The event En Primeur 2025 - the premiere tasting of the 2024 vintage wines from Slavonia and the Croatian Danube Region, with a special emphasis on Graševina, the most important wine variety in Croatia, was held at the Esplanade Hotel in Zagreb. The event, traditionally organized by the regional association of winemakers of Slavonia and the Croatian Danube Region - Graševina Croatica, attracted numerous professionals and wine lovers from all over Croatia.
In addition to the professional public and wine lovers, the event was also attended by the State Secretaries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Tugomir Majdak and Marinko Beljo, the President of the Committee on Agriculture of the Croatian Parliament, Marijana Petir, the Vice President for Agriculture and Tourism of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Dragan Kovačević, and the Acting Director of the Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food, Krunoslav Karalić.
In his address, State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Tugomir Majdak emphasized that yesterday in Brussels, he received confirmation from the European Commission on the justification of Croatia's request for the activation of the crisis reserve related to damage from natural disasters in 2024, with an emphasis on the seed, fruit, vegetable and viticulture sectors, and finally thanked the organizers and winemakers for the effort and time they devote to promoting and positioning Croatia as a prestigious wine destination. The Chair of the Committee on Agriculture of the Croatian Parliament, Marijana Petir, invited all winemakers and regional organizations to join the dialogue in order to jointly find a way to establish permanent plantations and ensure the necessary measures that will benefit all winemakers.
Dragan Kovačević from the Croatian Chamber of Commerce emphasized the key role of Slavonia and the Croatian Danube Region in wine production, pointing out that this region contributes more than 50% of total Croatian wine production and appealed to consumers to choose Croatian wines because they directly support the development of viticulture, while Krunoslav Karalić from the Croatian Association of Winemakers and Producers added that the joint efforts of winemakers, institutions and consumers can significantly improve the quality and recognition of Croatian wine, both on the domestic and international markets.
Director of Graševina Croatica Tomislav Panenić emphasized the importance of the event as a significant gathering of winemakers from Slavonia and the Croatian Danube region in front of the Zagreb audience and invited all wine lovers to continue exploring the riches of the wineries of Slavonia and the Croatian Danube region. Despite numerous challenges caused mainly by climate change, the 2024 harvest brought results beyond all expectations. With special dedication, effort and innovative approaches, the winemakers overcame the challenges and produced top-quality wines that will once again satisfy even the most discerning palates.
Two Wine & Dine workshops were also held during the event: "Wine & Dine: Stars of the East" and "Danubian Wine & Dine," where visitors had the opportunity to explore the wines of the 2024 vintage and their pairing with delicacies from the Far East and Slavonian specialties.
Despite numerous challenges caused mainly by climate change, the 2024 harvest brought results beyond all expectations. With special dedication, effort, and innovative approaches, the winemakers overcame the challenges and produced top-quality wines that will once again satisfy even the most discerning palates.
The En Primeur event once again confirmed its status as one of Zagreb's most important annual wine gatherings. This unique opportunity for wine tasting contributed to strengthening business contacts and experiences about winemakers and wines from our largest wine-growing region, and especially about the potential of Graševina, the most important wine variety in Croatia. Visitors left enriched with new knowledge and inspired to explore further the world of Slavonia and the Croatian Danube region.
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