Clai Wines

At the beginning of this century, Giorgio and Vesna Clai returned to Giorgio’s birthplace — the village of Brajki, near Krasica in the Buje region of Istria. The journey wasn’t long — they came from Trieste, where both had moved as children back in the 1960s. In Trieste, they spent many years in the hospitality industry and became well acquainted with the Italian wine scene. Upon returning to Istria, they founded a boutique winery focused on natural wines, inspired by similar styles from Italy’s Collio wine region.

Giorgio had always believed in the potential of the Istrian terroir and knew that his wines could match — or even surpass — those of his Italian role models. Already with the 2002 vintage, the now-legendary blends Ottocento White and Ottocento Red were released. These were followed by Malvazija Sveti Jakov, Muscat Tasel, and the now-iconic Brombonero, eventually completing the portfolio with a sparkling wine.

After around a decade of dedicated work, Clai wines became an avant-garde reference point in both Croatia and the surrounding region. But for further development, Giorgio and Vesna needed strong partners — which they found in the Penavić brothers, long-time admirers of their wines. Around this time, Dimitri Brečević, one of Croatia’s most talented young oenologists, also joined the winery team, further helping Clai wines grow in quality and reputation.

In 2023, Giorgio and Vesna retired, and Dimitri continued with his own winery. The Clai winery was then entrusted to Timothy Whitfield, a young oenologist originally from South Africa.

Today, Clai wines continue on a steady path of development. The estate cultivates around ten hectares of vineyards and five hectares of olive trees, all on white soil in the surroundings of Krasica. Their wines are marketed under around ten labels, available for purchase in the winery’s tasting room, located alongside a modern cellar, or enjoyed in the nearby restaurant "Stara škola".