When many people think of Croatia they do not think of wine. However, the Istrian peninsula, which is in the western part of the country on the Adriatic Coast, has some great wines and they are becoming known the world over.

The wine production in Istria is mainly concentrated in 4 centers, which are Buje, Porec, Pazin and Rovinj and their surrounding areas. You can visit the wineries in the region along the Wine Roads tasting wines that have won international awards, as well as wines made by the locals at their places of residence. The wine roads can be taken and you can stop at either wineries or individual residences that will have signs that they offer wine. The roads follow the gorgeous Istrian peninsula and each village has their own Konoba, a local restaurant, and you can try the wine of the area and do not miss the prsut, which is fantastic smoked ham. Many of the villages and towns also have rooms and accommodations.

The wine roads are:

1. Brtonigla, Umag, Novigrad, Dajla, Nova Vas, Groznjan, Buje, Savudrija
2. Visnjan, Tar, Baderna, Funtana, Lovrec
3. Buzet, Tinjan, Pazin
4. Rovinj, Vodnjan, Valbandon

There are 3 different types of Istrain wine, which are the white wines of malvazija (malmsey) and muskat (muscatel) and the red wine of teran. The malvazija is centuries old and is a yellowing to golden color and has a scent of locust blossom. Since the aroma of malvazija is very refreshing it goes fantastic with the amazing seafood in the Istrian peninsula, especially on the towns near the coast. Teran, which was praised and was the wine of choice for Casanova (a resident of Istria) has a full and fruity flavor and is fantastic with meat. One of the more popular Istrian wines if Muskat, which has a golden color, a floral scent, and is very dry and sweet. Watch out on the consumption of the muskat though, as it is thought to be an aphrodesiac.

Istria is the largest peninsula on the Adriatic coast and it gently slopes towards the Adriatic sea. The wine of the area is enriched by the structure of the land and the rich red soil. The biggest city in Istria is Pula, which has an airport, and there are flights to Pula from all around Europe. You can also get to Istria by car or by flying or taking a train to nearby major cities of Zagreb in Croatia, and Venice and Trieste in Italy.

Besides wine, agro-tourism is becoming very popular in the Istrian peninsula. If you are looking for a great wine and culinary vacation, you should check out the Istrian peninsula, as you will not be disappointed.