BBC Good Food Hungary Visits Bastijana

The year is almost over, but the journalists keep on coming...

Bastijana was delighted yesterday to welcome Balint Ordogh, Editor-in-Chief of the BBC's Good Food magazine, Hungarian version. As luck would have it, Balint and partner Nora Demok were treated to a private concert by Ibrica Jusic, ably assisted by Andro, while tasting the Tomic range.

A very lively late morning, and we look forward to welcoming Balint back in April when they plan to return to Jelsa to continue their research on the wines of Dalmatia.

Possibly the last tasting at Bastijana for 2013, but one never knows... 

Sveti Klement: Is This the Lowest Vineyard in Croatia?

With its various micro-climates, different grape varieties and contrasting elevations of vineyard, the wines of Hvar are extremely diverse and worthy of exploring. Add into the mix the combination of indigenous grapes and the intoduction of more internationally-known varieties, and no wonder people are taking an increased interest in the island's 2,400 year wine history.

One of the most fascinating vineyards is on the biggest of the Pakleni Islands, Sveti Klement, where the grapes for the red and white Tomic wines of the same name are grown. Located just one metre above sea level, is this the lowest vineyard in Croatia? 

It is certainly one of the prettiest, and while the extra effort of transporting grapes from one island to the other takes time and effort, the harvest is a lot of fun - check out the team embarking on the 2012 harvest in the video by Hvar TV below. 

(With thanks to Visit Hvar for use of the photos)

Ibrica Jusic Visits Bastijana

Although Bastijana is closed for the holidays, it can never be 100% closed, especially if there are people in Jelsa wanting to taste wine...

A special treat for both the staff of the winery and its handful of visitors today, as Croatian singing legend Ibrica Jusic dropped in to visit Andro and they shared a glass of wine and an impromptu performance in French, much to the delight of the handful of spectactors. There is a video, coming soon...

Bastijana, the winery that never sleeeps... 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Team at Bastijana

And so 2013 draws to a close and the holiday season is now upon us. It has been a great year for Hvar wines, with increasing international attention, EU membership and a small discussion about prosecco...

The team at Bastijana would like to thank you for your interest and continued support of the Bastijana winery. 2014 promises to be an exciting year, and we look forward to seeing you for a glass or two in Jelsa.

Best seasonal wishes from the entire Tomic team. 

Special Festive Offer for Tomic Wines at Zinfandel in Split

Bastijana recently conducted a tasting at new wine bar Zinfandel in the heart of Diocletian's Palace in Split, a great location and opportunity to try a range of some of Croatia's best wines.

Following on from the tasting, Tomic wines will be available at Zinfandel over the holiday period for a special price of 20 kuna a glass of 150 kuna a bottle. Enjoy! 

Happy Grapes Make Great Wines: The View from a Tomic Winery

Life for grapes on the island of Hvar could be worse. Plenty of sun, gorgeous views, no wonder the wines are attracting increasing international attention.

Take a quick tour of the neighbourhood of the latest Tomic vineyard, just north of Hvar Town, whose new plants this year included 14,000 Plavac Mali vines. Quality sunshine in a bottle.

Tomic Wines Features in New Central Dalmatia Tourist Board Video

The Central Dalmatia Tourist Board has just released an excellent promotional video, highlighting the quality and diversity of this amazing region.

Bastijana was delighted to be one of the wines featured in the gastronomy section.

Watch the video in full below, and we look forward to welcoming you in our Jelsa winery on your next visit to beautiful Dalmatia.

Tomic in Action in Zagreb. And Basti is Pouring!

The Bastijana team is in action in Zagreb at the 8th Vinocom wine fair at Hotel Esplanade. The fair opened yesterday and Team Tomic will be at the hotel all day today, greeting old friends and welcoming new ones.

Among those present and doing the pouring is Basti Tomic, Andro's son. The Tomic stand is located at stand E26. See you there!

(With thanks to Stasa Cafuta Trcek from www.thethirdwine.com for the photo)

In the Media: Decanter Magazine Includes Tomic in Top 5 Croatian Wines

Croatian wine is becoming more established on the international scene with every year, but it was not always so, and the well-respected Decanter Magazine took a trip to the Zagreb Wine Festival a couple of years ago to find out what the fuss was all about in this new, new world wine region.

