After a Two-Year Break, the Zadar Wine Festival Returns

This eno-gastronomic event is moving to the hall within the Višnjik Sports Centre, a venue that offers organizers additional opportunities and facilities for the organization of such an event. Thus, all visitors will be able to enjoy top wines from all over Croatia from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. More than a hundred winemakers from the far east and north of Croatia, across Istria all the way to Pelješac, will present themselves at 92 exhibition stalls.

This was announced by the organizer of the festival, Mr Ivan Stiblik, a sommelier, at a press conference held at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce of the Zadar County Chamber. As he pointed out, Zadar Wine Festival is the only one of its kind in Dalmatia that brings together winemakers from all over Croatia. The story does not end here, as we will also have the opportunity to taste about 20 different wines from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, France, Spain, Germany and Slovenia, which adds further value to the Festival, since we rarely have the opportunity to try world wines from the most famous wine regions.

As part of this year’s Festival, a Food Corner will be organized for the first time, an event that will be accompanied by the Zadar Street Food Festival. This is an arrangement between two organizers so the wine festival hosts a culinary one, thus presenting gastronomy together through a different segment. Two Croatian chefs will be guest stars at the Food Corner. They are Braco Sanjin from the Griblja restaurant, with whom we will hang out on Friday, 1st April, and Saša Began from the Foša restaurant, who will attend the Festival on Saturday, 2nd April, both top chefs with Michelin star recommendations.

“The Food Corner is envisioned as a modern street food concept. We do not want to go with the "fine dining" notion, but we would like to prepare local seafood in a concept simple for consumption besides being affordable”, announced Mr Stiblik.

An essential part of the Festival is the music programme, so Elena Stella and the Ante Jeličić trio will perform on Friday, and on Saturday Helena Hunčaga and the Acoustic trio. On the first day of the Festival, diplomas and awards will be presented to the first-level sommeliers who have recently attended a sommelier course. Given the new location of the event, free 1,100 parking spaces have been provided for exhibitors and visitors.

From the very beginning, the Zadar Wine Festival has been supported by the Zadar Tourist Board, as well as the Zadar County Tourist Board, which had recognized initially the importance of this event.

“I am glad to hear that we have a different Festival, and just because so many winemakers attend means that it is significant. We are becoming a centre for the presentation of wine that goes hand in hand with our initiative to brand Zadar region as a wine region as much as possible. Our winemakers are becoming more successful, we have nothing to be ashamed of, we have top winemakers and wines. It is an excellent combination of gastronomy and wine, and I highly welcome that”, said Mrs Mihaela Kadija, the Managing Director of Zadar County Tourist Board.

Zadar Tourist Board has also supported this event from the very beginning.

“We need as many such manifestations as possible, which grow bigger every year. The pandemic stopped us a little, but, Ivan, I congratulate you on your persistence and success, which you will surely achieve with this festival. Zadar Tourist Board has always supported this event and will support it in the future, because it enriches the offer and provides pleasure to locals as well as guests in the city of Zadar” said Mr Mario Paleka, the Managing Director of Zadar Tourist Board.

Although the Višnjik Sports Centre is the host of this event for the first time, there is no doubt that the Zadar Wine Festival will fit in well. Namely, as Mr Denis Karlović, the Managing Director of Višnjik, said, Hall 2, where the two-day wine festival will be held, can accommodate up to 1,200 people.

“The significance of the Festival is exceptional for winemakers, but also for caterers because it takes place at a good time that was not chosen by chance, just before the start of our tourist season. It is an opportunity for all winemakers to offer their wines, and on the other hand for caterers to try them and decide to put some of these wines on their wine lists and thus expand their offer”, said Mr Tomislav Fain, the Street Food Festival organizer and President of the Association of Croatian Travel Agencies. He pointed out that the Festival takes place in April, during the pre-season, and soon the first flights will start operating.

“Surely guests will be delighted when they are greeted by a top event where they will be able to taste wines and food, and I am sure that we will attract a number of people from Croatia to Zadar that weekend, because the entire gastronomic offer grows from year to year. He will walk around the city, visit some of the catering facilities and that is what I believe, as far as tourist boards, festivals, us caterers and agencies a "win-win" situation”, Mr Fain pointed out, but also noted the important fact that gastronomy is evolving, that “street food” is not only associated with Coca-Cola and beer, but that it can be paired with a top-quality street offer.

“I am very pleased because winemakers who have been on the Croatian wine scene for 20, 30 years and who have made a name for themselves and are truly appreciated will attend. Two winemakers that come from other parts of Croatia have never exhibited their wines, and they have recognized Zadar as a place where they should present themselves. Zadar Wine Festival has been accepted by all Croatian winemakers”, Mr Stiblik concluded and invited everyone to come to Višnjik on the 1st and 2nd of April.