Plešivica vineyards

A fine bead on the tongue and the scent of damp stone set the scene in Plešivica’s cool cellars, perched around 400–500 m. Southwest of Zagreb, small estates such as Tomac, Korak, and Šember have honed traditional-method sparklers since the 1990s, alongside taut Rieslings and still Pinot Noir. Terraced rows face the Kupa valley, and in just 30–40 minutes via the A1 and D1 you go from city roofs to slopes where Croatian fizz picked up early Decanter medals.

Here’s how it works: pick-up at your Zagreb hotel in a Mercedes, then three to four hours with your driver on hand while you taste and tour. Your private chauffeur in Zagreb lines up the appointments, shuffles the order if crowds build, and covers the 10–20 minute hops between estates as you sample. Expect a cellar walk-through, a focused Riesling flight, then a stop at a local konoba for cured meats; if time allows, a short detour to the Okić viewpoint wraps things up before the ride back.