January and winter may be a time of hibernating and staying indoors, keeping away from the cold. But it’s also a month of savouring wine – yes, really! The end of January brings St Vincent’s Day (Vincekovo in Croatian), which marks the start of a new wine-growing year. Officially, St Vincent’s Day is today – 22nd January – but celebrations usually take place on the nearest weekend. This is certainly the case in the central Croatian town of Sveti Ivan Zelina (around 40 kilometres northeast of Zagreb), which will mark Vincekovo on Sunday, 25th January 2026.
What happens on Vincekovo?
A very traditional event, Vincekovo starts with a holy mass in the morning, during which prayers are given to St Vincent to ask for an abundant wine growing season, as well as asking for protection of the vineyards against poor weather (frost, hail), pests, disease and similar.
The vineyards themselves are then visited to be blessed. A drop of good wine is poured on the vines, and they are then adorned with homemade sausages. These actions symbolise gratitude and hope for a good year ahead.
A small cutting of the vines is also performed, with this taken home and placed in water. In a few weeks’ time, the cuttings should show how the vines have fared over the winter, and whether a good harvest will be had later on in the year.
In Sveti Ivan Zelina, mass will be held a 11am at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit (Kapeli Svetog Duha) before a visit to the vineyards at 12pm. After this, you can enjoy a glass of warming mulled wine and some delicious sausages from the local region, charmed by singing from the Hrvatsko pjevačko društvo Zelina (Croatian Singing Society Zelina).
Pouring wine and adorning sausages on the vines during Vincekovo
The history of wine and Sveti Ivan Zelina
The town has a long tradition of winemaking and cultivating vineyards. The parish priest of Donja Zelina, Dragutin Strazimir, wrote the first modern book on viticulture in Croatia. He also educated and encouraged the local population on wine production, not just to produce, but to strive to achieve the best quality – even to exhibit their wines. Strazimir organised numerous wine exhibitions during his life, and his legacy lives on in the number of wine exhibitions still held in Sveti Ivan Zelina today.
More info
This year’s Vincekovo event is being hosted by the Association of Winemakers and Winegrowers Brin from Kalinje, as well as the Town of Sveti Ivan Zelina and Sveti Ivan Zelina Tourist Board. As they say, “come, enjoy the charms of the wine-growing tradition and start the new year in good company!“
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Vincekovo_4-1.jpg13652048annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2026-01-22 12:45:222026-01-22 12:46:36Vincekovo in Sveti Ivan Zelina this weekend
November may be a bit of a quiet month as far as celebrations go. Autumn has well and truly set in – bringing rather changeable weather – the days are shorter, the madness of Halloween is over and there’s no Christmas cheer (yet) to entertain us. If that’s your current mood, here’s something that will cheer you up – Martinje / St Martin’s Day! The charming town of Sveti Ivan Zelina, just 40 kilometres north east of Zagreb, is holding its Martinje celebrations on Saturday 8th November this year – read on below for their plans.
What is Martinje?
St Martin is the patron saint of vintners and wine, and the saint’s day is marked on 11th November each year. (Celebrations are normally held in the days before or after, depending on where in the week this falls.) This particular day is when wine is blessed and thanks are given for a good harvest; it is also the day when “young” wine is considered good to drink. It’s the perfect event in the run-up to Christmas – full of good wine and food, and general cheer and merriment. Just the thing for autumn.
Martinje is marked in many towns and locations across Croatia. Check locally to see what events are taking place.
Young wine
This year’s Martinje celebrations in Sveti Ivan Zelina
At 11am on Saturday, 8th November on the central Ante Starčević Square in Sveti Ivan Zelina, Martinje celebrations will begin. There will, of course (of course!), be plenty of opportunity to sample young, local wine, expertly poured for you by Zelina winemakers and the Winemakers and Winegrowers Association Brina. Tasty food such as hearty sausages will be available, and excellent music will be a feast for your ears, provided by the tamburitza band Fini dečki.
A very important part of Martinje celebrations is the blessing of the young wine – this is a centuries-old tradition. This will also take place, performed by the Bishop of Martin.
