4 editor-picked estates growing Sauvignon Blanc in Istria.
Where to taste Sauvignon Blanc in Istria: the estates that grow it, how the region expresses the grape, and how to book a visit.
Multi-generation Brtonigla estate whose 4 Terre series separates Malvazija Istarska by soil type, alongside Kappi Teran and a wide indigenous and international varietal range.
Tasting: Cellar visits with a short winery and cellar presentation; reservation by phone or email.
Tip: The 4 Terre Malvazija series is a useful side-by-side lesson in how soil changes the same grape.
Vizinada family estate cultivating vines since 1850 and now run by father-and-son team Franc and Oliver Arman, working Malvazija, Teran and a broad international range alongside a sparkling Stanzia Brut.
Tasting: Tastings by reservation. Summer hours Monday-Saturday 8:00-20:00, winter Monday-Saturday 8:00-16:00.
Tip: The terrace tasting room looks toward both the sea and the Alps on a clear day.
Vizinada estate whose first vineyard was planted by great-grandfather Ivan Arman in the 1880s, now run by Marijan Arman with daughters Ines and Nina across Teran, Malvazija Rezerva and a Rose Duet blend.
Tasting: Guided cellar tastings with a tasting room and shop; reservation by phone or email.
Tip: Ask for the Rose Duet alongside the Teran to see the same red-soil fruit in two different registers.
Fourth-generation Vizinada family cellar farming the same hillside since 1850, personal reservation-only tastings poured by the Arman family in a spot most coastal visitors never reach.
Why locals love it: Vizinada sits inland off the Momjan and Bujstina tourist circuit, and the winery works by reservation only rather than chasing drop-in coach traffic.
Tip: Ask for the Perla Bianca alongside the Malvasia Classic, the estate's own house blend rarely appears on outside wine lists.