About winery
Kurtalj Winery is located in the very heart of Plešivica, in a family-owned house dating back to 1901, when Karlo Kurtalj, great-grandfather of today’s winemaker Drago Kurtalj, purchased it with money earned from wine production and sales. Today, Drago continues the family tradition with a strong commitment to quality.
The family cultivates around 17,000 vines on 2.5 hectares of their own vineyard and also sources grapes from carefully selected growers who follow their viticultural guidelines. Known especially for their sparkling wines, Kurtalj has been producing them for 17 years. Their Cuvée Prestige 2015, made of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, was awarded best Croatian sparkling wine. Alongside it, three more sparkling labels age in the cellar: Brut DRI (named after Drago’s children: Doni, Roko, Ivan), Rosé (Pinot Noir and local varieties), and Karle, a classic Blanc de Blancs in honor of their ancestor.
All sparkling wines are crafted using the traditional méthode champenoise, with long aging on lees. Base wines are aged in oak barrels and stainless steel tanks in the winery’s modern cellar. In addition to sparkling wines, the winery produces still wines, including a distinctive Pinot Noir, Green Silvaner, Riesling, and two orange wines under the Marl label: Marl Diplomatska Berba 2021 (Riesling with 25% Pinot Gris, 40 days maceration) and Marl Merlot 2016, the first Merlot ever made in Plešivica. Visitors are welcome by appointment to enjoy guided tastings and traditional homemade dishes in the warm and authentic atmosphere of the Kurtalj estate.