The blessing of the wine
This year’s events will be hosted by Sveti Ivan Zelina alongside Zagreb County and the towns of Jastrebarsko and Samobor as part of the In cultura veritas project.
Marinka Zubčić Mubrin, the director of Sveti Ivan Zelina Tourist Office, says:
Don’t miss this chance for good entertainment, socialising and enjoyment of a good drop of wine. St Martin is coming! He will baptise it, you will drink it!
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Martinje_1.jpg6631000annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2025-11-06 13:44:532025-11-06 13:49:04Martinje celebrations in Sveti Ivan Zelina this weekend 🍷
The small town of Sveti Ivan Zelina welcomes you all to Wine Fest 2025, taking place this Saturday 14th June from 5pm at the Vina Kos winery on the outskirts of the town.
The fourth edition of the festival, Wine Fest 2025 will feature top-quality wines, excellent food from the Cubismo burger bar food truck, live music from the talented Bruno Rački and the gorgeous green nature of the Zelina hills. Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or a novice (who wants to learn more!), this event is for you. Wine Fest will be the perfect mix of good company and a great atmosphere…and excellent wines too, of course! It’s also a wonderful way to celebrate the start of summer.
Bring your family and friends! Admission to Wine Fest 2025 is free.
About Vina Kos
A family-run winery that was established over 100 years ago – in 1906, no less – Vina Kos is based in the village of Hrnjanec, a location that is known for its mild climate and wine-growing tradition. The winery was founded by Juraj Kos, who constructed the first three wooden wine barrels – unaware that he would be laying the foundations for what is now five generations of winemakers in the family.
These days, the entire Kos family is involved in wine production, ensuring both the wine and the vineyards are nurtured with the utmost care – making wine cultivation something the family is very proud of.
The wines of Vina Kos
There’s no doubt that Vina Kos has a long-standing wine tradition; however, the winery also embraces innovation and modern trends in winemaking. Their wines have been recognised on the international scene, with the Kraljevina and Anita sparkling wines winning bronze medals at the 2023 Decanter World Wine Awards, and the Pinot Noir winning silver in 2020.
Vina Kos Winery underwent a full renovation recently and was awarded the BIG SEE Interior Design Award 2025. The stunningly designed, modern tasting room is an exquisite place to undertake guided tastings, which see each wine paired with selected local and seasonal snacks. You’ll receive a full gastronomic experience here!
The stunning tasting room at Vina Kos
More info
Sveti Ivan Zelina is around 45 kilometres (45 minutes’ drive) northeast of Zagreb. Learn more about the town on the Sveti Ivan Zelina Tourist Board website.
Full details on Vina Kos and their wines can be found on their website.
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Kos_winefest_3.jpg6671000annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2025-06-12 12:30:312025-06-12 12:30:33Sveti Ivan Zelina celebrates Wine Fest 2025
Although January is a fairly quiet time of year as far as events go, it is the month that one of the most charming items on the calendar takes place. Vincekovo! Vincekovo is St Vincent’s Day, officially on 22nd January each year, although most celebrations take place on the weekend before or after. What celebrations might that be, you wonder? As the patron saint of wine, Vincekovo marks the start of the new wine-growing year.
Vincekovo in Sveti Ivan Zelina
In Sveti Ivan Zelina, the small town that lies around 40 kilometres northeast of Zagreb, Vincekovo celebrations will be held this Sunday, 26th January 2025. The day will start with a mass at 11am at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit (Kapela Duha Svetoga). The mass will see winegrowers praying to St Vincent to bless them with an abundant wine harvest during the year, and to protect the vines from frost or hail, disease, pests and similar.
At 12pm, the day moves on to the blessing of the vineyards. Winemakers visit their vineyards to pour a drop of good wine on the wines and adorn them with homemade sausages. These symbolise gratitude and hope for the year ahead.
Winemakers also take a cutting of the vines, to take home and place in water. After a few weeks, they will show how the wines survived through the winter, indicating the possibility of a good harvest.
