Royal Hill Winery

In 2020, a group of successful businesspeople from Croatia founded the Royal Hill Estate winery, one of the most ambitious winemaking projects in the country. By purchasing 36 hectares of vineyards in the prestigious Kraljevo Brdo location in Erdut, previously used by the Iuris winery, they started a new wine story with a strong focus on exports. The winery currently cultivates grapevines on 45 hectares of prime vineyard locations in the municipality of Erdut, situated in the Croatian Danube region, right next to the Danube River and the national border. The first harvests yield around 300,000 bottles, including Pinot Noir in the Blanc de Noirs style, Rosé from Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Cuvée, and Chardonnay. The winemaking team, led by Damir Risek and Melita Rumbak, crafts wines of exceptional quality, while some labels are created by Matija Lesković, a PhD in enology with experience in some of the world’s most renowned wineries. Among the standout wines is the Rosé from Cabernet Sauvignon, awarded a bronze medal at Decanter and 91 points at the Wine Stars competition. Dry, fruit-herbal, and exceptionally fresh, it ranks among the most attractive Croatian examples of Provençal-style rosés. Royal Hill Estate produces a total of ten labels: Sauvignon Blanc, Royal Hill Blanc de Noir (Pinot Noir 80%, Chardonnay 20%), Pinot Noir, Royal Hill Rosé (Pinot Noir 76%, Merlot 12%, Cabernet Franc 12%), Royal Hill Extra Brut (sparkling wine from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Graševina), Royal Hill Extra Brut (sparkling wine made using the traditional method), Royal Hill Rosé Brut (sparkling wine from Pinot Noir), Royal Hill Rosé de Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc. With an investment like Royal Hill, Erdut has the potential to become a new major Croatian wine destination, recognized beyond the country’s borders.