The two famous wine and olive growing destinations of Istria and Portugal will be presented as part of the tourist film festival in Zagreb on 13 October, and in Ourém, Portugal, on 26 and 27 October

Although they produce 30 times more tons of olive oil and 74 times more hectoliters of wine than Istria, the Portuguese are impressed by the quality promotion and production of the Istrian peninsula and, as partners of the Zagreb Tourfilm Festival, they proposed a parallel masterclass with Vinistra.

An attractive offer that cannot be refused, and a great occasion, because wine and extra virgin olive oil are the perfect company to the art of film, but also an indispensable part of the tourist offer. The masterclasses will be held on 13 October as part of the Zagreb TourFilm Festival and on 26 and 27 October as part of the ART&TUR festival in Ourém, Portugal.

Porto is the trademark wine brand for the Portuguese, and they have been intensively promoting olive oil for years. Comparing the gold and silver medals for olive oil, they were surprised by the fact that according to Flos Olei, the only world guide for the best extra virgin olive oils, Istria has been declared the best olive growing region for the seventh consecutive year. As many as 70 Istrian olive growers out of 500 selected from around the world are included in this prestigious guide, which is a significant share of 14 percent. What is the secret, top quality or good promotion?

“Success requires both, but as in everything, including olive growing, people are the ones who make the difference. Top quality and strong promotion are the guarantee of success, and without that there are no recognizable brands, and Istrian extra virgin olive oil and top wines, along with white and black truffles, are the most important Istrian brands", says Denis Ivošević, director of the Istria County Tourist Board, with the support of which masterclasses officially called Olive and Wine Heritage in the Service of Promotion and Sustainable Development are held.

There will be tasting of three wines and three olive oils from Istria and Portugal. The Portuguese promoted the Bairrada wine region with the sparkling wine Aliança Baga Reserva Blanc de Noir Bruto 2019, the white wine São Domingos Maria Gomes & Bical 2021 and the red Messias Tradição Baga 2018, while the olive oils Cabeço das Nogueiras Premium Cornicabra 2021, Cabeço das Nogueiras Cobrançosa 2021 and Fátima Blend 2021 will represent central Portugal.

Istrians opted for the best rated indigenous wines and golden extra virgin olive oils. Thus, a maximum of thirty participants will taste Festigia Blanc de Moi Vintage Brut sparkling wine, Laguna wines from Poreč, Santa Lucia dry Malvasia from 2017, Kozlović wines from Momjan and Teran Il Primo from 2018 and Fakin wines from Motovun, first in Zagreb, and then in Portugal. Among the olive oils, the Ipša Istarska Bjelica 2022 from Livado, Meneghetti Izbor Buža 2021 from Bala and Salvelina Aurum blend from 2021 from Vodnjan were selected.

“With these masterclasses, we want to promote our indigenous varieties of wine and olive oil, which have contributed to the positioning of Istria as a renowned and authentic tourist destination. Best evidence of the top quality of Istrian wines and olive oils are numerous international awards, as well as satisfied guests who return to us year after year. This invitation from our Portuguese colleagues to a joint presentation, which we happily accepted has also confirmed that we are well-known in the world", says Luka Rossi, the new president of Vinistra, the association of winegrowers and winemakers of Istria.