Wine tasting
Vrbnik is without a doubt one of the most famous places on Krk, popular especially because of the countless wine bars and the narrow streets in the town. Every alley, every little house, every passage has been adapted to the rock on which the place was built, giving it a uniquely picturesque feel. It’s not for nothing that the narrowest street in the world is located here.
At almost 50m above sea level, the place is located on a rock that literally “dives” into the sea. The place was first mentioned in 1100. While fishing and agriculture used to be important sources of income for the residents, today it is winegrowing. The most famous variety: the žlahtina. The hospitality of the people of Vrbnik is indescribable, so it can easily happen that you are offered home-made žlahtina while strolling through the streets.
If you feel like cooling off after an extensive wine tasting tour through Vrbnik, we recommend the beautiful bays around the town. But: It’s not that easy to get away from here. And definitely again.
Vrbnička žlahtina
Vrbnička žlahtina is a dry, quality white wine made from the indigenous variety, white žlahtina. This variety is specific because it only succeeds in the wine-growing areas of Krk, specifically in the vineyards of Vrbnik.
This wine has a light yellow to straw yellow color, a delicate aroma and a fine characteristic taste. The freshness that the harsher climate gives it is characteristic of the Adriatic climate area. The vine has adapted to this. In the more northern parts of the island of Krk, other white varieties dominate. In addition to zlahtina, there are also Istrian malvazija, draganela, opacevina and others.
Of all of them, the žlahtina stands out particularly for its specifically youthful bouquet. It tastes best with sheep’s cheese, all kinds of fish and seafood specialties, as well as white meat dishes
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Valomet – The sparkling wine from the depths of the sea
In 2006, winemakers from Vrbnik conducted an exciting experiment: sparkling wine bottles were placed in grid-shaped steel boxes in the sea at a depth of about 30 meters. At this depth there is a constant temperature of 12 degrees Celsius, which is favorable for fermenting sparkling wine. The results exceeded all expectations, the sparkling wine was significantly better than the one from the cellar. What also influenced the quality was the semi-darkness, the peace and quiet, and there is also greater pressure under water in the bottle than in the cellar.
The maturation of sparkling wine on the seabed is unique in the world. Valomet is made exclusively from the local Žlahtina from Vrbnik. Since the Žlahtina is sufficiently sweet on its own, no liqueur is added to the Valomet, which is why this sparkling wine is completely dry and without sugar.
The extraordinary appearance of the bottle with layers of coral and shells is the result of staying on the seabed for several months. Today, a small hand-made plate is attached to each bottle with the note: “The sparkling wine Valomet PZ Vrbnik”.
Valomet has received numerous recognitions and awards, both for quality and appearance and design.
