Curated by Michele Edington, Certified Sommelier
Dubrovnik pairs an ancient Adriatic city with the vineyards of Konavle, where Malvasija Dubrovačka has been poured for centuries and still gives travelers one of southern Croatia’s most distinctive glasses of wine.
At a glance
Wine snapshot
Think orange blossom, apricot, citrus peel, almond and Mediterranean herbs in Malvasija Dubrovačka; bright herbal freshness in Maraština; dark cherry, plum, fig and warm spice in Plavac Mali; and honeyed dried fruit in traditional Prošek.
Also worth a sip
Southern Dalmatia has a strong tradition of turning grapes, herbs, fruit and flowers into spirits and liqueurs. Lozovača is the clean grape-spirit foundation, while travarica layers that spirit with Mediterranean herbs. Dubrovnik adds something especially pretty with rozolina, a traditional liqueur made from rose petals, sugar and lozovača. It tastes like someone looked at a Dubrovnik garden and decided it belonged in a tiny after-dinner glass. The official local recipe uses Rosa centifolia petals steeped with sugar and grape brandy.
Ask a family-run konoba or agrotourism property whether its travarica or rozolina is made in-house. Sip rozolina from a small glass and give it a moment before drinking because the rose aroma is half the experience. With travarica, smell the glass for sage, rosemary, fennel and other Mediterranean herbs first. Every family’s version can taste a little different, which is exactly what makes ordering it fun.
Common questions
- What wine is Dubrovnik known for?
- Think orange blossom, apricot, citrus peel, almond and Mediterranean herbs in Malvasija Dubrovačka; bright herbal freshness in Maraština; dark cherry, plum, fig and warm spice in Plavac Mali; and honeyed dried fruit in traditional Prošek.
- What grapes are grown around Dubrovnik?
- Malvasija Dubrovačka, Maraština, Plavac Mali, Pošip, Grk, Crljenak Kaštelanski.
- Why is Dubrovnik a notable wine stop?
- Dubrovnik gives you the chance to taste a grape that survived because people actively chose to bring it back. Malvasija Dubrovačka was nearly lost in Konavle during the twentieth century, followed by a serious revitalization effort that returned vineyards to the landscape. Drinking it here connects the glass with Dubrovnik’s history, the Republic that prized it and a modern generation of growers who decided the story should keep going.
- Is Dubrovnik a wine destination?
- Southern Dalmatia has a strong tradition of turning grapes, herbs, fruit and flowers into spirits and liqueurs. Lozovača is the clean grape-spirit foundation, while travarica layers that spirit with Mediterranean herbs. Dubrovnik adds something especially pretty with rozolina, a traditional liqueur made from rose petals, sugar and lozovača. It tastes like someone looked at a Dubrovnik garden and decided it belonged in a tiny after-dinner glass. The official local recipe uses Rosa centifolia petals steeped with sugar and grape brandy.
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Nearby winery
Crvik Winery
Local label terms, decoded
Inside the Dubrovnik guide
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