Old vs Modern – Twice the Wine Tour
Old vs Modern – Twice the Wine
Some places preserve tradition.
Some evolve to explore the trends.
Hvar does both…
And this tour is here to show you that through the lens of wine…
Before you taste the first label, our experienced guide will pick you up at your hotel.
From there, you’ll go to one of the most famous viewpoints on Hvar, Napoleon’s Fortress. The view will try to keep you anchored there for a while, but resist it, there’s a lot more to see… A lot more to taste.
Driving on the old scenic road will give you a chance to get a better sense of Hvar’s terrain. It will help you understand wine coming from such a harsh place, but you’ll make another stop before trying the first label.
You’ll stop at St. Roko’s chapel to admire Stari Grad Plain, a UNESCO heritage site where wine and other Mediterranean cultures have continuously grown for more than 2.400 years.
Then, you continue driving deeper into the island, deeper into its past and present.
You’ll visit two wineries sharing the grape varieties they use…
Yet their wines tell very different stories.
At the first stop, you’ll enter a cellar where tradition leads the way.
In Duboković winery, they will welcome you to their home and their candle lit cellar. They’ll take you on a journey starting with a crisp rosé, moving on to the first orange wine labels on Hvar Island, coming from the famous Dalmatian red soil. After the amber wines, you’ll move to distinct reds including Medvid, one of Croatia’s most respected plavac mali labels, only to leave you with a sweet aftertaste of an extremely traditional desert wine prošek.
At the second stop, you’ll meet a winemaker who respects tradition but doesn’t mind mixing with more modern influences. Mr. Andro Tomić, founder of Bastijana winery. He spent over 20 years training in institutes and colleges worldwide before he decided to return to Hvar.
With his worldly knowledge, he created a variety of colorful Hvar wines. Now, Mr. Andro Tomić is in a well-deserved retirement, but Tomić wines are still thriving thanks to his son Sebastijan. Following his father’s multicultural approach to wine making, he spent two years in communication with French wine masters from the Champagne region, before showing the world the first “champagne” from Hvar, made from an indigenous white grape Bogdanuša.
Duboković and Tomić, they have the same palette of colors, yet their masterpieces are so different.
Is one winery better than the other?
Or do they serve as a reminder that there’s beauty in everything created with love and passion?
That’s on you to decide…
While trying numerous wines from Hvar’s two most famous wineries.
Quick Facts about Old vs Modern – Twice the Wine Tour
- Duration: 3,5 hours
- Departure time: 1:15 PM or 4:45 PM (or by agreement)
- Group Size: Up to 16 guests or private option available
- THE PRICE INCLUDES: Tour as described, A/C car with driver/professional local guide, wine tastings at two wineries
- THE PRICE DOESN’T INCLUDE: Gratuities to driver/guide and items purchased for personal use
- Transportation method: Mercedes Benz Vito/V class
- Minimum pax: 2 people
- Season: Available all season
- Difficulty level: Easy, minimal walking involved
- Language: English (other languages on request)
Who Is This Old vs Modern – Twice the Wine Tour Perfect For
- Curious wine lovers looking to experience different winemaking philosophies
- Travelers who enjoy tasting local grape varieties and comparing local wines
- Couples looking for a relaxed yet meaningful inland experience
- Cruise ship guests wanting a structured and insightful wine tour
- Foodies who want to understand wine beyond flavor notes
- Travelers staying in Hvar Town, Stari Grad or Jelsa
What You’ll Experience on Old vs Modern – Twice the Wine Tour
- Scenic drive through rural Hvar and traditional villages
- Panoramic viewpoints overlooking Hvar Town and Stari Grad Plain
- Visit to two carefully selected Hvar wineries
- Tasting multiple wines at each stop
- Explanation of traditional vs modern production techniques
- Stories about family heritage, experimentation and terroir
- Opportunity to purchase wine directly from producers
Old vs Modern on Hvar - Why It Matters
Wine on Hvar has always been shaped by extremes – extreme sun, stone and dedication.
Traditional winemakers learned to work with those conditions slowly and carefully. Modern winemakers learned to reinterpret them.
On this tour, you won’t be told which style is better. You’ll be given the chance to understand both.
You’ll taste how the same island and grape varieties can create completely different expressions depending on philosophy.
What to Bring for Your Old vs Modern – Twice the Wine Tour
- Light jacket in spring or autumn
- Cash for purchasing wine
FAQs About the Old vs Modern – Twice the Wine Tour
Is this a private tour?
We offer both small group and private wine tour options.
How many wines will we taste?
You will taste multiple wines at each winery, typically ranging between 6 and 10 total depending on availability.
Is prior wine knowledge required?
No prior wine knowledge is required. The tasting is structured and explained in an accessible way.
Are the wineries commercial or family-run?
Both wineries are family-oriented producers focused on quality rather than volume.
Old vs Modern Wine Tour vs Standard Wine Tastings – What’s the Difference?
Standard tastings usually mean arriving at a winery, trying a few wines, hearing a short explanation – and leaving.
This experience unfolds differently.
You begin above Hvar, cross the island through lavender fields and dry-stone walls, and stop at St. Roko’s chapel before even entering the first cellar. Then the actual tasting starts and stories of local life and customs get poured together with Hvar wines.
Is This the Most Insightful Wine Tour on Hvar?
If you want to taste wine and understand it, if you want to compare numerous versions of indigenous Croatian grapes, if you want to see how Hvar’s past, present, and future coexist in a single afternoon, this is probably your best choice for a wine tasting tour on Hvar.
