — especially for wines from indigenous varieties, which are increasingly shaping the identity of the contemporary wine scene.“

Katarina Kukolj, president of the Heart for Her Association:
„"Participation in the Kvarner International Wine Festival WineRi has a special value for us, because from the very beginning the festival shows a strong humanitarian sensibility and genuine concern for the most vulnerable members of the community. Such an approach confirms that WineRi is not only a top eno-gastro manifestation, but also a platform of solidarity that brings people together around the most important social values.
The Heart for Her Association provides support to women facing serious illnesses, primarily through organizing transportation for chemotherapy treatments at times when they need help the most. Thanks to WineRi, in addition to humanitarian fundraising, we also conduct education on women's health, further strengthening awareness of the importance of timely care and shared responsibility for those who need support the most."“