Decanter's tastings director Christelle Guibert put together a top five from Croatia, including one winemaker from Jelsa...

"Andro Tomic was the winner of the show this year after his Plavac Mali was voted the best wines. Not only a charming man but also a very talented winemaker; Andro started his career in France - studying winemaking in Montpellier - and established the winery in 1997. All the wines from the range have an amazing acidity and very harmonious. His straightforward 2007 Plavac was my highlight: a very attractive fruity wine with ripe cherry and a refreshing acidity."

To read the full article, click here.

Andro Tomic in the Media: 20 Questions with Playboy in 2011

Of all the interviews Andro Tomic has given over the years, perhaps one that stays in the memory is his 2011 interview for Croatian Playboy, complete with some excellent photography from star Croatian photographer and friend of Hvar, Lupino.

In the interview with Velimir Cindric, Andro answers 20 questions on a wide range of wine topics, complete with some iconic photos. The interview is available online (in Croatian only - Google Translate is your friend) here. 

Pije Se Na Ure... The Bastijana Wine Motto

Wine. A gift from nature which, in the right hands, has the potential to be one of the most pleasurable things in the world.

Wine drinking is the perfect accompaniment to great company and good conversation, a delight to be enjoyed over time, without hurrying.

This is something we firmly believe at Bastijana, which is the reason the motto for Tomic wines is

Pije se na ure, ne na litre

which translates as

One drinks (Tomic wines) in hours, not in litres.

To enjoy the Tomic wine experience, why not pay us a visit? More information on www.bastijana.hr 

Planting for the Future on the Island of Wine

There is no doubt that Hvar wines are undergoing a renaissance, and Croatia's entry into Europe can only help that trend. The island's wines are now exported from California to China, from England to Singapore, and Hvar - which has a 2400 year-old wine history - is becoming known once more as the island of wine.

But the reality of today's vineyards is that they are a shadow of the former glories of the nineteenth century, in quantity at least. Prior to the phylloxera and devastating tax law by the Austro-Hungarians, the island had some 5700 hectares of vines under cultivation. Today that number is somewhere between 280 and 300 hectares, just 5% of the previous number.

Things are changing, and Bastijana is delighted to be involved in the planting of new vineyards, which include 14,000 organic plavac mali vines which were recently planted north of Hvar Town, near Vira. Not a bad view for the grapes to wake up to! To see the vineyard, simply follow the signs to Vira and the vineyard will eventually come into view.

Tomic to Participate in Vinocom 2013 in Zagreb

Bastijana is delighted to announce that the winery will be participating in the 8th Zagreb Vinocom at the end of the month, the Zagreb International Festival of Wine and Culinary Art.

Vinocom 2013 will take place at Hotel Esplanade in Zagreb on November 29 and 30, and the Tomic stand will be located at E26.

For more information about Vinocom, visit the official website.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Andro Tomic and Adristorical Lands: Great Video and an Evening at Bastijana

There was a major press trip this summer for the Adristorical Lands project, an EU-funded initiative to promote the culture and heritage of the countries sharing the Adriatic, from Italy round to Albania. The journalists spent time in Italy and the one place in Croatia included in the project - a small island called Hvar.

Of the 25-minute video, 8 minutes is about Hvar, including visits to Meneghello on Palmizana, Andro Tomic in Jelsa and various locations on the island. The whole video is interesting to put Hvar's cultural heritage into regional context, but fast forward to 17:18 is you want to see the Hvar piece only. The journalist's visit to Bastijana, including an interview with Andro in French, starts at 21:05.

Andro Tomic in Zagreb among Top 100 Leaders in Croatia

The grapes harvested, now is perhaps the time for a little relaxation after a busy tourist and media season, but Andro Tomic is keeping busy in the winter months.

Currently in Zagreb, Andro was delighted and honoured to be included in a new publication, "Interviews with 100 Croatian Leaders" about their lives and career developments.

The book promotion will take place tomorrow evening at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb.

