Croatian Tourism Minister Darko Lorencin was the most high profile visitor to the second Vinski Podrum wine fair on May 23, 2014, an event attended by Digital Journal in the impressive cellars of Split's Diocletian Palace, a 1,700 year old retirement home built for a Roman emperor of the same name.
It was a busy day for the minister, who held a meeting with local tourists boards about plans for am ambitious restructuring of the tourist board infrastructure in Croatia before his visit, and was followed by a show of ministerial support for the
Croatia Boat Show, which was also taking place in its new location on West Coast.
The splendid cellars of 1700 year-old Diocletian's Palace, whose other recent events included a filming location for Game of Thrones.
Vinski Podrum (which translates as 'Wine Cellar') 2014 was the second year of the event, organised by regional newspaper Slobodna Dalmacija, and this year's event was a two-day manifestation of the wines and other indigenous products of Croatia.
Croatian Tourism Minister Darko Lorencin extended his visit to the wine fair on a busy day in Split, which included a visit to the Croatia Boat Show.
While wine tasting was the major theme, there were several other events included, and the team from Split's first wine bar, Paradox, continued their mission on education about Croatian wines, with a series of wine school workshops throughout the fair.
Zoran Pejovic and Mladen Livaja from Paradox Wine and Cheese bar, who continued their mission of wine education with several workshops during the fair.
Also in attendance was
Central Dalmatia Tourism Director Josko Stella, a strong supporter of the winemakers of Dalmatia. Stella recently spoke to Digital Journal at another recent wine fair in Split, Dalmacija Wine Expo.
Digital Journal with Central Dalmatia Tourist Board director Josko Stella, a keen promoter of the wines of Dalmatia.
Dusko Sisaric
Among those exhibiting were five winemakers from the Hvar Wine Association, an island whose winemakers are undergoing something of a renaissance. The association was represented by Caric, PZ Svirce, Vujnovic, Tomic and Zlatan Otok, some of the top names on the Croatian wine scene.
Marija Plenkovic from Vina Caric from Hvar given an interview for the media. Caric is one of the rising stars of the Croatian wine scene, with recent exports to American and Italy.
The impressive range of Hvar's most charismatic winemaker, Andro Tomic, just one of a list of top quality exhibitors at Vinski Podrum 2014.
Marija Plenkovic
Diocletian's Palace is Split's major tourist attraction, a living palace which has been transformed in recent years with the boom in tourism in the city, which was once known as the Gateway to the Islands, but is increasingly becoming a hot destination in its own right.
While wine was the main feature of the fair, there were plenty of quality indigenous products to sample.
The basement of the palace was used as a filming location for popular HBO series Game of Thrones last year, and Digital Journal also too part in the
first boutique Game of Thrones tour the previous day.
