A new generation of winemakers from Bregovita Hrvatska

A new generation of winemakers is taking over the management of family wineries in Central Hilly Croatia.

"The new generation strives for higher quality wines. The heirs of wineries, like my sister and I, are educated winemakers and want to incorporate our knowledge into wine production. We look at what is being done in the world. We have new technologies at our disposal, and as a profession, we listen to science. It is great when, as in our case, two generations can work together successfully. My father has experience and knowledge of the practice, and my sister and I brought new insights. The new wines are the result of this cooperation," said Ivana Puhelek from the Puhelek Purek winery in Gornji Psarjevo near Sveti Ivan Zelina, who completed her doctorate on the topic of Kraljevina. This indigenous grape variety dominates her family's vineyards.

"Young wine lovers are looking for a product with a story. That's why our winery has shifted its focus from producing bulk wines to those of higher quality and added value. Today, the market recognizes our wines aged in barrique barrels and selected vintages. We are currently in the process of producing our first sparkling wine," said Josip Vrbanek from the Vrbanek winery in Vivodina.

"Our wines are produced with less intervention in the cellar and more in the vineyard. We produce wines that represent the climate in which they were created and the Moslavina wine sub-region. Compared to the previous approach, in the new vintages our wines are more precise, more natural and more diverse," said Janko Kezele from the Kezele winery in Šumećani.

The winemakers of Bregovita Hrvatska will present their new wines to the public at BregPremier at the Esplanade Hotel Zagreb on Monday, March 24, 2025. Along with wines from last year's vintage, there will also be some older ones that are only now coming to the market.

The Puhelek Purek Winery will present the Rex wine, a blend of red wines from the 2022 vintage, the Kezele Franc Noir from 2022, and the Vrbanek predicate wine from the 2023 vintage.

At BregPremier, a tasting of new wines from Hilly Croatia, around forty wineries from Central Hilly Croatia, a wine region known for its wealth of wine varieties and a wide range of wine types and styles, will participate.