Following this traditional ceremony, the Hrvatsko pjevačko društvo Zelina (Croatian Singing Society Zelina) will perform, and guests will be able to indulge in a warming glass of mulled wine and a delicious meal of cooked sausages.
The organisers say – “Come, enjoy the charms of the wine-growing tradition and start the new year in good company!”
Wine and Sveti Ivan Zelina
The town has a long tradition of winemaking and indeed of celebrating wine – the first wine exhibition having been held here as far back as 1860. It was Dragutin Strazimir, the parish priest of Donja Zelina who did much to promote winegrowing. As well as writing the first modern book on viticulture in Croatia, he encouraged winegrowers to exhibit their wines and strive to achieve the best quality in their product. This, in turn, improved the economic standing of the region.
His legacy lives on in the wine exhibitions that are still held in the town to this day, and to the importance of wine growing in general in and near Sveti Ivan Zelina.
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More info
You can learn more about the town and its Vincekovo celebrations on the Sveti Ivan Zelina Tourist Board website. Why not come down for the weekend and stay in one of the lodgings there and take part in this traditional event?
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Vincekovo_4.jpg7491000annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2025-01-21 14:15:352025-01-21 14:15:40Vincekovo in Sveti Ivan Zelina, 26 January
Following the many gastronomic delights on the Croatian calendar of events in October – including pumpkins, truffles and chestnuts – it is the turn of drink for November. More specifically, wine. Why is wine celebrated in November? Well, that centres around Martinje – also known as St Martin’s Day – which is marked on the 11th November each year. Saint Martin is referred to as the patron saint of vintners and wine and this particular day is when wine is blessed and thanks are given for a good harvest. More importantly, it is also the day that young wine is considered suitable for drinking.
There are normally Martinje celebrations all over Croatia close to St Martin’s Day which – unsurprisingly – involve sampling local wines. Here I’ll take a look at some of the most exciting events.
Martinje in Istria
In Pula, Giardini Park will be the setting for Martinje celebrations that start today, 7th November, to 9th November. Each evening, eight local winemakers will be showcasing their young wines. The drinks will be paired by Istrian specialities, whilst DJs will be making sure the celebrations have a party feel each night.
Momjan near Buje in Northern Istria is the location of one of best Martinje festivities in Istria. This region produces many a wine wine, sweet muscatel in particular. This year, there will be Martinje events held on Monday 11th, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th November, including the traditional blessing of the wine, muscatel tastings, sports events and live music.
In Sveti Ivan Zelina, northeast of Zagreb, celebrations will be held on Friday 8th November on central Ante Starcevic Square. With attendees asked to gather from 6pm, there will be the traditional blessing of the young wine, as well as tasty food and music from tambura band Fini decki. Sveti Ivan Zelina Museum will additionally have a special exhibition on “Martinje and Martinje Customs”.
This same event will be held in Jastrebasko on Saturday 9th November.
Part of several food and drink events – called “Food and Wine Stories” – being held in Dalmatia’s largest city this month, a number of restaurants will be offering a special menu (at a promotional price) from 8th to 11th November that includes young wine. For example, Sip 27 Tapas and Wine Bar will be offering a four-course menu for €40 that includes as much young wine as you can drink!
Eastern Croatia isn’t always considered a region to sample and enjoy Croatian wine which is an error – it is home to many a fine winery! The town of Kutjevo will be holding an Open Wine Cellars Day on Saturday 9th November with eight esteemed local wineries opening their doors to wine lovers for tastings. It’s a must!
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We were recently contacted by a very friendly chap called Ed who, we are very happy to hear, runs a half-Croatian bar called Amedea in Whitstable, Kent – only about an hour from London. Intrigued, we had to learn more about the bar (named after his grandmother!), how Ed came to set it up, and about his family and travel experiences in Croatia.
1) What is your background, and whereabouts in Croatia are your family from?
Hello! My name’s Ed, I’m half Croatian and Amedea is a bar named after my grandma/Nona. Amedea and my mum’s side of the family (the Croatian side) mainly live around Kanfanar which is close to Rovinj in Istria.
