Why this popular Croatia cruise is perfect for wine lovers

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I’ve tasted wine in vineyards, caves and even in a field on a hike just outside the Slovakian capital of Bratislava – but this is the first time I’ve imbibed the noble grape in a set of army tunnels.

“It’s a perfect place to make wine, as it stays about 19C year-round down here,” says winemaker Nadia, as she leads us into a gloomy underworld some 60 metres below ground.

We’re on Vis, the most westerly island in Croatia, which was a military base closed to all but the armed forces when the country was part of the former state of Yugoslavia. When Croatia declared independence in 1991, fuelling the collapse of Yugoslavia, Vis was opened up to visitors.

Boutique hotels sprang up, tourists flocked in, wineries opened – and the island even stood in for Skopelos in Greece for the 2018 film Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

These dank tunnels combine a slice of Croatia’s history with a taste of its viticulture, although this excursion comes with a warning. “Be careful – it’s only a year old but heavy,” says Nadia as she pours us a white vugava with a hefty 15.2% alcohol content.

It comes on the heels of a 13% rosé and is the prelude to a two-year-old 16.9% red called plavac mali crni, which refers to the small blue grapes used to create this tipple. It’s heady stuff – and not just because of the subterranean setting.