American bloggers and opinion leaders covering the global wine and gastronomy scene visited Zagreb County for a two-day study tour in the green ring surrounding the Croatian capital, under the motto “Croatia Full of Flavours.” During their stay, they explored the region’s rich eno-gastronomic offer through curated visits to Podrum Philipecz, Vinarija Korak, Vinogradarska kuća Roberta Braje, PG Šember, Vinarija Jagunić, and Vina Kolarić (Coletti).
The delegation included Todd Goudbout, founder of WineCompass, and Richard Auffrey, author of the renowned blog Passionate Foodie. They toured the historic town of Samobor and the scenic wine-growing hills of Plešivica, discovering the wineries along the Plešivica Wine Road. Alongside award-winning wines, they were introduced to Samobor’s rich cultural heritage and traditional delicacies, including the iconic Samobor cream cake — listed as intangible cultural heritage — as well as the distinctive local specialities, Samobor bermet and muštarda.
The visit was organised by Croatian Premium Wine Imports, Inc., in partnership with the Croatian National Tourist Board USA, Turkish Airlines, Graševina Croatica, Vinistra, and numerous individual wineries. The primary objective was to position Croatia’s eno-gastronomic scene as a compelling travel motivator while simultaneously presenting the country’s cultural heritage to the American market.
According to MMGY Travel Intelligence research, gastronomy and wine are now the second most important factor influencing American travellers’ destination choices — a remarkable rise from tenth place just two years prior. “This visit presents an excellent opportunity to showcase our wineries, wine roads, and indigenous gastronomic products to the American market. Located near the international airport and just minutes from the capital, Zagreb County holds significant potential. Our eno-gastronomic identity is one of our strongest assets, and we have taken this opportunity to promote our wineries, distilleries, and culinary excellence to influential voices who actively shape trends through their platforms and blogs,” stated Ivana Alilović, Director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board. She added that it was equally important for local winemakers to present their labels directly to importers representing Croatian wines in the United States.
Mirena Bagur and Win Burke, the husband-and-wife team behind Croatian wine exports to the U.S. market, also participated in the study visit. Their presence provided Zagreb County’s winemakers with a valuable opportunity not only to engage with prominent journalists and bloggers but also to establish direct connections with key importers serving the American overseas market.
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