Ed at Amedea
Ed, his Nona Amedea, and his partner Abbie
2) How have you come to run a Croatian bar, and such a bar in Whitstable? Do you have any previous experience in hospitality?
I do not know is the short answer! Amedea has been a dream that I’ve been far too optimistically chipping away at for about 6 years that has somehow happened. Whether it was forcing myself to put in a very amateur planning application, Googling ‘how to do a flood risk assessment’ while having a barbecue, or editing my proposed floorplans on Microsoft Paint before work, this whole journey has very much been ‘I really, really don’t know how to do this, but I’m going to have to, and just hope that no one complains… Or even better, it might work!’ I’ve grown up in Whitstable and it’s a lovely place. The residents are all interesting people who always seem up for giving a unique new business a try.
I had no real bar experience before this and it’s also my first business (so yes my mama was worried!), I just know the Croatian way to host people from my experiences with family over there, and eating/drinking out. I’ve lost count of the amount of times Amedea herself, my aunties or my cousins have shouted ‘EDVUD! JESTI!!!’ at me – even if I’ve just eaten an enormous 3-course meal! I must admit, I used to find this quite scary when I was younger.
To say Croatian people always put their guests first doesn’t do them justice, their hospitality is incredible. Hopefully, when customers visit Amedea Bar, we can help share that experience, and transport them to Istria too! My mamina Suzi and my sister Saskia work here too, which is important with any independent Croatian business – family. My dad… Well, let’s just say he’s one of our best customers. I really want to say thank you to the other staff that work here too. Although not Croatian (British, French and German actually) they carry the place flawlessly and always make me look good. Front of house smiles go a long way!
The exterior of Amedea
The Croatian flag flies proudly at Amedea
3) Have you spent time in Croatia? What’s your favourite spot in the country? (If you can narrow it down to just one!)
I’d always visit Amedea and other family in Istria at least once a year…until Coronavirus. In 2016 I spent a month travelling down the coast visiting different places, which I would love to do again! My favourite (other than Istria of course) would have to be Makarska. Seeing those cliffs really took my head a while to compute, I’ve never seen anything like those before… And then directly below them, a cute little church on a town square. That place is so unreal and beautiful, and I haven’t even mentioned the sea yet!
4) What kind of Croatian products/specialities does Amedea offer?
Well, I think most importantly, we of course sell Smoki peanut puffs! Other than that, we’ve got Graševina, Plavac, Postup, Babić and always Malvazija on the wine list. We’ve got loads of spirits including Medica and Šlivovica, but beers have been a bit harder. So far I’ve managed to get Ožujsko and San Servolo in cans and bottles, but I’m still battling to get a Croatian beer on draught… It’s harder than it sounds! And last but not least, we sell Paški sir (sheep’s cheese) and pršut (cured meat) on our food boards – which go down really well with visitors whether they’re familiar with them or not.
A great selection of Croatian spirits!
5) (I know you’ve unfortunately been subjected to lockdowns in the past year…) but do you have many Croats in England as guests? How do non-Croats enjoy the Croatian products?
Surprisingly, yes. My mum has lived in the UK for 30 years and has never seen so many Croats here until I opened the bar, they’ve really come out of the woodwork! I’m pleased to say that when Croats do visit Amedea, they tell me their experience was genuine, which really means a lot.
It seems our non-Croat customers have been really enjoying the experience too, and some of our reviews have brought a tear to my eye! The people that come to Amedea pretty much all seem to be genuine, interesting, and most of all, nice, which is something money just could not buy. It really helps that Croatia has become such a well known holiday spot over the last few years too because it means more customers can relate. Only this month, I sold a Whitstable resident some Croatian goodies so she could recreate her holiday in Hvar for her husband on Valentine’s day!
The wine list at Amedea, next to the Kanfanar coat of arms
More drinks at Amedea – and a painting by Nona Amedea
6) How have you/your bar found lockdown?
