This is the landmark winery for Hvar as its founder Andro Tomić is credited for the renaissance in Hvar wine production. Having grown up on the island to a family which had been producing their own homemade wine for generations, Andro went to Zagreb to study winemaking and viticulture. He returned to make his own commercial production of wine and the result is Tomic winery Hvar, a 130,000 bottle per year production which today is also led by his son Sebastijan. Popular on the wine tourism route in Hvar, this is a perfect spot for a tasting with an underground cellar carved out in the bedrock. Here you can taste through their many different wines while enjoying a tasting platter of cheese and charcuterie.
Wine tasting notes: Tomić winery Hvar
Opolo Nobile 2016 70kn
A light rose made with just 7 hours skin contact from Plavac Mali, the native Hvar grape. This lightly aromatic rose has lots of red fruit notes and is medium-bodied.
Pošip 2016 90kn
Another native variety from Hvar, this young Pošip has citrus and warm, stone fruit notes on the nose and a round, aromatic mouth with a medium, buttery finish following 6 months in French oak sur lie.
Beleca 2016 70kn
This blend of two native varieties, 50% Pošip and 50% Bogdanuša, has much more citrus rind in the nose. The Bogdanuša adds a higher acidity to the mix and keeps the blend bright.
Plavac 2015 70kn
Their main wine (around 70% of their production), this is a blend of Plavac (generally refering to a larger-berry clone) and Plavac Mali (generally from the south, which comes from dry, rocky soils with a limestone component, where the berries are smaller and lower yielding with more concentration). This is much lighter in colour vinified in stainless steel with six months in used oak. It has a slightly smokey, bacon fat nose with red berry and typically dry tannins of the variety.
Plavac Mali vineyards on the south side, Tomic winery Hvar
Capla R 2011 250kn
A half and half blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (French oak) and Plavac Mali (Croatian oak) from one of their favourite vintages, 2011. This has a dense berry nose with a forest floor, wild herb and leather note to it. The wine shows good age and has spicy tannins that would work nicely stronger flavoured meats.
Plavac Mali 2011 Barrique 175kn
Coming from one of their favourite vintages with 50% Croatian and 50% French oak. This wine has much more of a meaty nose with peppery and savoury notes, and red fruit that comes out on the palate. They always hold back their Plavac Mali for at least 5 years before releasing in order to soften the wild tannins typical of the variety.
Veliki Plavac Meli 2011 (750kn only in magnum bottles)
Called ‘big small blue’ because it has 16% alcohol and is a limited edition made from selected vineyards around the island, so far only made in 2011. This has a slightly more port-like nose with dense berry notes but also a floral element to it. This has a really long, warming finish and a great complexity.
Prošek Hectorvich 2008 135kn
Six native white grape varieties are dried out following harvest to make this straw wine. The burnt caramel colour comes from skin contact with the raisined grapes for 24 hours. The nose is filled with marmalade notes, hazelnut and overripe peach, and the mouth has nutty complexity with warming notes of fruit cake and marzipan. A very intense, well-aged dessert wine. Prošek typically means dessert wine.
Tomic winery
Open April through October.
Bastijana d.o.o.
Jelsa 874a, Jelsa. Hvar
Other Croatian wine guide articles:
- Stari Grad & Hvar wine guide
- Guide to Istria’s wines (and food!)
- A wine lover’s guide to visiting Croatia
- The flavours of Pag island
- 101 on Istrian climate
- Six Croatian grape varieties to try
- Importing Croatian wine into the UK
- Istrian terroir with Bruno Trapan
- All Croatian articles
