Wine tourism

Encompassing an area of 15200 acres of land, the Istrian vineyards are blessed with extremely fertile red and white soils that impart the Istrian wines its unique flavour. The sunny Southern weather and the beautiful Adriatic sea with its extremely blue waters are extremely conducive for wine growing in the tiny continent of Istria. The largest vineyards are located in the western region in the neighbourhood of Poree, Pula, Buje and Rovinj and cover almost 14,430 acres of land. The hilly terrains of Bujet and Pazin located in the central Istria have 516 acres of vineyards while Labin has only 225 acres of vine grapes.

For Istrians wine is an essential part of their lives. They say that wine is the nectar for the soul and in Istria it certainly holds true. There is a lot of reverence for the wines in this region and the Istrian lifestyles would certainly be incomplete without their award winning life enhancing wines. The almost holy amber liquid is a passion, a prayer and so eternally interwoven in the Istrian culture that it has become a part of their existence.

The Malvazija or the Malmsey is just not wine, it’s a part of the Istrian identity. It is perhaps the most popular and legendry wine of Istria. It is considered to be autochthonous and the colour can vary from a pale yellow to a beautiful golden coloured full bodied wine. The Malmsey is a fruity- flowery wine and the fragrance is indicative of the heavily scented locust flowers. The alcohol content ranges from 11.5 to 13.5, the wine with its elegant bouquet and fresh aroma complements the entire range of the Mediterranean cuisine.

The Teran on the other hand is a deep ruby red wine that is so light and fresh that it can be drunk like milk. It has an enchanting fruity bouquet and goes well with meat dishes, stews and games. The Muscatel from the Momjan region is considered to be the finest by the Istrian wine connoisseurs. This golden hued dry wine is supposed to have aphrodisiac powers. The sweet Muscatel with its intense aroma and spicy clove flavour complements desserts and other delicacies perfectly.

A visit to the wine roads is a must for every tourist visiting Istria (you can get there flying Qantas). Along various regions and trails you will find wine-cellars and wine vaults offering a wide variety of the local wines. To help you find wine makers easily, large wine-cellars offering bigger selections of wine are identified by flag symbols, while smaller wine vaults using traditional methods of wine making and located in rural areas are identified by the barrel symbol on the wine map of Istria. Since there innumerable trails and hamlets in Istria, it is advisable to carry a map before leaving for your ultimate wine shopping experience.