OPG Božo Bačić Winery

OPG Božo Bačić Winery is located in Podgrađe, a village near Benkovac, on the mythical Kamen Brijeg, next to the remains of the ancient Liburnian-Roman city of Asseria. Named after these ruins, Podgrađe is home to winemaker Božo Bačić, often referred to as the “Mozart among winemakers” of the Zadar region. In an area that has undergone a true wine revolution in the past fifteen years, Bačić is one of those who have transformed near-nonexistent winemaking into labels that now win prestigious awards. His winemaking journey began in 2007 when he planted a significant number of vines. The preparation of the land took two years, as the rocky terrain had to be crushed and converted into fertile soil suitable for grapevines. Before dedicating himself to winemaking, he was engaged in vegetable farming and worked as a transport operator for a period. However, due to the seasonal nature of vegetable production, winemaking proved to be the ideal choice, offering year-round production and sales. With a total of 70,000 vines, Bačić cultivates 27,000 Syrah, 23,000 Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20,000 Merlot vines. He, along with his wife and daughter, works daily in the vineyards, as maintaining such a vast area requires constant attention. He primarily produces single-varietal wines, though occasionally, depending on the yield and cellar capacity, he resorts to blending. His wines consistently win awards, each serving as a step toward greater market recognition and customer reach. Most of his wine is sold directly from the winery, but due to limited cellar capacity, he also sells a significant portion of his grapes. Annually, he produces around 20,000 liters of wine, with his labels named Asseria, after the vineyard from which they originate. One of his most notable achievements came in 2011 when he won a silver medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards. The award-winning wine was a unique aromatized blend of Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, enriched with the native Maraska cherry.