Well, it’s obviously been very tough, but a combination of a good landlord and the government grants has meant we’ve kept our heads above water. It also helps that Amedea is still a fairly new business, as it means I’m very used to living on a shoestring budget anyway!
The good news is, summer’s now in sight along with the end of lockdown. Being at Amedea this summer is going to be great and I’m really excited, especially now that the hard part’s out the way and we can fly the Croatian flag proudly again. Although something I’m certainly not looking forward to… Croatia vs. England in the Euros. ‘It must be win/win for you Ed!’ – No, it’s actually a horrible game to watch and for some reason, they always seem to play each other! My family and I just don’t like either side to lose TOO much.
But for the record…
I always support Croatia!
Thank you so much to Ed for answering our questions. We certainly can’t wait to visit Amedea!
Be sure to check out Amedea online for now at www.facebook.com/AmedeaBar and in-person once lockdown restrictions in England are over! We are sure Ed will give all of his guests a wonderful welcome!
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ed-thomas-croatian-bar-amedea-scaled.jpeg25601920annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2021-02-26 14:32:142021-02-27 10:24:38The half-Croatian bar an hour from London
We’re sure you’ve enjoyed a glass or two of outstanding Croatian wine while on holiday in the country. Thanks to new company Wines by Aizia, it’s now possible to enjoy Croatian wine in the UK too!
Croatia – A long history of wine
Although there are many fine wines that are produced in almost every region of the country, what many perhaps don’t know is that Croatia has a long history with wine. The plains of Stari Grad on the island of Hvar, for example, are a listed UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the oldest continuously cultivated vinicultural site in the world dating back to the 4th century BC.
And how’s this for a fascinating bit of Croatian wine trivia? For the coronation of Her Majesty The Queen in 1953, Buckingham Palace ordered 11,000 bottles of Traminac wine from Ilok Old Cellars. This 1947 vintage white wine, specially chosen for its intense perfume, full body and intense flavours of rose, orange blossom and tropical fruits can still be purchased today.
Croatian wine in the UK with Wines by Aizia
Wines by Aizia are proud to bring some of Croatia’s outstanding, award winning wines to the UK market. The company works closely with selected wineries and small local producers to offer a premium selection of the best Croatian wines at competitive prices. Their small producers produce award winning wines in limited quantities. The specials that they have are exciting and fresh, sometimes unusual and only available to Wines by Aizia’s members while stocks last.
Later this year Wines by Aizia will also be offering wine tasting tours to Croatia, visiting a selection of carefully chosen vineyards. Guests will be shown around the vineyard’s cellar and the estate by the winemaker and English speaking guides and enjoy a tasking session of the best local food and wine.
Mikki Hall, the MD of Wines by Aizia, said:
“I am excited to be bringing Croatia’s excellent wines to the UK giving consumers the opportunity to discover the great variety and quality available. Our autumn collection showcases producers from Eastern Croatia, Feravino, Vina Papak and Wineries Erdut.”
The Vina Papak Traminac Radosh (left) and the Vina Papak Graševina Radosh (right)
Vina Papak is a family owned winery run by husband and wife team, Mladen and Snjezana Papak. Malden was director of the famous Old Ilok Cellars and in 2014 took a brave step to pursue his passion and started their own vineyard and wine production, creating the most eco-friendly vineyard in Ilok and perhaps all of Croatia.
Wines by Aizia are very pleased to announce that in a recent wine tasting by esteemed wine critic Jancis Robinson OBE, their Feravino Dika Grasevina scored 16 out of possible 20 points.
Mikki’s passion for Croatian wine is as a result of hailing from Croatia herself. Although she moved to the UK when she was 19, she and her husband David (co-owner of Wines by Aizia) have explored the vineyards and wine cellars of Croatia for years. Their aim is to improve the availability of ease of purchase of fine Croatian wine in the UK.
More information
For more details on Wines by Aizia and full information on how to purchase some of their very fine wines, please see aiziawines.com.
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/wines-by-aizia.png112202annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2017-10-04 21:25:412018-10-15 14:35:54Discover Croatian wine in the UK with Wines by Aizia
