On the picturesque Istrian coast, Vinistra hosted an unforgettable evening to showcase Croatian success at this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).
Set against the backdrop of the exclusive Kempinski Hotel Adriatic beach in Savudrija, the Decanter 2025 Winners Showcase by Vinistra brought together nearly 200 guests from across the wine world, including DWWA judges, producers, media and industry professionals, for a unique walk-around tasting of Croatia’s top DWWA medal winners.
DWWA 2025 Winners Showcase by Vinistra.
Croatia had a strong year at the 2025 competition, claiming 386 medals, including one prestigious Platinum, 28 Gold and a strong showing of Silver and Bronze medals.
Istrian producers, in particular, were standout performers, with Malvasia leading the charge. Five Malvasias were awarded Gold medals, while Benvenuti’s San Salvatore 2021 – a luscious dessert wine from 100% Muscat – earned the only Platinum, further cementing Istria’s growing reputation as one of Europe’s rising wine stars.
The Gold and Platinum medal-winning wines from Croatia available to taste at the Vinistra DWWA Winners Showcase were:
- Benvenuti, San Salvatore Muškat, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal, Croatia, 2021 (Platinum, 97 points)
- Fakin, La Prima Malvazija, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2023 (Gold, 96 points)
- Kozlovic, Santa Lucia Malvazija, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2018 (Gold, 96 points)
- Bruno Ferenac, Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2023 (Gold, 95 points)
- Hvar Hills Winery, Merlot, Srednja i Južna Dalmacija, Coastal 2022 (Gold, 95 points)
- Hvar Hills Winery, Syrah, Srednja i Južna Dalmacija, Coastal 2022 (Gold, 95 points)
- Vina Bernobić, Malvazija, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024 (Value Gold, 95 points)
- Vina Frankovic, Korona Malvazija, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2019 (Gold, 95 points)
Guests enjoyed DWWA 2025 award-winning wines with a view of the Adriatic Sea.
During the event, winning producers were invited on stage to receive their DWWA certificates from DWWA Co-Chair Beth Willard and Dr Caroline Gilby MW, Regional Chair for the Balkans, Central & Eastern Europe and Croatia & Slovenia, who personally congratulated each of them.
Willard noted how Croatia has become an extremely important wine country and how the quality of wines keeps improving year on year. Gilby, a longtime advocate for the region, emphasised the strong sense of place and authenticity that Croatian wines now consistently deliver.
The showcase also attended other DWWA judges including Zsuzsa Toronyi and Senior Judge Igor Luković.
Certificates were presented to all DWWA 2025 medal winners in attendance. Producer Bruno Ferenac (right) with Dr Caroline Gilby MW, DWWA Regional Chair for the Balkans, Central & Eastern Europe, and Croatia & Slovenia.
The event offered wine lovers the chance to discover DWWA medal-winning wines in a walk-around tasting, exploring the country’s potential for outstanding quality.
Other DWWA 2025 medal winners available to taste on the day:
Silver winners
- Rossi, Templara, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2023 (94 points)
- Deklić, Konstantin Malvazija, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal, Croatia, 2022 (94 points)
- Andelo Brčić, Barrique Merlot, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2019 (93 points)
- Fakin, Amfora Malvazija, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2022 (93 points)
- Fakin, Monte Malvazija, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2023 (93 points)
- Benvenuti, Livio Teran, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2021 (92 points)
- Kutjevo, De Gotho Graševina , Slavonija, Continental 2021 (92 points)
- Agrolaguna, Festigia Syrah, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2022 (91 points)
- Bora, Maraština, Sjeverna Dalmacija, Coastal 2024 (91 points)
- Bora, Pošip, Coastal 2024 (91 points)
- Cmrečnjak, CMR Traminac Crveni, Zagorje – Međimurje, Continental, Croatia, 2022 (91 points)
- Festigia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2022 (91 points)
- Fuhtar, Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2022 (91 points)
- Kadum Vina, Selection Malvazija , Hrvatska Istra, Coastal, Croatia, 2022 (91 points)
- Kutjevo, Graševina, Slavonija, Continental 2024 (91 points)
- Medea, Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024 (91 points)
- Opg Bertoša Robi, Berba Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024 (91 points)
