Slavonia-Baranja – The Shortlist
'Become a hedonist – discover the charms of the Croatian East'
The city of Osijek – located on the Drava River – is a great starting point for a visit Osijek-Baranja County. It is Croatia’s fourth largest city and the administrative capital of the region, easily accessible by a modern highway, railroad, and three international airports – Zagreb, Belgrade, and Budapest – all a couple of hours or so away by car. Osijek boasts accommodations, restaurants, and a plethora of activities and events – something for everyone. Through the centuries, Romans, Slavs, Hungarians, Ottomans and more have called Osijek home and these historic, cultural, and ethnic influences remain today.
About 50 miles west of Osijek, another must-stop is the small town of Kutjevo, known primarily for winegrowing and other agriculture. It is home to Croatia’s oldest winery and largest wine exporter – the namesake Kutjevo – as well as other wineries like Krauthaker and Sontacchi.
Stay
Hotel Maksimilian
Franjevačka ul. 12, 31000, Osijek, Croatia
Hotel Maksimilian – a B&B-style inn within the historic Osijek Fortress – is housed in an 18th century, Austro-Hungarian-era, Art Nouveau building. It has 12 rooms, including one accessible for guests with disabilities and one for a family. Four are on the ground level and the others upstairs where owner and Austro-Hungarian officer Maksimilian Riegl resided with his family. My room was upstairs, which made for a challenge due to my large suitcase, but the innkeeper went out of her way to carry my bag up and down the stairs for me. Maksimilian offers a full, cooked-to-order breakfast that includes eggs, charcuterie, cheeses, and more. There is also a bar/tasting room, where I chilled a bottle of wine for an after-dinner tasting in the courtyard.
Wellness B&B Winery Sontacchi
Trg Graševine 4, 34340, Kutjevo, Croatia
Sontacchi was the surprise cherry on top of my brief overnight visit to Kutjevo. I had arrived earlier in the day to check into the B&B – which opened in 2015 – and to drop off my bags before going to Krauthaker and dinner. There are five rooms – 10 beds total – and all of the furniture comes from generations of Sontacchi family members and the rooms are named after them as well.
After dinner, my Krauthaker hosts and I arrived very late to the B&B to drop me off, but one said, “Do you want to see the cellar?” I replied, “There’s a winery here?”
They laughed and we joined winemaker and proprietor Antun Sontacchi in the cellar underneath the B&B for a sparkling nightcap – the Sontacchi Blanc de Noirs 2021 – and a splash of the Superslav 2022.
The following morning Antun greeted me and made eggs and asparagus to order, alongside the other dishes like charcuterie.
I asked him how long his family had been winemaking in the area and he said, “I’m fifth generation.” In 1900, first-generation Tomaso Sontacchi began his career as vineyard manager at Kutjevo’s Zdenko Turković, which was the start of the family winemaking legacy.
Today Antun and his brother Krunoslav Sontacchi grow and make Graševina, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Portugieser – and the winery is known for its red cuvée, Kutjevački Kitokret – the quality of the wine, its unforgettable label, and the legend behind it.
Eat
Čingi Lingi Čarda
Ul. kralja Zvonimira, 31327, Bilje, Croatia
Čingi Lingi Čarda – a recommendation from the innkeeper at Maksimilian – was an great place to enjoy dinner with a Serbian colleague who happened to be in Osijek at the same time. It is believed the restaurant dates to when Croatia was part of Yugoslavia – and prior to that – the Austro-Hungarian Empire, when was often frequented by livestock traders. Its name signifies the sound of a bell ringing – “ching-ling” – a bell on the tree in the center of the restaurant – which alerted everyone to the postal service stagecoach’s arrival – and later, “the one who rang the bell was ready to ‘turn the round’ for everyone there.” Source here. The menu focuses on local Slavonia-Baranja cuisine. My colleague and I shared a spicy fish soup similar to ones I have had in nearby Hungary.
Restoran Josić
Planina 194, 31307, Zmajevac, Croatia
My May 2024 tour included a lunch and wine tasting at Josić in the village of Zmajevac. Chef Tomica Đukić puts his own twist on traditional Baranja cuisine using locally sourced ingredients – creating dishes that are visually beautiful, aromatically pleasing, and richly flavorful – especially paired with Josić’s wines. Read more.
Restoran Shhhuma
Cirakijeva ulica bb, 34330, Velika, Croatia
After my comprehensive tasting at Krauthaker, my hosts took me to dinner at Shhhuma, which interestingly is part of Shhhuma Aquapark, but I could not see it because it was after dark when we arrived. The restaurant offers a wide variety of local and international cuisine, including charcuterie, soups, ćevapi, schnitzel, perch fillet, Nepali Masala, pork tenderloin, steak, and stir fry – which we paired with the Krauthaker wines we brought. We ended the night with a sip of rakija (local fruit brandy), of course.
Sip
Belje
Petefi Šandora 2, 31309, Kneževi Vinogradi, Croatia
Prince Eugene of Savoy built a castle on his property and brought together 19 villages, creating a large agricultural estate, thus paving the way for Vina Belje, which has survived and thrived for 367 years during Croatia’s tumultuous history. Read more.
Gerštmajer
Ul. Peteffi Šandora 31, 31307, Zmajevac, Croatia
Gerštmajer is a multi-generational viticulture and winemaking family living and working in the Baranja region of Croatia in Zmajevac within the municipality of Kneževi Vinogradi, only 22 kilometers (13.5 miles) from the Hungarian border. Read more.
Josić
Planina 194, 31307, Zmajevac, Croatia
In 1999, Damir and Vlatka Josić purchased a 42-meter-long wine cellar built in 1935, to which they have added modern winemaking technology. Today they make a variety of wines. Read more.
Enosophia (Feravino)
Ferićeva ul. 16, 31500, Feričanci, Croatia
Enosophia (Feravino) – located in Feričanci – is one of Croatia’s centuries-old flagship wineries. Its original cellars date to 1804, followed by new construction in 1962 and 2020 – a true “synergy of tradition and modernity.” Read more.
Krauthaker
Vidim ul., 34340, Kutjevo, Croatia
Vlado Krauthaker – one of Slavonia’s most lauded winemakers – founded his namesake winery in 1992 with just one hectare. Read more.