Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Popping out at the sea, you're in the heart of the
Dinga
č
vineyards. Turn left (toward
Borak
) and drive on the one-lane road above all those vines, with a green and jagged wa-
terline that looks almost Celtic. (Drive carefully: While it's a paved road, it's narrow, with a
very steep shoulder.) Croatia's best reds are lovingly raised right here, bathed in ample sun-
shine as they struggle against a very rocky soil. Locals explain that these grapes are bathed
in sunlight from every angle—not just the sun above, but the reflection of those rays from
boththeseaandthewhitesoil.Dinga
č
neverfreezes(unlikethevalley),andrainfallrunsoff
immediately through its porous limestone soil, making these plants very disease-resistant.
By the time they are harvested, Dinga
č
grapes are withered by the sun—halfway to raisins,
packed with sugar, and ideal for producing top-quality wines. At the fork, continue down to
the right, toward
Dinga
č
/Borak;
at the next fork, when the Borak road turns sharply down
and to the right, keep going straight onto the smaller road.
As you drive, keep enjoying dramatic views of Mljet Island. When you enter an area of
trees, look across the harbor to see a building perched on a cliff over the water—that's our
next stop. Soon you'll come to the village of Trstenik; at the T-intersection, make a sharp
right turn, then turn left to pass along its little waterfront. At the far end of town, on the
way up the hill, turn into the parking lot for the
Grgi
ć
winery. Perhaps the best-known and
best-regarded Croatian vintner, Mike Grgi
ć
's facility is less appealing than the others we've
