NEAR DUBROVNIK - Croatia and Slovenia - page 557

than Madirazza's, this place also has a sprawling network of atmospheric cellars where tour
groups sip wines between aging barrels (20-110-kn bottles, most 20-90 kn, reserve bottles
for 150-700 kn, free tastings upstairs, good place for a WC stop, tel. [phone], mobile
098-428-676 www.matusko-vina.hr ) .
Backtracktotheroadthatleadstothetunnel.Asyoufacetheentrancetothetunnel,turn
left, following Boris Violi ć signs to the unassuming Violi ć family home and winery. Offer-
ing a good contrast to the polished and almost “corporate”-feeling wineries described earli-
er, Boris Violi ć -Matuško and his wife Marine invite passing visitors to enjoy some home-
style hospitality. In addition to sampling their wines (four reds and two whites, 30-150-kn
bottles),considerbuyingsomebrandy,oliveoil,ortheirdeliciousgrandma-madetreats(Po-
tomje 6, tel. [phone], mobile [phone]).
If you want more wine before leaving this valley, consider paying a visit to the well-re-
garded Mili č i ć , also in Potomje (back on the main road, past Madirazza).
When you're ready to move on, look for the tunnel through the mountain marked Tunel
Dinga č , withthepictureofadonkey.Beforethistunnelwasdug,beastsofburdentrodsure-
footedly up and over this mountain to carry the grapes from Dinga č , on the far side, to this
village. The donkey remains a symbol of this wine-growing region. In the 1970s, this tun-
nel was built to make everyone's lives easier. Take advantage of it by driving through the
mountain and into another world.