Sveti Ivan Zelina declared the champions of the 58th Wine Exhibition of Continental Croatia
Sveti Ivan Zelina, a town in Zagreb County in northwestern Croatia, hosted the 58th Wine Exhibition of Continental Croatia from June 19 to 24, 2026, one of the longest-running wine showcases in the country. The central part of the program was held on Friday, June 19, with the ceremonial presentation of awards and recognitions to the best producers, while the continuation of the event was connected with the Wine Square on Ante Starčević Square and the program of the 35th Svetoivan Days. According to the announcement by the Town of Sveti Ivan Zelina and the town Tourist Board, the event brought together producers from several wine-growing areas of continental Croatia, professional representatives, local and national officials, and visitors interested in wines from the northern and eastern parts of the country. The overall champion of this year’s exhibition was declared to be the 2018 Graševina ice wine from the company Perak d.o.o. from the Kutjevo wine-growing area. In this way, the predicate wine from the Kutjevo wine-growing area won the exhibition’s highest recognition and further highlighted Graševina as one of the most important varieties of Croatian winemaking.
Graševina ice wine from Kutjevo won a double recognition
The highest recognition of the 58th Wine Exhibition of Continental Croatia went to the company Perak d.o.o. from the Kutjevo wine-growing area for Graševina ice wine, 2018 vintage. According to the published results of the exhibition, the same wine first won the award for the best-rated predicate wine and was then declared champion of the entire showcase. This is a double recognition that is particularly important because predicate wines require specific production conditions, a high level of must concentration and strictly controlled technological execution. Ice wine gains additional significance from the fact that the grapes are harvested under low-temperature conditions, which often gives such wines pronounced sweetness, concentration and aromatic complexity. According to the Croatian Parliament’s report on the participation of Marijana Petir, chairwoman of the parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, at the ceremony, the exhibition was presented as an event that is important not only because of tradition, but also because of systematic wine evaluation, expert confirmation of quality and promotion of wine-growing areas.
The best white, red, sparkling and fruit wines
The “Milan Pažić” award for the best-rated white dry still wine went to the company Coner d.o.o. from the Bjelovar – Grubišno Polje wine-growing area for Manzoni, 2025 vintage. In the category of white wines with residual unfermented sugar, excluding predicate wines, the highest score was collected by Sauvignon from the producer OPG Gotlin from the Krapina wine-growing area, also from the 2025 vintage, thereby winning the “Pero Krznarić” award. Among red wines, the best-rated was Cabernet Sauvignon from the producer Monsaureus d.o.o. from the Baranja wine-growing area, 2020 vintage. In the category of sparkling wines, the recognition went to the winery Vina Vuglec from the Krapina wine-growing area for a sparkling wine from the 2021 vintage. The best-rated fruit wine was blackberry wine, 2025 vintage, produced by Igor Jambrešić, known under the name Kupilek, from the Klanjec wine-growing area.
The special “Dragutin Stražimir” award for the best-rated visual identity of a bottle was won by Vinarija Kos – Jurišić. This recognition shows that at contemporary wine showcases, not only the contents of the bottle are evaluated, but also the way in which the wine is presented to the market. In a competitive environment in which an increasing number of producers are trying to stand out through quality, identity and a story of origin, the label and the overall appearance of the bottle are becoming an important part of communication with customers. Still, the foundation of the showcase remains the expert evaluation of wines, which is why the awards presented in Zelina are important for producers who wish to position themselves in the continental wine space. According to the report by the portal Prigorski.hr, the wines were evaluated by an expert committee led by Ivana Alpeza, which emphasizes the professional character of the evaluation process.
Kraljevina from Vinarija Žnidarić champion of Zagreb County
As part of the exhibition, awards were also presented for the best-rated wines of Zagreb County, a category that, according to the announcement by the Town and the Tourist Board of Sveti Ivan Zelina, has been held since 2019. Kraljevina, 2025 vintage, from Vinarija Žnidarić from the Zaprešić wine-growing area, was declared the best white still dry wine of Zagreb County. The same wine also won the title of overall county champion, making Vinarija Žnidarić the most prominent producer in the county competition of this year’s exhibition. The award is particularly significant because Kraljevina is closely connected with the Prigorje and Zelina wine-growing identity, and at the exhibition in Sveti Ivan Zelina it traditionally holds an important place. According to the statement by the Croatian Parliament, Marijana Petir particularly emphasized at the ceremony the role of the exhibition in preserving and promoting Kraljevina as an indigenous variety of the Zelina wine-growing area.
The county recognitions showed the breadth of the local wine scene and the diversity of styles produced in the area of Zagreb County. The award for the best white still wine with residual sugar was won by Muškat žuti, 2025 vintage, produced by Kezele – vino from the Voloder – Ivanić Grad wine-growing area. In the category of rosé still wines, Pinot crni, 2025 vintage, from the Puhelek – Purek winery from the Zelina wine-growing area won. Cabernet Franc, 2024 vintage, produced by Jarec vina from the Zelina wine-growing area, was declared the best red still wine. Vinarija Žnidarić additionally won recognition for the best sparkling wine, 2023 vintage, as well as the award for the best wine from the previous vintage year, again for Kraljevina from 2025.