- Vina Laguna, Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024 (91 points)
- Bernobić, Teran, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024 (90 points)
- Cattunar, 4 Terre Black Soil Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2021 (90 points)
- Cattunar, 4 Terre Black Soil Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024 (90 points)
- Fakin, Teran, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024 (90 points)
- Kadum Vina, Malvazija, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal, Croatia, 2024 (90 points)
- Kadum, Amphora Malvazija, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal, Croatia, 2022 (90 points)
- Kozlović, Selekcija Malvazija, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2022 (90 points)
- Kutjevo, De Gotho Pinot Crni, Slavonija, Continental 2021 (90 points)
- Kutjevo, Graševina, Slavonija, Continental 2024 (90 points)
- Medea Vinarija, Montiron, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2023 (90 points)
- Munđarov Breg, Sauvignon Blanc, Zagorje – Međimurje, Continental, Croatia, 2023 (90 points)
- Opg Bertoša Robi, Berba Teran, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2021 (90 points)
- Poletti, Cabernet Sauvignon, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2018 (90 points)
- Rossi, Monte D’oro Riserva, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2021 (90 points)
- Zigante Vero, Malvazijia Verõ, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2020 (90 points)
Bronze winners
- Deklić, Teran, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2022 (89 points)
- Frankovic, Malvazija, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024 (89 points)
- Kadum Vina, Cuvée Dark, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2022 (89 points)
- Kutjevo, Vinkomir Graševina, Slavonija, Continental 2023 (89 points)
- šTampar, Pušipel Classic, Zagorje – Međimurje, Continental 2024 (89 points)
- Valenta, Sauvignon Blanc, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024 (89 points)
- Andelo Brčić, Grand Cru Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2020 (88 points)
- Dobra Berba, Moe, Plešivica, Continental 2022 (88 points)
- Matošević, Alba Riserva Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2022 (88 points)
- Matošević, Riserva Alba Robinia Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2021 (88 points)
- šTampar, Pinot Sivi, Zagorje – Međimurje, Continental 2023 (88 points)
- šTampar, Muškat žUti, Zagorje – Međimurje, Continental 2024 (88 points)
- Vinogradarstvo I Vinarstvo Stanko Kovač, Pušipel Classic, Zagorje – Međimurje, Continental 2024 (88 points)
- Zigante Vero, Teran , Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2021 (88 points)
- Cmrečnjak, Classic Pušipel, Zagorje – Međimurje, Continental 2024 (87 points)
- Damjanić, Clémente Blanc, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2022 (87 points)
- Dobra Berba, Crn Jak Zweigelt-Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon, Plešivica, Continental 2022 (87 points)
- Kadum, Amphora Refošk, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2022 (87 points)
- Kostanjevec, Graševina, Prigorje – Bilogora, Continental, Croatia, 2024 (87 points)
- Kostanjevec, Muškat žuti, Prigorje – Bilogora, Continental, Croatia, 2024 (87 points)
- Kostanjevec, Sauvignon Blanc, Prigorje – Bilogora, Continental, Croatia, 2024 (87 points)
- Kutjevo, Maximo Oro Graševina-Chardonnay, Slavonija, Continental 2022 (87 points)
- Pervino, Bračalet, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2023 (87 points)
- Pervino, Teraneo, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2022 (87 points)
- Poletti, Chardonnay, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024 (87 points)
- Stanko Kovač, Sauvignon, Zagorje – Međimurje, Continental 2024 (87 points)
- Vina Vuković, Pušipel , Zagorje – Međimurje, Continental 2024 (87 points)
- Vina Vuković, Rajnski Rizling, Zagorje – Međimurje, Continental 2024 (87 points)
- Zigante Vero, Malvazijia Istarska , Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024 (87 points)
- Cmrečnjak, Pušipel Mađerka, Zagorje – Međimurje, Continental 2023 (86 points)
- Damjanić, Clemente, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2020 (86 points)
- Damjanić, Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024 (86 points)
- Fakin, Malvazija Istarska, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2024 (86 points)
- Valenta, Terre Di Paradiso, Hrvatska Istra, Coastal 2021 (86 points)
