I am just back from a three-week holiday in England and Croatia. The trip was fabulous!
Catching up with friends and family in Frome, Somerset and Birmingham in England is always great fun.
And on this trip, there was a special birthday celebration in the famous medieval city of Norwich, northeast of London. Historically, it was one of the most important cities in England after London, particularly during the middle ages. What a gorgeous place! Norwich is filled with traditional pubs, a spectacular Cathedral, a medieval Castle overlooking the city, a maze of pedestrian walkways and one of England’s oldest open-air markets, operating for over 900 years.
Norwich is a living history book! A pub for every day of the year and a church for every Sunday is a popular saying here.
completed in 1105
Long on my list of places to visit was Croatia, so I spent the last week visiting four iconic destinations along the Croatian coast: Split, Hvar, Trogir and Dubrovnik. Each place is full of history, beauty and magnificent coastlines.
Split is known for Diocletian’s Palace, a Roman emperor’s retirement palace that now forms the city centre, and is a springboard to other islands with its bustling ferry port.
Dubrovnik is considered the pearl of the Adriatic with its massive stone city walls and breathtaking look-out points.
Hvar is an island escape reached by a 90-minute ferry from Split, with a fort (Fortica) overlooking the city of Hvar with sensational views.
Trogir is a UNESCO-protected, romantic medieval old town with Venetian architecture and a standout Cathedral.
Croatia has over 2,500 years of winemaking tradition, dating back to the Greeks and Romans, and offers a wide variety of native grape varieties that aren’t found anywhere else in the world. And there is a vibrant local wine culture. Sadly, we won’t see much here. Less than 10% is exported, as most is consumed in Croatia and by its neighbour, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Due to the very sunny days and high temperatures, I stuck to white and sparkling wines on this trip. The most popular white varietal is called Pošip, from Dalmatia (the south coast), particularly the islands of Korčula and Pelješac. It is fresh and minerally, medium to full-bodied, with flavours of stone fruits, citrus and herbal undertones. It pairs perfectly with the local seafood, shellfish, and risottos. I also tried Graševina (Welschriesling). It was light, dry, and refreshing, with green apple, citrus, and floral aromas and flavours.
As for sparkling wines, I went for Tomac Millennium, made in the traditional Champagne method with Chardonnay, Graševina, and local varieties. From Plešivica, west of Zagreb, Tomac is widely regarded as the benchmark of Croatian sparkling wine. The family has been making wine here for over 200 years and emphasizes organic and biodynamic practices. Tomac Millennium was complex and creamy with a crisp, minerally finish. It was delicious with my sea bass!
While flying between London and Split, on the discount carrier, EasyJet, I ordered a small bottle of Champagne. It took a while for the attendant to chill it down, but when it arrived, it was well dressed! I have never been served a bottle of Champagne like this, and I thought the presentation was worth sharing.
On my return flight on Air Canada, I was relieved to see one Ontario wine on the wine list in Business Class. With so many delicious wines made in Canada, I wish all the wines on Air Canada were Canadian. With all the international travellers around me, it is an ideal forum to showcase what Canada can offer. Instead, the additional, and somewhat mediocre wines, were from Germany, Spain and France. The shining light was the food-friendly and readily available Cave Spring Gamay 2023 VQA. The wine is fresh, light-bodied with cherry aromas and flavours with a soft woody finish. It paired with all the menu items on board, including lamb, chicken, salmon and pasta with a cream sauce.
Although I had a fantastic trip, it’s always nice to be home!
Cheers,
Shari 🥂
Not from Ontario? Try WineSearcher.
