Kvarner Wines

The first national international wine evaluation of Central and Southeastern European wine was held at the Gospoja prosciutto farm in Vrbnik on the island of Krk. „"Kvarner International Wine Trophy"“. The wine evaluation brought together 25 renowned experts from the world of wine, certified evaluators of the Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food, sommeliers and wine journalists from Croatia, Hungary and Austria. 260 wine labels, 41 different varieties from 6 countries were evaluated. The evaluation was carried out according to the international method of 100 points, and the wines were classified into categories including sparkling, white, rosé, red, ecological and wines from autochthonous varieties. The project represents a key initiative for the further development of the wine scene in Croatia and this part of Europe, as well as the heritage of Kvarner, a region that in 2026 will receive the prestigious title of European Gastronomy Region. Special attention, i.e. the award for the best-rated wine from autochthonous grape varieties and regular harvest wine from the autochthonous Kvarner wine variety from the Žlahtina grape variety contributes to the promotion and positioning of wines from autochthonous varieties. This evaluation is positioned as a significant national evaluation also by the fact that the best wines from the Croatian wine regions of Slavonia and the Croatian Danube Region, Central Hilly Croatia, Croatian Istria and Kvarner and Dalmatia were selected and submitted to the competition.

Statement by Dr. Ivana Puhelek, president of the evaluation committees:

„"Apart from all the regional evaluations in Croatia, there is still a need for a national, but still international, quality, objective and professional wine evaluation in Croatia, which places emphasis on the regionalization of Croatia and its specificities and on wines made from indigenous Croatian grape varieties. And that is exactly the Kvarner International Wine Trophy. It is a project that has united all of Croatia, all four wine-growing regions, and in addition to the rich wine list submitted for evaluation, we have managed to gather wine experts from all over Croatia - from Erdut, Međimurje, Istria and Kvarner to Dalmatia. I am pleased that the first year has already shown a bright future for this evaluation, and the numbers support this - 260 wine samples, 41 varieties, 6 countries, 25 evaluators and 14 champions. The criteria for this evaluation were raised with the aim of getting closer to the major world evaluations, which are currently very popular, but also with the desire and goal of elevating this evaluation above other regional and local evaluations that we currently have. I am convinced that this evaluation will grow from year after year, and we will show together that we can create world-class evaluations, and in this way build the future of the Croatian wine scene. With this evaluation, we are creating a relevant platform that goes beyond existing regional competitions and contributing to the recognition of Croatia on the world wine map.“

The best wines will be presented at the International WineRi Food and Wine Festival in Rijeka on March 21, 2025, and the most famous Kvarner restaurants will include them on their wine lists. Our partners, the global brand of glass manufacturers Italesse from Italy and Jamnica 1828, particularly stood out at this event, raising the prestige of the event with their presence and support.

Statement by Dr. Irena Perišić Živadinov, Director of the Kvarner Tourist Board:

„"This project represents an important step in promoting Kvarner as a recognizable wine and gastronomy destination. Evaluating wines at an international level further strengthens our position on the European wine map and contributes to the development of local winemaking and tourism. The title of European Region of Gastronomy 2026 is a great honor for us, but also an obligation to continue investing in the quality, authenticity and promotion of our rich wine and gastronomy offer. I am pleased that the ambassadors of the Kvarner - European Region of Gastronomy 2026 project - Klaudio Jurčić, Daniela Kramarić, Lucija Matijević, Tomislav Pavlešić and Žarko Stilin - also participated in this project."”

Statement by Anton Brusić, president of the Kvarner Wines Association:

„"The Kvarner International Wine Trophy project represents a milestone for Kvarner, because through it we are creating a recognizable brand that will present our wine offering to the world. By launching this brand, we are rounding out Kvarner's marketing wine story alongside the existing brands Kvarner Wines Association, International Eno-Gastro Festival WineRi and Kvarner Wines Route, and are laying the foundations for the region's wine future."“

Project sponsors and partners:

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Municipality of Vrbnik, Center for Agriculture and Rural Development of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatian Tourist Board, Kvarner Tourist Board, Vrbnik Tourist Board, Kvarner Wines Association, International WineRi Eno-Gastro Festival, Italesse, Vrbnik Bakery and Jamnica 1828.

The champions, or the best wines, of the Kvarner International Wine Trophy 2025 are:

Wines rated below 71.00 points are considered rejected with a note on the rating sheet and are not included in the catalog.

The participants in the assessment are:

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