Sparkling Breakfast in the Vineyard – Kvarner Brings Together Wine, Gastronomy and Countryside Ambience Lovers Again on 6 June
Sparkling Breakfast in the Vineyard – Kvarner will be held on Saturday, 6 June 2026, in the vineyards of Pavlomir Wine House in Novi Vinodolski, where wine producers, local gastronomic exhibitors and visitors interested in the combination of Kvarner sparkling wines, food and an outdoor stay will gather for the fourth time. According to the announcement by the Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski, the programme begins at 10 a.m. and lasts until 2 p.m., and participation is possible only with a previously purchased ticket. The ticket price is 40 euros, and reservations are received via the e-mail address marijavukeliczg@gmail.com.
The event is being held in cooperation between the Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski, Pavlomir Wine House and the Kvarner Wines association, and it is part of the Sparkling Wine Salon Zagreb project, whose conceptual initiator is wine promoter and editor of the magazine Wine Stars Marija Vukelić. The organisers point out that this is an eno-gastronomic event that has developed into a recognisable gathering dedicated to Kvarner sparkling wines, local ingredients and the vineyard setting. In previous editions, according to earlier announcements by the organisers and local tourist institutions, the event attracted great interest, and the third edition held in 2025 was sold out before the programme began.
Novi Vinodolski and the Pavlomir vineyards will on this occasion once again be presented as a place where the wine story is connected with Kvarner's tourist offer. For visitors coming from other places and planning to stay in the town, accommodation offers in Novi Vinodolski may be useful, especially because of the morning start of the programme and the limited number of places. Although the event is conceived as a relaxed Saturday gathering, its programme structure shows that the organisers are trying to combine a hospitality experience, education and the promotion of regional identity.
Breakfast in the vineyard with sparkling wines, local delicacies and jazz
The central part of the programme is planned from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, when breakfast will be served in the vineyard with Kvarner sparkling wines and savoury and sweet local delicacies. According to the organisers' announcement, the programme will be accompanied by jazz music and specially arranged photo points, with which an effort is being made to create a relaxed backdrop for tasting, socialising and spending time in nature. The event format relies on the popular idea of a wine breakfast in a vineyard, but in Novi Vinodolski it is adapted to Kvarner wines, local gastronomy and the region's tourist identity.
The special feature of the event is that sparkling wines are not presented only as a festive drink, but as part of a wider gastronomic offer. In such a concept, local ingredients do not appear as decoration, but as an equal part of the programme, because breakfast in the vineyard enables visitors to directly connect flavours, landscape and producers. According to announcements by the organisers of previous editions, the event is conceived as a meeting place for winemakers, hospitality professionals, tourist workers and an audience that wants to get to know Kvarner labels outside the classic restaurant or fair environment.
Pavlomir Wine House, located in the hinterland of Novi Vinodolski, has already hosted this event in previous years. The vineyard ambience is an important part of the experience because it moves visitors from the usual tasting space into the landscape in which wine is created. This emphasises the connection between product and place, which is especially important for regions that build their tourist recognisability on indigenous varieties, local dishes and experiences that cannot simply be replicated in another destination.
Workshop on pairing sparkling wines and Kvarner scampi
This year's edition also brings a pronounced educational part. From 12 noon to 1 p.m., a workshop on pairing Kvarner sparkling wines with Kvarner scampi will be held, and the organisers state that participation is possible only with a prior reservation. Kvarner scampi is considered in local gastronomy to be one of the region's most recognisable ingredients, and its reputation is linked to the marine conditions of Kvarner and the long tradition of its use in restaurants of the coastal area and islands. In the event programme, this ingredient is used as an example of connecting wine and food in a way that brings both the sensory characteristics of sparkling wines and the regional gastronomic context closer to the audience.
The workshop is important because Sparkling Breakfast does not remain only at the level of tasting, but offers visitors an explanation of why certain wines can be successfully paired with particular ingredients. Sparkling wines, especially those with pronounced freshness and fine bubbles, are often associated in gastronomy with seafood, and Kvarner scampi appears in this programme as a local symbol of maritime cuisine. Such an approach fits into the broader trend of wine events that increasingly emphasise knowledge, conversation with producers and understanding the origin of ingredients.
After the workshop, from 1 p.m., En Primeur Kvarner follows, a part of the programme in which visitors will have the opportunity to taste still wines from participating wineries. The en primeur approach in the wine world denotes the presentation of wines at an early stage, before their wider market availability or at the moment when the direction of a new vintage is to be shown to the public. In this Kvarner edition, that part of the programme expands the focus of the event: sparkling wines remain at the centre of the morning event, but visitors are also presented with a broader cross-section of the region's wine production.
Winemakers from Upland Croatia are visiting
According to the announcement, this year's guests will be winemakers from Upland Croatia, by which the event also opens towards other Croatian wine areas. Upland Croatia comprises continental vineyard locations that differ from the Kvarner coastal and island environment, so their guest appearance can offer visitors a comparison of styles, varieties and approaches to production. Such a programme addition is important for an event that, alongside local identity, wants to encourage exchange among winemakers and present a wider range of the domestic wine scene.
In the Kvarner context, the emphasis on sparkling wines has additional value because in recent years the region has been increasingly profiling itself as a wine destination. According to data and announcements by wine organisations that follow the region, Kvarner is associated with indigenous varieties such as žlahtina, jarbola, trojišćina, sansigot, gegić and belica, and the Kvarner Wines association is developing a common label and promotion of regional wines. Such association makes it easier for winemakers to approach the market, but also the tourist sector, which increasingly seeks authentic and recognisable products.
