Vis Island Wine Tasting Day: A Different Side of the Blue Cave Island

Vis has been growing wine for 2,400 years. Greek colonists brought vines from Issa in the 4th century BC. Romans expanded production. Venetians refined it. The island's isolation through the 20th century — closed to foreign visitors as a Yugoslav military base from 1944 to 1989 — preserved the old varieties and methods that other islands lost.

Today Vis has around 300 hectares of vineyards and a handful of small family wineries. The island's wine identity is built on two indigenous varieties: Vugava (white) and Plavac Mali (red), both with distinct expressions on Vis soil.

A white grape grown almost exclusively on Vis. Pale yellow, full-bodied, with apricot and dried herb notes. Higher alcohol than most whites — 13 to 14 percent typical.

Pairs beautifully with grilled fish, the seafood risotto that Vis kitchens make particularly well, and aged cheeses.

You will not find Vugava in many wine shops outside Croatia. Drinking it on Vis is the only realistic way to experience it.

Croatia's most famous red, grown across the Dalmatian coast and islands. Vis has a particular terroir — sea-influenced, mineral-rich — that gives Vis Plavac Mali a sharper edge than the more well-known Pelješac peninsula versions.

Deep red, full-bodied, with notes of dark fruit, fig, and Mediterranean herbs. 13.5 to 15 percent alcohol — it is a serious wine, not a light afternoon sip.

Pairs with grilled lamb, hard cheeses, and the rich Dalmatian dishes like pašticada (beef braised in red wine).

Lipanović. A family winery near Komiža making excellent Vugava and Plavac Mali. Visits by appointment, tasting in a renovated stone cellar. Authentic, family-run, and the wines are widely regarded as some of the best on Vis.

Roki's. Near Plisko Polje in the interior of Vis. Known for both wine and the traditional konoba on-site. A famous lunch-and-tasting destination — book ahead.

Senjković. Another family-run winery in the interior, with a quiet tasting room and a small range of well-made bottles.

These are not commercial cellar-door operations. They are working family wineries that welcome visitors by appointment. The experience is genuine, the wines are excellent, and the prices are fair.

Take the catamaran from Split to Vis Town (90 minutes, around €15) on the morning service. Arrive Vis around 09:00.

Rent a scooter or hire a car for the day at the harbour. Vis is not big — 17km long — but the wineries are inland and a vehicle is necessary.

Morning visit to one winery (Lipanović or Senjković). Tasting plus a short walk in the vineyard.

Lunch at Roki's in the interior, or at a konoba in Komiža on the south coast. Komiža is the picturesque fishing village near the Blue Cave.

Afternoon visit to a second winery or a swim at one of the south-coast beaches.

Catamaran back to Split on the evening service (typically 17:00 to 19:00).

The Blue Cave 5 Island Tour does not include time on Vis interior or visits to wineries — the boat stops at Stiniva and the cave itself. Wineries require a separate visit.

For travellers who want both: do the Blue Cave route from Split on one day, then take an overnight in Vis Town and do the wine day on a second day. A two-night Vis stay is the most rewarding way to do this island.

Alternatively, a private speedboat day with a stop in Vis Town and a pre-arranged taxi to a winery is possible. Build into a private tour — discuss with the operator in advance.

Wineries usually have bottles for sale at tasting prices — €10 to €25 per bottle for the basic range, €30 to €50 for special cuvées.

Carry-on alcohol limits matter if you are flying. Check airline rules. Croatia is in the EU so intra-EU travel is more flexible.

A wooden case from a winery makes a memorable gift back home. Some wineries arrange shipping for larger orders.

The good bottles do not stay in stock — popular vintages sell out by August.

Komiža is the southern fishing village on Vis. Whitewashed houses on a curved bay, a working harbour, and konobas serving local fish.

Several restaurants in Komiža have excellent local wine lists. A grilled fish lunch with a bottle of Vugava in Komiža is a memorable Croatia experience.

Komiža is also the launch point for the Blue Cave — Vis tour boats leave from here. If you stay overnight in Komiža, you can do a local cave trip in the morning and a wine afternoon in the same trip.

Wine-interested travellers. Couples on a slow trip. Anyone who has already done the Blue Cave standard tour and wants a deeper Vis experience.

Not ideal for families with young children or guests with one Split day only.

Further reading: see also the Split-to-Blue-Cave ferry-vs-speedboat read, the Stiniva Beach guide, the complete Blue Cave guide, and the Maslinica Solta sunken-ship piece. The private route is at /tours/blue-cave-private-tour.