In the 4th Century BC, the Ancient Greeks brought grape vine to this sunny island and planted it in the fertile plain of the ancient village of Pharos. Amidst centuries of rich and turbulent history, the people of Hvar blessed with the lushness of the Mediterranean have cultivated their vineyards with great skill and care. Grapes and wine gave these people food, safety, and medicine. The island has been home to the finest variety of grapes this region has to offer, but one challenge has remained: how to cultivate such richness and harmony and turn it into great wine. Hvar’s methods are tried and true. Wines from the island have become very competitive at wine fairs, winning First Place prizes and being counted as some of the best wines in the country.

Tomić winery Jelsa
Founder and our host at Bastijana winery is Mr. Andro Tomić, a man who has devoted all his life to wine. He was born at the island of Hvar and after 20 years of training at the institutes and colleges around the world he decided to return to Hvar
and continue the family tradition of winemaking over 150 years old.