Continental Croatia as an area of different wine styles
This year’s awarded wines come from several wine-growing areas, including Kutjevo, Krapina, Baranja, Klanjec, Bjelovar – Grubišno Polje, Zaprešić, Zelina and Voloder – Ivanić Grad. Such geographical breadth confirms that the exhibition in Sveti Ivan Zelina is not only a local event, but a showcase that connects different parts of continental wine Croatia. The awarded categories include dry white wines, wines with residual sugar, predicate wines, red wines, sparkling wines and fruit wines, which shows the diversity of production and approaches. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Croatian winemakers and winegrowers are gathered into four regional organizations at the level of wine-growing regions, among them the Association of Winemakers and Winegrowers “Bregovita Hrvatska” for the Central Hilly Croatia region. The Ministry also states that regional organizations are responsible for promoting winemakers and wines of their region, managing the marketing labeling system, providing expert support and cooperating with competent institutions.
The broader context of wine production in Croatia shows that exhibitions like this also have economic significance. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, vineyard areas in Croatia in 2025 amounted to 19,100 hectares, 121,499 tonnes of grapes were produced and 773,000 hectolitres of wine. The Ministry also states that grape and wine production, according to data from the Agency for Payments in Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, takes place on 27,659 agricultural holdings and 55,260 parcels. In the same overview, Graševina is listed as the most represented variety by production, with 32,588.23 tonnes of grapes produced and 191,965.12 hectolitres of wine. In this context, the victory of the Graševina ice wine from Kutjevo carries additional symbolic weight because it comes from a variety that, according to official data, is the leading one in Croatian wine production.
Expert evaluation and the role of institutions
The expert character of the exhibition was one of the main topics of the ceremony. According to the report by the Croatian Parliament, Marijana Petir pointed out that systematic evaluation gives winemakers confirmation of quality, encouragement for progress and guidelines for production development, while helping consumers recognize the excellence and distinctiveness of individual wines. The mayor of Sveti Ivan Zelina, Eva Jendriš Škrljak, according to the same source, emphasized that the exhibition has been held continuously for 58 years and that winemaking is part of the identity of this area. According to the report by Prigorski.hr, on behalf of Zagreb County, awards for the best-rated county wines were presented by Deputy County Prefect Damir Tomljenović, who emphasized that the quality and offer of wines in Zagreb County are growing year after year. The same source states that Tomljenović also spoke about county support for farmers, which this year amounts to almost one and a half million euros.
The institutional framework of the wine sector in Croatia includes national regulations, European rules, registers and official controls. In its overview of the legal framework, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries lists the Wine Act, ordinances on viticulture and winemaking, and regulations relating to interventions from the wine sector within the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy 2023 – 2027. According to the Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food, its Centre for Viticulture, Winemaking and Oil Production is authorized for physicochemical testing and sensory testing of wine, fruit wines and other products, and is also the competent body for verifying compliance with product specifications. The Agency for Payments in Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development states that the Vineyard Register contains data on vineyard potential, geographical areas of grapevine cultivation, grape producers, wine producers, bottlers and other entities in the sector. Such a framework provides additional background to events at which wines from different wine-growing areas are publicly presented and compared.
The exhibition as part of Svetoivan Days and the identity of Zelina
The Wine Exhibition of Continental Croatia was held as part of the 35th Svetoivan Days, a multi-day program which, according to the Tourist Board of the Town of Sveti Ivan Zelina, included wine content, concerts, cultural programs, sports events, children’s programs, workshops, association presentations and a hospitality offer. The official calendar of the Town of Sveti Ivan Zelina states that the 58th Wine Exhibition of Continental Croatia lasted from June 19 to 24, 2026, on Ante Starčević Square. The town Tourist Board announced that the ceremonial award presentation would be held on June 19 with a performance by the Croatian Singing Society Zelina, after which the program would continue at the Wine Square. According to the announcement by the Town and the Tourist Board, the musical part of the ceremony was completed by HPD Zelina with performances of compositions and a medley of songs and dances characteristic of the Zelina Prigorje. After the award ceremony, the awarded producers gathered for a joint photograph, while visitors could collect the remaining diplomas at the Wine Square.
For Sveti Ivan Zelina, the exhibition has multiple roles: it is a wine showcase, a cultural event, a tourist attraction and a public confirmation of the continuity of local tradition. According to the words of mayor Eva Jendriš Škrljak, conveyed in the parliamentary statement and event reports, the exhibition is not just one date in the calendar, but part of the identity of the Zelina area, its hills and families engaged in viticulture. That is precisely why the awards presented in Sveti Ivan Zelina are read not only as a list of the best wines, but also as an indicator of the direction in which continental winemaking is developing. This year’s champions come from established wine-growing areas, but also from smaller producer communities that gain visibility through events like this. In the combination of expert evaluation, local tradition and public promotion, the 58th Wine Exhibition of Continental Croatia once again confirmed Sveti Ivan Zelina as one of the important meeting places of winemakers from continental Croatia.
Sources:
- Town of Sveti Ivan Zelina – official event calendar for the 58th Wine Exhibition of Continental Croatia (link)
- Tourist Board of the Town of Sveti Ivan Zelina – program announcement for the 58th Wine Exhibition of Continental Croatia and the Wine Square (link)
- Croatian Parliament – statement on Marijana Petir’s participation at the 58th Wine Exhibition of Continental Croatia (link)
- Prigorski.hr – published exhibition results and list of the best-rated wines (link)
- Gradonačelnik.hr – report by the Town and the Tourist Board of Sveti Ivan Zelina on the award presentation and county recognitions (link)
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries – data on Croatian viticulture, winemaking and regional organizations (link)
- Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food – competences of the Centre for Viticulture, Winemaking and Oil Production (link)
- Agency for Payments in Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development – description of the Vineyard Register (link)
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries – overview of the legal framework for viticulture and winemaking (link)