Sparkling wines are particularly suitable for events that connect wine, gastronomy and social experience. Their role is not limited to an aperitif or festive occasions; in contemporary wine communication they are increasingly presented with breakfasts, brunch concepts, seafood ingredients and lighter meals. Sparkling Breakfast in the Vineyard – Kvarner builds its recognisability precisely on that idea, and the fact that it is held at the beginning of June additionally places it in the period when the tourist season on the coast gradually intensifies.
Kvarner in the year of the European gastronomic title
The event in 2026 also gains a broader context because Kvarner holds the title of European Region of Gastronomy 2026, awarded by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism. According to official information from IGCAT and the Kvarner Tourist Board, the title is awarded to regions that connect gastronomy with culture, sustainability, local production, education and community development. In this story, Kvarner is presented through the diversity of the coast, islands and Gorski kotar, that is, through a motto that emphasises that regional diversity is the foundation of gastronomic recognisability.
The event in Novi Vinodolski fits precisely into such a framework. Sparkling Breakfast in the Vineyard does not represent only one wine event, but an example of the way in which local products can be connected with tourism, hospitality and public programmes. According to announcements by the Kvarner Tourist Board, the region's gastronomy includes coastal, island and mountain cuisine, and the development of the gastronomic year is focused on connecting producers, hospitality professionals and tourism stakeholders. In that sense, the meeting of sparkling wines, scampi, local sweets and wine workshops in Pavlomir has a meaning wider than a one-day programme.
The title of European Region of Gastronomy does not mean only additional promotion, but also the expectation that the offer will be developed systematically. Events such as this serve as a practical example of how a local story can be brought closer to the public without turning it into a classic promotional presentation. Instead, through tasting and conversation with producers, visitors gain a more concrete insight into what makes the region recognisable. That is why Sparkling Breakfast in the Vineyard is relevant both for tourism workers and for winemakers, because it shows how the experience of a destination can be built around real products and real people.
Novi Vinodolski as a wine and tourist stage
Novi Vinodolski carries in its name a strong historical connection with wine, and the event in Pavlomir uses that connection in a contemporary tourist form. The town is known as a coastal destination, but programmes such as this also highlight its hinterland, vineyards and the possibility of developing content outside the classic model of a seaside holiday. For visitors who want to combine a wine event with a stay in the town or a tour of the surroundings, accommodation near the event venue can be a practical choice, especially if they are planning a full-day or weekend visit.
It is also important that the programme takes place before the peak of the summer season. The beginning of June enables the development of content that does not depend exclusively on bathing tourism, but attracts an audience motivated by wine, food, nature and thematic experiences. Such events can help destinations extend the period of tourist activity, but also attract visitors who are looking for a concrete reason to come. According to tourist announcements from previous years, Sparkling Breakfast in Pavlomir has already shown that interest in this kind of programme exists, especially when the number of places is limited and when the event is connected with an authentic ambience.
The organisational model in which the local tourist board, winery and winemakers' association jointly shape the programme shows how destination promotion can be built through cooperation. In this case, the Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski is the organiser of the Kvarner edition of Sparkling Breakfast, while Pavlomir Wine House provides the venue and wine context, and Kvarner Wines connects regional producers. Such a distribution of roles enables the event not to be merely a one-off happening, but part of a broader strategy of presenting Kvarner as an eno-gastronomic destination.
Tickets, reservations and practical information
Participation in Sparkling Breakfast in the Vineyard – Kvarner is possible with a previously purchased ticket at the price of 40 euros. According to the organisers' announcement, reservations are made via the e-mail address marijavukeliczg@gmail.com, and the workshop on pairing sparkling wines and Kvarner scampi is available only with a prior reservation. The programme begins at 10 a.m. with breakfast in the vineyard, from 12 noon to 1 p.m. the workshop is planned, and from 1 p.m. En Primeur Kvarner with a tasting of still wines from participating wineries. The end of the programme is planned for 2 p.m.
Given the earlier interest in the event and the limited capacity of the vineyard event, the organisers emphasise the importance of timely reservation. Visitors are advised to check the participation conditions, availability of places and any additional instructions from the organisers before arrival, especially if they plan to take part in the workshop. Since the programme is held outdoors, weather conditions may affect the experience, but at present the announcements do not state any special change to the programme due to possible weather circumstances.
Sparkling Breakfast in the Vineyard – Kvarner thus continues in 2026 as an event that connects regional sparkling wines, local gastronomy, education and the tourist experience of Novi Vinodolski. In the year in which Kvarner holds the European gastronomic title, the event in Pavlomir gains additional visibility because it shows how local products can be presented through a concrete, publicly accessible programme. For winemakers it is an opportunity for direct contact with the audience, for the destination a promotional tool, and for visitors a morning in which Kvarner is discovered through bubbles, flavours and the vineyard landscape.
Sources:
- Tourist Board of the Town of Novi Vinodolski – announcement of the Sparkling Breakfast in the Vineyard 2026 programme, organisers, date, price and reservations (link)
- Hedonist magazine – announcement of the event in Pavlomir, programme framework and context of the Sparkling Wine Salon Zagreb project (link)
- Novi Vinodolski – announcement about record interest and the held third edition of the event in 2025 (link)
- International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism – official information about the title Kvarner European Region of Gastronomy 2026 (link)
- Kvarner Tourist Board / Visit Kvarner – context of the European Region of Gastronomy 2026 programme and Kvarner's gastronomic diversity (link)
- Kvarner Wines – information about the association, wine offer and promotion of Kvarner wines (link)