Winter Opening Times at the Bastijana Winery

It has been a busy year at the Tomic winery in Jelsa, and we are very grateful for your interest and support.

With the main tourist season now over, our opening hours have changed, although tastings by appointment will be possible outside of normal working hours.

Through the winter months, Bastijana will be open during the week daily from 07:00 - 15:00. If you would like to organise a tasting either during these times or at a later time, please contact us via our website www.bastijana.hr 

A Busy Lunchtime at Bastijana Hosting Sabatina Delegates

The normal lunchtime Saturday calm in late October at Bastijana was interrupted this weekend, as Bastijana hosted some 300 delegates from Sabatina 2013 for a glass of wine, as part of their wine tour of the island.

Andro was on hand to greet his guests, who enjoyed a tour of the winery, before tasting the Tomic range.

The Romanesque cellars seemed to popular with photographers...

And with such gorgeous late-season weather, many of the visitors enjoyed the Jelsa October sunshine.

While 300 people is on the larger side for receptions at Bastijana, the winery has plenty of experience holding events apart from wine tastings, including wedding receptions and theatre productions. If you are interested in learning more about our corporate and entertainment services, contact us via our website www.bastijana.hr 

Tomic Among the Awards at Sabatina 2013

Hvar was the proud host of Sabatina 2013 last week, the 23rd gathering of the wine community at Hotel Amfora in Hvar Town. Among the winemakers recognised at the four-day event was Andro Tomic, who was awarded the Stjepan Bulic prize for his contribution to the improvement of wine.

Andro was obviously delighted with the award, which could be seen at the Bastijana winery in Jelsa this weekend.

The View from a Jelsa Winery in Late October

Happy grapes and happy workers make for quality wines, and so it is important to have a clean, healthy and picturesque working environment, a place where the wine production can take place, and the workers enjoy their place of employment.

There was nothing wrong with the terrace view at the Tomic winery in Jelsa this weekend, as some 300 delegates from Sabatina 2013 dropped in for a drink. Here the view from the terrace above the tanks of wine below. If there was one complaint about the view perhaps, it was that it was such a perfect day that it was hard to distinguish the blues of the sky and sea through the haze.

Why not come and enjoy the terrace view at a Tomic wine tasting. For more information, visit www.bastijana.hr

Tomic Participating in 'Vinski Podrum' in Diocletian's Palace

Join Bastijana for an excellent Croatian wine experience in the stunning cellars of historic Diocletian's Palace in Split.

The cellars of Diocletian's palace will be the stage for event that no wine-lover should miss. Organised by Slobodna Dalmacija, on Friday and Saturday, October 11-12, the best Croatian winemakers will gather on Vinski Podrum (Wine Cellar) fair.

The fair opens at 2 pm on Friday, and it will be open both days until 9 pm. During Wine Cellar fair, lectures about wines, grapes and authentic Dalmatian sorts will be held in Split cinematheque Zlatna vrata. Also, in the Palace's basement visitors will be able to attend several workshops, winetasting, connecting food and wine lectures, etc. The most interesting one will take place in Vestibul Palace hotel, with leading Croatian sommelier Franjo Franc. On Saturday there will be another workshop about Dalmatian pastries and dessert wines, and offer is not limited to Dalmatian wines, but will also include wines from other parts of Croatia.

Another fine event will be a workshop by Sanja Muzaferija, president of Women on Wine association with wines by Mare Mrgudić Bure from Pelješac peninsula, and to many potential wine-growers might be interesting to hear about loans available through Croatian Bank For Reconstruction and Development, etc.

Of course, the fair wouldn't be complete without sale of best Croatian wines, including brands with national and international awards. There will be wines from coastal and inland Dalmatia, islands, Istria, and continental Croatia. As a supplement, there will be chocolates with authentic spices, olives and olive oils, and all other products that can represent the Croatian culinary and wine story.

Discover the Wines of Andro Tomic: Hectorovich Prosek

While the Bastijana winery is used to media visits, this year saw a considerable rise in international journalists heading to Jelsa to meet Andro Tomic. The Daily Telegraph, Independent, Associated Press, Radio Sweden, The Irish Times and BBC Television were among those coming to Jelsa.

