Croatian Wines Have a Chance in the American Market

The most influential American professional magazine Wine Enthusiast, for the first time, thanks to the activities of the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK), the Croatian Tourist Board, and Cliff Rames, a respected American sommelier who promotes Croatian wines in the USA, is producing a report on the wine and gastro offerings of Croatia, reported on Sunday by the Public Relations Office of the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK).

Mike DeSimon and Jeff Jenssen, American eno-gastro journalists operating under the common name Wine Guys, have completed a seven-day visit to the best Croatian wineries and restaurants across Croatia, led by guide Saša Špiranec, author of the Croatian wine guide.

“Based on previous knowledge, we expected a beautiful country, very good cuisine, and equally good wines, but what we tasted was much more than that; it was excellent. Your best wines are of extraordinary quality, and instead of the good but predominantly rustic cuisine we expected, we were welcomed by haute cuisine where the ingredients are original, high-quality, and prepared to the highest world standards,” stated American eno-gastro journalists Mike DeSimon and Jeff Jenssen.

The visit of the Wine Enthusiast journalists is the result of months of efforts to bring one of the most important American wine magazines to Croatia to facilitate the path of Croatian wines to the American consumer, they note in HGK. American wine lovers and wine professionals are guided by recommendations in professional magazines or guides when selecting wines.

Wine Enthusiast is currently the most influential professional magazine in its field in North America and one of the most influential in the world. Following the publication in Wine Enthusiast, the report will also be published on the wine internet portal Wine Guys, emphasizes the Public Relations Office of the Croatian Chamber of Economy. Journalists Mike DeSimon and Jeff Jenssen visited most of the wineries that already export to the USA, as well as key gastronomic destinations in Zagreb, Istria, and Dalmatia during their stay in Croatia.

During their winery tours or specialized tastings, they visited the wineries; Agrokor Vina, Krauthaker, Zdjelarević, Matošević, Coronica, Trapan, Kozlović, Clai, Bibich, Zlatan Otok, Toreta, Krajančić, P.Z. Čara, Bura, Korta Katarina, Skaramuča, MIličić, Saints Hills, Karaman, Dubrovački Podrumi, and Crvik.

In addition to wineries, for the purpose of recommending to American tourists, they also visited and evaluated some of the best restaurants; Aperitiv in Zagreb, San Rocco in Brtonigla, Le Mandrać in Volosko, Cantinetu in Skradin, Noštromo in Split, Lešić Dimitri on Korčula, Kapetanova Kuća on Pelješac, Nautika in Dubrovnik, and Galija in Cavtat, the statement notes. Mike DeSimon and Jeff Jensen are members of the judging panel for food evaluation at the French Culinary Institute in New York, co-authors of the book The Ultimate Wine Companion, and authors of numerous articles in the magazines Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. (H)