On Saturday, June 8, the second Sparkling Breakfast took place at the elegant Pavlomir winery — a truly hedonistic event that gathered numerous visitors eager to indulge in sparkling wines, local treats, nature, and quality music. This year’s highlight was the special opening: the sabrage of Pavlomir’s prestigious and award-winning 2013 1288 sparkling wine.

The 250 million playful bubbles and finest aromas were provided by winemakers grouped around the association Kvarner Wines — including Nada, Šipun, Ivan Katunar, Anton Katunar, the agricultural cooperatives PZ Vrbnik and Gospoja — as well as sparkling wines from OPG Plovanić, OPG Ružić, and Vinska kuća Pavlomir. Boutique winery Karleuša from Rijeka displayed its still wines, and Slovenian guest winery Albiana from Dolenjska was also warmly welcomed.

Complementing the sparkling wines was a wide array of delectable gourmet offerings from mainly local producers. Guests could enjoy cheese from Runolist Dairy (Krasno), Buretić Breg cold cuts, Baška rusk bread, prisnac, fresh and aged cheeses from local suppliers, Dalmatian prosciutto, and numerous seafood delicacies: salty anchovies, octopus salad, and various fish spreads—honoring this year’s theme of pairing sparkling wine with the sea. The sweet table featured Rab cake by Kolači i slastice Vilma, pistachio-and-hazelnut pralines and chocolates by Kavana Toš, home-grown cherries from OPG Trešnja (Ledenice), and other indulgent desserts perfect with Aperol Spritz or gin.

One of the most interesting educational parts was the workshop on pairing Kvarner sparking wine with Kvarner scampi. Led by Prof. Marija Vukelić, creator of the Sparkling Breakfast concept, and scampi expert Mladen Komadina from Konoba Pod Orajem in Klenovica, the scampi was served raw and grilled, paired with Istrian olive oils by Oi Vivo and local fish seasonings by Fjori Fora, along with four different Žlahtina sparkling wines to showcase terroir differences.

Creating a relaxed and elegant ambiance, pianists Mateo Žmak and violinist Suzana Matušan Avgustini filled the vineyard with beautiful melodies. The event concluded with an En Primeur Kvarner presentation of still wines from participating wineries.

The Sparkling Breakfast once again proved to be an exceptionally successful and engaging event, destined to delight guests in years to come. The romantic setting in Pavlomir’s vineyard, a glass of sparkling wine on the blankets, and relaxed ambience made for a perfect start to a sunny June morning — beautifully complemented by the décor stylings of the Čarolija workshop.

This event is a subproject of the Zagreb Sparkling Wine Salon, organized in partnership with the Tourist Board of Novi Vinodolski, TZ Kvarner, Vinska kuća Pavlomir, and the Kvarner Wine Association.

“There is a large number of exhibitors, winemakers and farms from across Kvarner here this year. Gastronomy is a major reason for visitors to come to a destination, which is why this event is so valuable. It brings the best of Kvarner together and offers a unique eno-gastro experience. The limited number of visitors ensures we maintain high quality. I must say this is one of my favorite events, because it is organized by a team that truly loves what they do — and the guests feel that,” said Tena Peričić, director of TB Novi Vinodolski.

“Our winery began during wartime when we came to the Vinodol valley and planted a vineyard in 1994. Today we have 30 hectares and produce four types of sparkling wine. We are especially proud of reintroducing Žlahtina to this valley. I’m delighted at our successes in competitions, and today we opened this event with our award-winning 1288, declared Best Sparkling in Slovenia in 2013,” stated Miroslav Palinkaš, owner of Pavlomir.

“This event is important because it promotes the entire sparkling wine scene of Kvarner and celebrates a hedonistic lifestyle. Besides showcasing winemakers, we always offer workshops, tastings, and music. At the workshop, we will taste Klenovica scampi in two preparations, two Istrian olive oils, Hvar fish seasonings, paired with four Žlahtina sparkling wines,” added Marija Vukelić, director of the Zagreb Sparkling Wine Salon.