A Visit to the Caplar Vineyard in Stari Grad

The vineyards of Bastijana have as much personality and variety as the wines which they help produce, and visitors are often surprised at the differences in growing conditions and locations. From the Pakleni Islands to the fabled steep southern slopes, the varying type of vineyard is reflected in the diversity of the Tomic range.

One vineyard in particular which caught the imagination of Dusan Jelic on the recent visit by the Wines of Balkans director was a small vineyard in Stari Grad, whose cabernet sauvignon grapes make up half of the winery's top product - Caplar.

Caplar is a shortened version of CAbernet PLAvac Reserva and comprises 50% cabernet sauvignon and 50% of the best plavac mali from the south side. The cabernet vineyard is arguably one of the most picturesque on Hvar, located as it is just outside the monastery in Stari Grad and with a splendid view of Croatia's old town. 

To see more of Dusan's album, click here, or why not visit his informative Wines of Balkans website? 

The Tomic Vineyards: Picking Grapes on the Pakleni Islands

The Bastijana vineyards are located in various locations on Hvar, and one of the most interesting are the vineyards at Vlaka on the Pakleni Islands which produce the red and white Sveti Klement, named after the island where the grapes are grown.

The vineyard is just 1 metre above sea level, close to Roman ruins and a Roman mud bath. The process of harvesting the grapes and bringing them back to Jelsa is not a simple one, and it begins with a very early morning start and boat ride. Hvar TV came with the Bastijana workers last September for a day's picking. Watch it here.

Andro Tomic Featured in The Independent

Bastijana was delighted to welcome Kim Sengupta from The Independent from the UK recently for a wine tasting and chat about Hvar wines and EU entry.

Kim's article, including the interview with Andro Tomic, went live last night - you can read it here. 

A Perfect Way to Relax after Dinner in Jelsa

What better way to relax after a meal in one of Jelsa's fine restaurants than with a glass of wine and good conversation in the welcoming home of winemaker Andro Tomic?

The ground floor of the home has been converted into an exquisite tasting room, and is open to the public for impromptu tastings and purchase from 1930 each evening, and for organised tastings by appointment.

Master of Ceremonies Ivo will be pouring you generous measures and keeping you entertained with stories about the Tomic range and life on the island, while Andro is a frequent visitor, and happy to sit with guests and share stories over a glass of the good stuff.

To reach the Tomic cellar from the main square, simply walk past the church into the heart of the old town and the house is 30m on the left. For more information about tastings, please contact us:

Tel./faks: +385 (0)21 768 160
Mob: +385 (0)91 763 0988 (Sebastijan)
Mob: +385 (0)91 539 8995 (Andro)

e–mail: bastijana@st.t-com.hr
www.bastijana.hr

Hvar Wine Association Interviewed by HRT 'More'

The promotion of the Hvar wine story continues, and Andro Tomic and Hvar Wine Association president Ivana Krsulovic Caric welcomed the team from HRT television show 'More' earlier this week.

Andro and Ivana discussed Hvar wine in general over a glass of the good stuff at Jelsa restaurant Me and Mrs Jones, before enjoying a light lunch. The Hvar wine story is due to be aired on 'More' next Sunday at 13:20 on HRT1. 

Andro Tomic Interviewed in a Submarine by The Independent

A first even for Andro Tomic, who has been interviewed in some rather unusual places in the past, but never before in a submarine. That changed on Saturday, as Bastijana welcomed The Independent's Kim Sengupta to Hvar for a glass of wine and chat about EU entry, Hvar wine tourism and the Prosek scandal.

Arriving on the catamaran to Hvar Town, there was just time to take The Independent into Hvar's newest attraction, the semi-submarine, with a glass of Sveti Klement. The Independent article is due out shortly, but a short piece appeared in today's Slobodna Dalmacija - see below.

Winston Churchill Would Have Enjoyed the Tomic Prosek, Says The Daily Mail

Bastijana was delighted to host a group of journalists looking at the Adristorical Lands project recently, an interesting project aimed at bridging the considerable heritage of the countries on the Adriatic.

The last night of the six-day trip was spent in the Tomic winery in Jelsa, where the journalists were treated to the full Tomic range with food pairing. The Daily Mail's Oliver Pickup rather enjoyed the Hektorovic prosek, and mused that perhaps Winston Churchill would have done too. Read the article here.