The increased interest was due to the so-called Prošek scandal, where new EU guidelines proposed that the name be changed so as to avoid confusion with the Italian sparkling Prosecco. More than one journalist left with a bottle or two of Andro's dessert wine in their luggage.

As one of Croatia's leading Prošek producers, Andro takes particular pride in his Prošek, and it is arguably his best-known product.

Prošek Hectorovich

Relative of the Italian Vin Santo and several other top quality Mediterranean sweet wines, Prošek originates in the coastal part of Dalmatia and Istria, which are also the only two regions where it is still made. Produced the traditional way, Prošek Hektorovich is the product of carefully picked more mature grapes with some dried grapes intermixed, grown on specially selected locations, which are then dried on straw for up to a month. The resulting wine is irresistibly sweet, with the ripe aromas of raisins, dried fruit and jam…
Prošek Hectorovich was named after Petar Hektorović, a great poet, hedonist and nobleman who came from the island of Hvar.

Wine Type: Sweet dessert wine
Grape varieties: Bogdanuša, Maraština, Prč, Yellow Muscat
Alc.: 15,0–16,0%
Residual sugar:
110–130g/l
Content: 0,50 lit.

Served chilled to temperature of 10–12°C. This wine pairs wonderfully with desserts, especially dried figs and the traditional Dalmatian biscuits , as well as blue cheeses. Small children also tend to like it very much, so it is best to keep it out of their reach.

Discover the Wines of Andro Tomic: Plavac Mali Barrique

Plavac mali is the king of Croatia's red grape varieties. Related to the internationally better known Zinfandel, it produces strong, concentrated wines, and one of the best locations for its grapes is the island of Hvar. Bastijana produces two 100% Plavac Mali reds (as well as a rose), the base Plavac and the oak-aged barrique Plavac Mali, which is aged in a combination of different oak.

"Plavac mali is above all the product of its terroir or the sum of natural influences in the vineyard. The extreme conditions of the steep and sunny slopes on the south side of the island of Hvar impose the organic approach as the only choice – in other words, manual labor, with minimal intervention in natural processes and resulting in small yields of the highest quality grapes. The natural intensity of the varietal aroma of the dark and ripe fruit is rounded up by aging the wine for 8 to 12 months in a combination of French, Slavonian and American barriques. The final special quality of our Plavac mali lies in its "French" type of elegance, as this wine has a tendency towards preserving both the classic of the aromas of Plavac Mali, as well as the style of the Old

Continent wines, focused on the structure, complexity and the duration of flavour.
Wine Type and Quality: Dry red wine, Top quality wine
Grape varieties: Plavac Mali

Locality: southern slopes of the island Hvar (Ivan Dolac, Sv. Nedjelja, Jagodna)
Alc.: 14–14,5%
Content: 0,75 lit.

Its character will be best appreciated if served at 18-20°C. This wine makes a first-rate match with spicier dishes, roasted meat and especially with Dalmatian culinary specialties such as brudet, pašticada etc."

Discovering the Wines of Andro Tomic: Sveti Klement (Red)

A classic Bordeaux in the heart of Dalmatia, the Tomic Sveti Klement red reflects the French education of Andro, who has replicated a classic French claret from grapes grown on a vineyard just 1 metre above sea level on the Pakleni Islands.

"Sv. Klement (red) is obtained from grapes grown in the vineyard that we manage jointly with the Bracanovic family in the Pakleni islands. With this wine we wanted to transfer the classical combination of the varieties of "Bordeaux blend" to a location on Hvar at which autochthonous varieties such as Plavac would not give top quality results. In this vineyard situated at sea level, the combination of Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc however proved to be perfect. The wine is not yet eligible to carry the appellation of origin and grape variety, but we are certain that it deserves it due to its quality.

Wine Type: dry red wine

Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon 50 %, Merlot 40%, Cabernet Franc 10 %
Locality: Pakleni islands (Sv. Klement)
Alc.: 13–13,5%
Content: 0,75 lit.

Served at temperature of ca. 18°C it makes a great match with red meat, game, oily fish, and pairs well with many other full-flavored dishes."

