On the most famous Croatian monument, the Baška Tablet found on the island of Krk; the early Croatian Glagolitic inscription is preserved. Today, only a handful of Croats can read what it says without a translation, as the Glagolitic script has become obsolete. Everybody can describe the ornament that graces its upper edge ― sitting neatly above the now incomprehensible symbols; ornamental vine tendrils give a pinch of playfulness to the nearly millennium-old limestone. So, to say that the Island of Krk has a long winemaking history is an understatement. Continuing and honoring that tradition is the driving force behind Katunar Estate Winery, located in Vrbnik, a windy coastal town known for its wine.

The History and the Vineyards of Katunar Winery

Katunar family has been in the wine business since the 1990s, but, as it usually goes, the family has practiced winemaking for centuries. Their work has been recognized from the start, as they got their first gold medal for their rendition of the famous Žlahtina wine in 1992 ― first in the line of many accolades!

Located in the magnificent Vrbnik field, the view from the winery is mesmerizing, as lovely green vineyards surround it. The location is also exceptional, as the 45th north parallel passes through its vineyard, which is connected to notable wine-growing regions of France, like Bordeaux. The vineyard consists of local indigenous varieties like Sansigot and Debejan, the Dalmatian Plavac Mali, and international ones ― Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Some other wines from the grape varieties native to the island are Kurykta Reserva and Katunar Amfora.

The World Famous Vrbnik Žlahtina

The most famous grape variety of Krk and the Kvarner region is Žlahtina, which got its name from the Old Slavic word ‘žlahten’, meaning noble. It is a white wine with a fresh, citrusy, fruity taste, and a golden coloring that comes to life when a ray of sunlight wanders into the glass. Hailing from the Vinodol valley, which lies opposite Vrbnik field, today Vrbnik Žlahtina is a de facto trademark of Croatia. Žlahtina is so famous that in 2010, San Marino issued a series of stamps celebrating seven Great wines of Europe ― and Katunar’s Žlahtina was one of them.

Inspiration Behind the Žlahtina Sv. Lucija Wine

This brings us back to the Baška Table, as one specific Žlahtina wine bears the name of the church in which it was found. When allowed to expand the vineyard on a plot of land approximately 500 meters from the Church of St. Lucy, Katunar Estate Winery planted Žlahtina. The rocky terrain resulted in a different rendition of Žlahtina, and so Žlahtina Sv. Lucija, a touching homage to the intricate relationship between man, wine, and history, was born. At the 2021 Vinistra wine competition, aged Žlahtina Sv. Lucija from 2018 won a gold medal!

Anton Katunar, the founder of Katunar Estate Winery and father of the current man-in-charge, Toni Katunar, made sure that the Glagolitic font won’t fade into obscurity again, as he was the first to adapt it into a computer font!

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Vinorell, the Art of Painting With Wine!

You can easily compare the joy that wine entices in humans to the feeling that is observing art spurs in us; after all, wine and painting go hand in hand ― and according to the popularity of paint-and-wine workshops, quite literally! From the walls of the Katunar Estate Winery proudly hang the embodiments of that bond: paintings made with wine! Known as vinorell, a portmanteau of ‘vino’ and ‘aquarelle’, the technique of painting with wine is a folk tradition in honor of St. Martin, the patron saint of wine and winemaking. The motives on the paintings vary, and the wine sort used to produce the painting is appropriately recorded on the painting itself so that the spectators know which wine to use if they decide to try it at home!

‍When you visit Katunar Estate Winery, you get a little bit of everything ― a little bit of history, art, and a lot of first-class Croatian wine! Visit their website for more information about wine tours (and a virtual tour of the premises!).

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