Fourteen Croatian wines have received ratings of 90 points or higher in Wine Enthusiast magazine’s June/July 2025 Buying Guide, according to Croatian Premium Wine Imports, Inc. (CPWI), a U.S.-based importer and promoter of indigenous Croatian wines.
The wines were recognized in the “90–93 EXCELLENT: Highly Recommended” category, marking a significant milestone for Croatia’s growing reputation in the global wine industry. Among the top performers was Testament Winery’s 2019 Testament Babić from North Dalmatia, which earned a 92-point rating. The wine, aged for six months in used American and French oak barrels, exemplifies the depth and quality of Croatia’s native varietals.
Dalmatia, Croatia’s southern coastal wine region, led in the number of awarded wines, followed by Istria and the Slavonia & Danube regions. The ratings reflect strong representation across Croatia’s diverse wine-producing areas.
“Congratulations are in order for all wineries that participated and certainly the ones that achieved the high ratings, showcasing the continuous quality of Croatian winemaking in both white and red wines,” said Mirena Bagur, co-founder of CPWI.
CPWI has played a key role in promoting Croatian wine in the U.S. market, particularly wines made from indigenous grapes such as Plavac Mali, a relative of Zinfandel, as well as Babić, Pošip, Teran, Malvasia, and Graševina. The company attributes the growing U.S. presence of Croatian wines to both their increasing quality and American interest in wine tourism tied to Croatian coastal destinations.
“More and more Croatian wines are being placed in American stores and restaurants,” Bagur noted, “a direct result of not only wine quality, but also increased demand—as American visitors prepare for island-hopping wine cruises or land-based gourmet travel experiences.”
The full list of Croatian wines rated 90 or above by Wine Enthusiast includes:
- 92 pts – Testament Winery 2019 Babić, North Dalmatia
- 91 pts – Testament Winery 2019 Dalmatian Dog Babić, North Dalmatia
- 91 pts – Volarević 2017 Syrtis Plavac Mali, Komarna Appellation, Central and South Dalmatia
- 91 pts – Zure 2022 Grk Bartul, Lumbarda, Korčula, Central and South Dalmatia
- 91 pts – Fakin 2022 Malvazija, Istria
- 91 pts – Fakin 2022 Malvazija La Prima, Istria
- 90 pts – Fakin 2021 Teran, Istria
- 90 pts – Iločki Podrumi 2022 Graševina, Slavonia & Danube
- 90 pts – Marinov 2022 Babić, North Dalmatia
- 90 pts – Matusko 2020 Plavac Mali, Central and South Dalmatia
- 90 pts – Saints Hills 2020 Dingač, Central and South Dalmatia
Since its founding six years ago, CPWI has expanded its portfolio to represent over 45 Croatian wineries from all major wine regions: Dalmatia, Istria, Slavonia, and the Croatian Uplands. These regions are known for a wide range of autochthonous varieties, including Grk, Malvasija Dubrovačka, Debit, Plavka, and Vugava, in addition to the better-known Pošip, Teran, and Graševina.
Based in the Greater Boston area, CPWI operates an online retail platform offering more than 100 boutique Croatian wines to most U.S. states. The company works in close partnership with Croatia’s national wine and tourism associations, including the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and the Croatian National Tourist Board, to promote the country as both a wine and travel destination.
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