Discovering the Wines of Andro Tomic: Plavac

Although there are other varieties which produce red wines on Hvar, none comes close in terms of quality to the noblest Croatian grape variety of all, Plavac Mali, which translates as 'little blue'. Related to the better-known Zinfandel, the plavac wines are strong and concentrated, and require considerable skill to achieve the right results.

"For years, Plavac Tomic has been debunking the myth that a steep price necessarily follows the high quality of the Plavac wines. As one of the varieties with the longest vegetation period, Plavac demands a large number of sunny days, which is why it has become common in Hvar, where the selected grapes used for Plavac Tomic also come from. The specific quality of our wine is the softness and elegance which we try to obtain from the otherwise arrogant nature of this autochthonous Dalmatian variety. Typical varietal aromas of earth, plum and dark berries are given a finishing touch by a shorter aging in oak barrels, which gives the wine discrete notes of wood, coffee and spices.

Wine Type and Quality: Dry red wine, Quality wine
Grape varieties: Plavac Veliki and Plavac Mali (with traces of Drnekušica)
Locality: Central part of the island, Svirče, Jelsa, Vrbanj
Alc.: 12,5–13,5%
Content: 0,75 lit.

Served at a room temperature (18–20 °C), Plavac pairs well with a variety of meat dishes, tomato sauces, bruschettas, dried tomatoes etc."

Discover the Wines of Andro Tomic: Sveti Klement (White)

Although more famous on the island of Korcula, the Pošip grape variety is becoming more popular on Hvar, and there has been a significant improvement in quality in recent years. One of the most popular wines in the Tomic range is the Sveti Klement white, made from 100% Pošip, and the waterfront restaurants of Hvar Town are able to point out the island of Sveti Klement, where the grapes are produced, to their guests.

"Sv. Klement (Pošip) is obtained from grapes grown in the vineyard that we manage together with the Bracanović family on the island of Sv. Klement (St. Clement), one in a chain of islands (Pakleni islands) in the Hvar archipelago. The wine is made using sur-lie technology which gives it a specific blend of toasty and nutty aromas that pair the fresh fruitiness of the Pošip variety. Since vineyards did not exist previously on this location, Sv. Klement does not yet have the appellation of origin or grape variety specified on the labeled, although it certainly deserves it on account of its quality.

Wine Type: dry white wine
Grape Variety: Pošip
Locality: Pakleni islands (Sv. Klement)
Alc.: 13–13,5%
Content: 0,75 lit.

Serve chilled to 10–12°C. It pairs excellently with different hors-d'ouvres, white fish, seafood, creamy sauces, pesto, variety of cheeses…"

Discover the Wines of Andro Tomic: Caplar

Caplar, the top of the Tomic range, is a unique blend of the very best grapes combining the noble and indigenous Plavac Mali and the robust Cabernet Sauvignon in equal measures. The unusual name, CaPlaR, reflects that blend and quality, for it is short for CabernetPlavacReserva. 

"Plavac Mali grown on the south slopes of Hvar, and Cabernet from our vineyards on the north side of the island, are vinified separately, after which they are blended and aged for six months in barrique barrels. The result is a wine of softer tannins, in which the intensity and varietal aromas of the Plavac are refined by the elegance and freshness of the Cabernet. Characteristic flavours of plums, dried grapes and earth are complemented by aromas of blackcurrant, spices and other undertones. We predict that the wine has the potential for aging greater than that of other Plavac Mali wines. Every bottle proudly carries the signature of the winemaker which stands behind the idea printed on the label: "Produced in collaboration between Hvar, love and knowledge."

Wine Type and Quality: Dry red wine, Top quality wine 

Grape varieties: Plavac Mali (50%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (50%)

Locality: southern slopes of the island Hvar, Stari Grad and Jelsa

Alc.: 14–14.5%

Content: 0,75 l.

It is served at room temperature of 18°C. It is recommended as accompaniment to fried steak and red meat and game dishes, as well as various other dishes of a richer taste.

