Jems
Over the past few days, Baranja has been celebrating wine, tradition, and tourism through a series of events held under the Vinatlon banner, once again demonstrating the festival’s importance for the development of wine and rural tourism. The programme began with the international conference “Iter Vitis – The Wine Route of Heritage and Tourism” in Kamenac, continued with the presentation of awards to the winners of the Danube Champion wine competition in Karanac, and culminated in a grand finale in Zmajevac attended by more than 3,000 visitors.
This year’s Vinatlon also had a strong international dimension, as the event was co-financed through the INTERREG VI-A IPA Croatia–Serbia Programme 2021–2027 as part of the Wine Heritage project. The project is jointly implemented by the Municipality of Kneževi Vinogradi, the Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board, the Croatian Association for Tourism and Rural Development “Village Members Club,” the Municipality of Sremski Karlovci, and the Tourist Organisation of Vojvodina, with the aim of preserving and promoting wine heritage while fostering sustainable wine tourism development in the cross-border region.
The “Iter Vitis – The Wine Route of Heritage and Tourism” conference, held at the New Winery of Vina Belje in Kamenac, brought together representatives of the tourism and wine sectors, experts, and institutions from Croatia and neighbouring countries. Participants discussed ways to transform wine heritage, traditional wine cellars, and the authentic stories of wine-growing regions into stronger tourism products, while further connecting Danube-region destinations through joint tourism initiatives. Particular emphasis was placed on the development of wine routes, digital destination promotion, and international cooperation in wine tourism.
The conference attracted numerous distinguished guests from Croatia and neighbouring countries. The event was opened by David Vlajčić, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Dijana Katica, President of the Croatian Association for Tourism and Rural Development “Village Members Club”; Vedran Kramarić, Mayor of the Municipality of Kneževi Vinogradi; Mislav Matišić, Director of the Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board; Igor Pavelić, Mayor of Beli Manastir and President of the Baranja Tourist Board; and Goran Ivanović, Deputy Prefect of Osijek-Baranja County. The conference’s international character was further underscored by the participation of representatives from Croatia, Serbia, and Hungary in panel discussions on the future of wine tourism and the integration of Danube wine regions.
As part of Vinatlon, the traditional Danube Champion wine competition was also held. This year’s edition attracted a record 119 wines from 32 wineries across Croatia, Hungary, and Serbia, marking the highest participation to date. The prestigious Danube Champion title was awarded to Demon Syrah 2024 from Hungary’s Maul Winery. Awards were also presented for the best white, red, rosé, and predicate wines, as well as for the Journalists’ Graševina category.
The awards ceremony brought together winemakers, industry experts, representatives of the tourism and public sectors, and numerous wine enthusiasts. Among the guests were Osijek-Baranja County Prefect Nataša Tramišak, State Secretary at the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds Domagoj Mikulić, Members of Parliament Robert Jankovics and Stipan Šašlin, Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board Director Mislav Matišić, and representatives of partner organisations involved in the implementation of the Wine Heritage project. Following the ceremony, visitors had the opportunity to taste the award-winning wines at the longest Danube Champion wine table, further confirming the growing prestige of this international wine competition across the Danube region.
The highlight of the festival took place in Zmajevac, where the Vinatlon finale attracted more than 3,000 visitors. Throughout the day, guests enjoyed wine workshops, tastings, a fair of local products and handicrafts, and a rich entertainment programme. Particular interest was generated by workshops dedicated to Baranja wines, including Merlot tastings, late-harvest wine tastings, and the creative “Sip & Paint” workshop.
One of the most popular attractions was once again Bačvatlon, the unique barrel-pushing competition through the historic surduks of Zmajevac, which drew considerable attention from both participants and spectators. The event also gained international visibility through the participation of British journalist and Croatian tourism promoter Paul Bradbury, who took part in the unusual contest.
Year after year, Vinatlon continues to evolve beyond the framework of a traditional wine festival, becoming a major tourism event that successfully combines wine, gastronomy, cultural heritage, music, and the authentic spirit of Baranja.
