You can now go diving to an underwater winery in Croatia

Two words: holiday goals
Shutterstock / OPIS Zagreb
Liz Connor19 July 2017

There are so many great reasons to visit Croatia. There are beautiful islands to explore, amazing seafood restaurants by the dozen, Insta-worthy waters to paddle in - oh and the small matter of brilliant sunshine all summer long.

But as if that wasn’t alluring enough, the travel destination has just announced a new attraction that is sure to make you book a plane ticket faster than you can say ‘Pinot Grigio’.

An underwater winery has just opened, offering adventurous drinkers the chance to dive through shoals of tropical fish to explore the area’s unusual wine production method.

Based in the postcard-perfect town of Drace, which is about an hour’s north of the old town of Dubrovnik, Edivo Vina's below-sea-level winery tour invites guests to dive to the bottom of the Mali Ston bay, exploring sunken shipwrecks and colourful sea life as you go.

At this point, you’re probably wondering, “how does a vineyard grow underwater?”

Well, the underwater element actually takes place long after the grapes have been harvested, crushed, pressed, fermented and bottled.

The wine is first aged above-ground for the three months and then stored in amphorae - a special clay jug that’s packaged in cages, locked and then submerged in the Adriatic sea.

The bottles are corked and wrapped in two layers of rubber to prevent saltwater from leaking in and the wine from escaping into the sea.

There is method to the madness. According to Lonely Planet, keeping the bottles underwater gives the wine a distinct pinewood aroma,. The winemakers at Edivo Vina, also say that the sea provides natural cooling in ideal conditions and the perfect silence underwater improves the quality.

Apparently the underwater winemaking process dates back for thousands of years, when the ancient Greeks stored their vino in amphoras while praying to Dionysus, the god of great wine.

After witnessing the process first-hand and splashing around the bay, visitors can then peel off their wetsuits and actually try some of the finished product on dry land.

You can even buy a couple of bottles to take home with you. The wines are sold straight from the ocean - often covered in coral, algae and shells.

Each one comes elegantly packed with Mali Ston oysters, famous local cheeses and pršu; if nothing else, they’ll make a great talking point at your next dinner party.

Even if you don’t fancy donning a snorkel, this place is well worth a visit of lovers of wine and stunning views.

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