📍 Istria and Kvarner

Istria and Kvarner is a wine region in north-western Croatia on the Adriatic coast. It includes the Istrian peninsula and the Croatian Littoral, that is, the islands and coast of the Kvarner Gulf, such as Krk and Cres. The climate is Mediterranean and warm, with sea breezes.

The main grape of Istria is the white Malvazija Istarska (Istrian Malvasia), which makes dry aromatic wines with notes of flowers, almond and citrus. The main red is Teran, acidic, dark and dry, with notes of berries and earth. Refošk, a relative of Teran, is sometimes grown. Istria's soils include red, grey and white earths (terra rossa, flysch and limestone).

On the Kvarner islands Žlahtina is grown, a white variety from the island of Krk that makes light, fresh, slightly saline wines. Vrbnik on Krk is especially famous.

Istria and Kvarner are part of Croatian winemaking. Slovenia and Italy lie nearby, and Istria is one wine peninsula shared by three countries. Malvazija goes well with Istrian ham, cheese and the truffles for which the peninsula is famous. The name Istria and Kvarner on a label shows that the grapes grew in this very area, which makes it easy to look for similar wines.