Discover the Wines of Andro Tomic: Opolo Nobile Rose

The plavac mali grape is the king of Dalmatian red wines, and the southern slopes of Hvar are among the best locations in the world for this relative of Zinfandel to flourish. And yet while the red wines may attract most of the plaudits, plavac mali also produces some fine rose wines, and the Bastijana rose is among one of our most popular wines.

Rosé wine Opolo Nobile is made from Plavac Mali grapes, using a special technology (skin contact: 12 hours) that gives this wine an attractive pink colour and its distinctive fruity freshness. Opolo Nobile was modelled on young French (Beaujolais Nouveau) wines, and is enjoyed as a young i.e. a year old wine (ideally up to 10 months).

Wine Type and Quality: Dry pink wine, Quality wine

Grape varieties: Plavac Mali

Locality: central part of the island, Svirče, Jelsa, Vrbanj

Alc.: 11,5–12%

Content: 0,75 lit.

Serve chilled to a temperature of 10–12°C. It pairs very well with light dishes, hors-d'oeuvres, pastas, risottos, carpacio, etc..

Discover the Wines of Andro Tomic: Beleca

Visitors to Croatia are increasingly interested in the wines of the region, and with such a high number of indigenous grape varieties, there is a level of ignorance about the wines and the grapes used in producing some of our quality wines.

So it is time to unravel some of the mysteries of the wines of Andro Tomic. In the first in the series, we introduce one of our most popular white wines, Beleca.

Beleca wine is the first blend of Pošip and Bogdanuša. Originally from Korčula, Pošip has taken root in Hvar as well, and has recently become popular on the international wine scene as one of the most praised Croatian grape varieties. Bogdanuša, as an autochthonous Croatian variety, is planted on red soil which gives it a specific refreshing sour taste, which is why it pairs excellently with Pošip. In that synergy, each of the varieties provides its best: Pošip provides the strength, the typical fruity and floral varietal aromas (of apricot, peach and other fresh fruit) and minerality, while Bogdanuša provides the gentler floral aromas and freshness. The name of the wine means "beauty" in vernacular (Ital. bellezza).

Wine Type and Quality: Dry white wine, Quality wine
Grape varieties: Pošip (50%) and Bogdanuša (50%)
Locality: Jelsa, Vrboska, Vrbanj, Dol
Alc.: 12,5–13%
Content: 0,75 l

It is served chilled, at a temperature of 10–12°C. It is recommended as accompaniment to white meat, fish and shellfish dishes, as well as to more spicy dishes such as pesto, hard cheeses like Paški sir etc.

For more information about the Tomic range, and to organise a tasting, visit us at www.bastijana.hr 

Andro Tomic, a Dalmatian Wine Bard...

Andro has been called a few things in his life, but one of the nicer names comes in this very nice profile from Voljen Grbac - a Dalmatian Wine Bard! Thank you, Voljen, for this very nice article:

Andro Tomic is one of the few highly educated enologists among winemakers of his generation. Twenty years absent from his native island, constantly improving his knowledge of grapes and wine. Returning to the visionary, after the socialist dark wine time, predicted the return of wine Croats and Croats to wine and in the 1997 founded a company to produce premium wines "Bastijana." He is one of the innovators of the modern approach to winemaking on Hvar and in Dalmatia in general. Several other wineries with his selfless help have reached a level of well-established and renowned winemakers. Read more... 

Tomic Wines Featured in the Yorkshire Post

Word about the wines of Andro Tomic has reached the North of England...

A nice piece about Hvar in the influential Yorkshire Post called 'Following the Stars' had this to say about the Jelsa winery:

The Ancient Greeks planted the first vines in 384BC and Hvar’s wine making has flourished ever since, with a few grape varieties (Bogdanusa, Prc and Drnekusa) being grown only in these parts. If you want a quick taste of the region’s 2,400 year wine history, then, Bastijna (www.bastijana.hr) is the place.

Headed by the award-winning Andro Tomic – a grape god in these parts – Bastijna gave way to Romanesque wine tasting rooms where we sat beneath
the arched ceilings of a beautiful travertine stone cellar, and spent a couple of giddy hours sampling the four red, two white and one rose wines to come from one of the country’s most famous wine makers.

