Plesivica Wine Road

Plesivica is the ridge of hills between Jastrebarsko and the Slovenian border, planted with vines on the southern slopes and dotted with cellars along a signposted route, close enough to Zagreb that it functions as the city's wine country. The distinguishing thing is sparkling wine: several producers here work by the traditional method with a second fermentation in the bottle, and Plesivica has become the main centre for it in Croatia, alongside still whites - riesling, chardonnay, pinot and the local portugizac drunk young in autumn. Cellars vary from farmhouse operations to serious estates, and most take visitors by arrangement.

What you actually see

• A cellar route along a ridge - signposted, half an hour from Zagreb.
• Traditional-method sparkling wine - the region's speciality.
• Whites and young portugizac - the rest of what is made here.
• Farmhouses to serious estates - a wide range of producers.

When to go

May to October, with the harvest and young wine in September and November. A full day.

Honest expectations

Most cellars need booking rather than dropping in, particularly the smaller ones. Roads are narrow and winding, and tasting means arranging a driver. Opening hours vary widely. Weekends are busy with Zagreb visitors.

Nearby

Jastrebarsko is below; the Zumberak hills continue west.