Žlahtina Wine and Fresh Fish from Klenovica
Vinodol was once a major wine area: in 1905 it had over 600 ha of vines before phylloxera destroyed almost everything. Since 1994 winemaking in Novljansko polje has been revived, above all by the Pavlomir winery with about 31 ha of vineyards. The key grape is the native Žlahtina, a fresh, pale yellow white that goes beautifully with fish, seafood and goat cheese. One sparkling wine is even called 1288, after the year of the Vinodol Code.
The matching fish comes from Klenovica. The fishing village once lived from tuna fishing, and the tourist board recommends fish straight from the net there. Mussels and oysters are also farmed in a cove fed by a karst spring. Restaurants such as Stella Maris say they cook fish from their own catch.
Our tip: call the winery ahead to ask whether a tasting is possible, then have dinner in Klenovica. If you prefer the hills, the Tilia tasting room in Krmpote sells honey, olive oil, cheese, wine and dried figs from small producers. In spring, locals also gather wild asparagus, rocket, dandelion and fennel, which with luck you will find on menus.
That way you taste the whole range of the region in a single day, from the valley vineyards to the fishing harbour.