We polished them off with Prošek, a centuries-old dessert wine that (much to the Croatians’ dismay) is set to lose its name when Croatia joins the EU for being too similar to Italy’s “Prosecco”. (For the record, the two wines are nothing alike.)

To read the full article, click here. 

Tomic and Hvar Wine Association at Jelsa Wine Festival. Tonight!

Tonight sees the main events of one of Jelsa's favourite events, the Jelsa Wine Festival. Donkey races, climbing the pole for the prsut, or just generally having fun, the party in Jelsa is guaranteed to go long into the night.

Bastijana is delighted to support such an event, and the team will be presenting the Tomić range with other members of the Hvar Wine Association - PZ Svirče, Carić, Plenković, Tudor and Vujnović - at Veli Most starting at 21:00. 

Andro Tomic Features in Excellent Overview of Prosek

With all the build-up to EU entry and the Prosek scandal, there were plenty of journalists heading to Jelsa to speak to Andro Tomic about his thoughts both on the proposed name ban and the prospects of winemakers in the new Europe.

While many journalists skirted around the issues surrounding the differences between the two beverages, none has done such as comprehensive analysis as Bastijana friend and owner of Wines of Croatia, Cliff Rames from New York, who yesterday posted an excellent article - Are You Pro-Prošek? 12 Reasons Why You Should Be - which featured Andro Tomic and his famous Hektorovic Prosek. An excellent overview to the absurdity of the proposal - read the article here. 

Andro Tomic Among the Judges at Puhijada 2013

Andro Tomic was delighted to be invited once again to this year's Puhijada in Dol to be among the judges of the village's winemakers. The Puhijada, or dormouse festival, is one of the most popular and individual festivals on the island, and will showcase the traditions of the inland village near Stari Grad.

Events will include art exhibitions, a balote tournament and a feast with live music on Saturday - including dormice on the grill. Andro will be meeting the village's winemakers with fellow judges Ivo Dubokovic and Ljubo Makjanic from Vina Caric on Tuesday at 2100 in the bar Trocadero in Dol. 

Andro Tomic Meets the Croatian Prime Minister

The town of Jelsa was delighted to welcome Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic to the annual festive council meeting today, as part of the celebrations for tomorrow's Jelsa Day.

Andro Tomic was delighted to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Jelsa council, and he stood up to saw a few words, before having a long chat with the prime minister after the formalities had been concluded.

150 Years of Family Wine Tradition: Tomic Unveils Vine Plaque

Basijana welcomed more than 100 guests to the winery last night for the unveiling of a new plaque in the main entrance hall in gratitude for to a vine which has been part of the family house in Jelsa for 150 years. 

On the plaque, Andro pays tribute to the vine of the Cibib variety for providing shade and a sweet taste for 150 years to the family. 

There were numerous speakers after Andro's introduction, including famous gastronom Veljko Barbieri.

Guests were then led down to the basement for some refreshment, including a selection of the Tomic range. It was a jovial evening and it did not take long for the guitar to come out, and the assembled crowd was in fine voice.

If you would like to see the vine, it is a beautiful site and is growing on the side of the family house in the centre of Jelsa, where Tomic also houses wine tastings and sales every evening during the season from 1930. From the main square, walk past the church and continue straight for 30 metres and the house and wine cellar is on the left. More information here.

An Appreciation of the Tomic Opolo Rose by Delphine Veissiere

It is always nice to receive good feedback on our wines, and also to know that they contribute in some way to the enjoyment of a holiday in Croatia.

It is all the more pleasing when that positive feedback comes from wine experts such as Delphine Veissiere, who is a business strategist and specialist of old world wines, Champagne expert and sparkling wines around the world. Wine Tasting & Business Academy owner (learn more here), who tweeted the picture above with the following message:

Croatian rosé, well-made, fresh and fruity, easy to drink now in front of an amazing sea view! #Plavac #Tomic #Hvar

Thank you Delphine, and we hope you enjoyed the rest of the bottle and the rest of your holiday. To try the rosé and the rest of our wines, why not organise a tasting at the Bastijana winery in Jelsa? More info here.