Only a 30-minute ride from hectic Zagreb is enough to bring you to winding roads on the green hills of Zagorje. On one hilltop above Krapinske Toplice you’ll find Vuglec Breg Winery, settled in the basement of the farm-to-table restaurant carrying the same name. This relatively new winery is owned by Boris Vuglec, a smart gentleman born in one of the wooden houses scattered on this picturesque hill. Occupying 4 hectares of steep slopes with ideal southern exposure, his vineyards offer a relaxing view on a tamed landscape modeled by peasant hands.

Boris, together with his colleague Tomislav from Bolfan Winery, invested a lot of money, energy and knowledge to prove that wines from Zagorje can be of high quality. Still, it is a tough job. Just tell an average Croat you are going to Zagorje for wine tasting and surely you will hear something like: “Are you nuts?! Their wines are too sour and usable only for making gemišt“. Don’t believe these old prejudices. In fact, Boris’ wines have no reason to envy the wines of Istria, Slavonia and Dalmatia.

I particularly enjoyed his white and red sparkling wine made by traditional method. In other words – its bubbles were created during the second fermentation in the bottle. The white version is called Zlatni Vuglec, Extra Dry with Chardonnay base, ideal as an aperitif wine or to be paired with zaseka on homemade corn bread. The nose is fruity and aromatic with obvious bread crust notes. Energetic acids are followed by a juicy bite into ripe apples, while the finish is mellow and mouthwatering.

While the white version is a crisp, clean wine with strong character which won’t be appreciated by the average Joe, the red version made from Frankovka (Blaufränkisch) and Pinot Noir is much more unpretentious and seductive. Our feminine readers will adore it Probably because it’s Semi Dry and with plenty of ripe blackberries under the tongue.

Of all the still wines, I preferred the latest 2011 Vuglec Sauvignon, although the 2009 vintage was also very good. It has clear varietal features, vivid acids, impressive structure with a nice impact of green grass, grapefruit and nettle in the nose. Refreshing minerality and citrus flavors in the finish. Aged in stainless steel. In whole Croatia, I have only seen such a nice example of Sauvignon in Plešivica wine country. His Yellow Muscat is also a beautifully simple dessert wine. It has elegant aromas of pear compote, ripe apricots, sage and mayflower. Semisweet and light.

What surprised me a lot was 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon, which still rests in the stainless tanks. I didn’t believe that Cab, a grape that craves a lot of sun, can give such impressive concentration in this northern continental region of Croatia. It has vegetable and floral aromas, while fruit timidly appears after a while. The mouthfeel is juicy and crispy, there are ripe plums and licorice, tannins are still wild, which comes as no surprise since the wine has not seen the wood yet.

Is this great 2011 Cab a sign that global warming has come to Zagorje or it is just a fortuity of one particularly good vintage?