It is an exceptional pleasure to start 2015 with excellent news from the USA – Istria has been ranked among TOP 10 wine destinations in 2015 according to Wine Enthusiast.

www.wineenthusiast.com

Istra - 10 Best Wine Travel Destinations 2015

Wine Enthusiast, established back in 1979, is a world leader for wines, publishing hundreds of wine reviews in its each edition and with more than 300 million printed catalogues. Its web pages make the Wine Enthusiast content available worldwide. In view of all the above said, this is clearly a perfect opportunity for the promotion of Istria.

This flattering recognition has been awarded by Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jensenn. The two known as the World Wine Guys have visited Istria three times so far, the last time in July 2013. During their stays on the Istrian peninsula, they were given an opportunity to learn about Istrian indigenous wine varieties and wines such as malvasia, teran, merlot and others. They also provide advice as to where to stay and what to visit as well as where to taste the best wines.

They are responsible for positioning Istria on the very top of the already established world wine regions including Piedmont in Italy, the Loire and Rhône Valleys in France, the American Mendocino. The best ranked also includes Orlando and the Finger Lakes in the USA, Hawkes Bay in New Zealand, Galicia in Spain and the Okanagan in Canada.

» www.winemag.com/Web-2014/10-Best-Wine-Travel-Destinations-2015/

With regard to this exceptional honour and ranking among the TOP 10, the president of the Croatian Sommelier Club Mr. Franko Lukež said the following: 'When the esteemed American Wine Enthusiast, with its 35 year long experience of where wine lives, ranks you among top ten wine tourist destinations in 2015 along with regions such as the Italian Piedmont, Spanish Galicia or French Loire and Rhône, then all the wine producers from the region – Istria in this case – have a big reason to celebrate. And, not only them! Wine should never be viewed without food. A glass of good wine is a natural ending of every good meal. The most exciting wine destinations are therefore locations offering excellent wines to accompany superb dishes: All is played out in glittering restaurant, rustic taverns or original farm households located in magnificent landscape. It is nice to be recognized by wine enthusiasts!'

With regard to the Wine Enthusiast's ranking Istria among top ten wine regions in the world, Denis Ivošević, Director of the Istria Tourist Board, emphasized that each new recognition and ranking among world best destinations had always raised quality criteria and represented a huge obligation for them as the reputation of one's own image in tourism had always been of the utmost importance. He continued by adding that this recognition was of special significance as it was awarded by a distinguished web portal with a reputation of an opinion maker as well as in view of Istrian ability and capacity of winning world influencers and offering creativity and innovation of its offer in the period following the four years of winning best TOP destination awards.

This recognition complements the numerous ones awarded to Istria in the last few years from all around the world, ranking it high:

» www.istra.hr/en/pr/Istria-TOP

Istria on the list of top 10 wine destinations in the world:

» www.winemag.com/Web-2014/10-Best-Wine-Travel-Destinations-2015/index.php/cparticle/11