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Ahead of the weekend, in a unique seaside setting, a walk-around tasting of award-winning wines from across Croatia celebrated the greatest success of Croatian winemaking.
The third edition of the Decanter Winners Showcase by Vinistra was held ahead of the weekend at the beach of the Adriatic Istria Resort by Minor Hotels. This walk-around tasting event, opened to the public for the first time this year, gathered more than forty Croatian winemakers to celebrate the achievement of a record 412 medals won at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).
Opening the event, Vinistra President Luka Rossi, head of the Istrian Association of Vinegrowers and Winemakers, emphasized that this year’s results at one of the world’s most prestigious wine competitions confirm that Croatian wines now hold an important place on the global wine map.
"Croatia achieved its best result ever this year, and we are especially pleased that Vinistra once again made participation in Decanter simpler and more affordable for all Croatian winemakers through the joint organization of sample submissions. The record success of our winemakers has demonstrated the immense potential of Croatian winemaking. I would like to thank all the winemakers who, through their work, expertise, and investments, continue to raise the quality of Croatian wines year after year," Rossi said.
Best in Show – Every winemaker’s dream
Among the winemakers attending was Tonči Marijan, winner of the prestigious Best in Show title for the exceptional Plavac Plaža 2021, who described the award—returning to Croatia after eleven years—as the fulfillment of every winemaker’s dream.
"After the initial shock came great joy and a small family celebration, and even today I still cannot fully process this recognition – it feels like a beautiful dream that continues. Our winery has built its story through Decanter over the years, from gold and 95 points in 2019, to 94 points and a high silver medal last year, and now this pinnacle achievement. We do not have traditional marketing or exhibit at trade fairs; competitions are our only path. That is why it is especially rewarding that our small family winery from an island, run only by my daughter and me, has reached the global summit and showcased the richness of Croatian indigenous varieties. I would like to thank Vinistra and its team for their years of support and promotion of indigenous varieties, and for bringing Croatian wines to the most important international judging panels. Vinistra deserves the greatest credit for the international success of our indigenous varieties," said the Hvar winemaker.
Croatia among the six most awarded countries in the world
The central moment of the evening was the ceremonial presentation of Decanter medals to Croatian winemakers. The awards were presented by Beth Willard, Co-Chair of the Decanter World Wine Awards and one of the world’s leading wine experts.
"Decanter remains the world’s leading wine competition because it compares wines with the very best from around the globe, assessed by top international experts. Croatia particularly shone this year, becoming the sixth-ranked country by number of medals at the competition, which is a significant recognition of the quality of your wines. We are pleased to continue building a partnership with Vinistra that successfully promotes Croatian wines worldwide," said Willard.
One in every four medals went to Istria
Istria County Prefect Boris Miletić congratulated the awarded winemakers, noting that out of the 412 medals won, as many as 103 went to Istria, demonstrating the strength of Istrian winemaking and its indigenous varieties, Malvazija and Teran.
"The Istrian County has been a sincere partner of Vinistra throughout all these years because we believe success can only be built on quality and excellence. I always say that we are too small to settle for mediocrity; whatever we do, we must do it exceptionally well. Our winemakers are proof that through knowledge, hard work, and dedication, we can compete equally with the very best in the world," said the County Prefect.
An extraordinary achievement for a country the size of Croatia
On behalf of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and the Minister of Agriculture, Sandra Zokić, Director of the Directorate for Agricultural Land, Plant Production and Market Affairs at the Ministry of Agriculture, addressed the audience.
"For a country the size of Croatia, this is an extraordinary achievement. Behind every award stand dedication, expertise, and generations of winemakers preserving our indigenous varieties and traditions while successfully connecting them with tourism. Events like this create new partnerships and further promote Croatian winemaking on the international stage," said Zokić.
Milovan Popović, Director of the Umag Tourist Board, thanked Vinistra for choosing Savudrija as the host of this prestigious event for the third consecutive year, confirming Umag’s reputation as a renowned eno-gastronomic destination. Congratulations were also extended to the award-winning winemakers by Mirjana Sočan, Director of Adriatic Istria Resort by Minor Hotels.
Savudrija once again raised a glass to Croatian wines, which have long ceased to be a surprise and have become a world-class standard.
The Decanter Winners Showcase by Vinistra was held with the support of the Croatian National Tourist Board, the Istria Tourist Board, the Umag Tourist Board, and Adriatic Istria Resort by Minor Hotels.