BREGfest is one of the wine festivals that anchors the Croatian Uplands calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year. It is held at Croatian Uplands (rotating venue) in Croatia, in the heart of one of Croatia's most distinctive wine areas. It has been running since 2022, with a long unbroken local tradition behind it.
Covers subregions of Zagorje, Međimurje, Prigorje, Bilogora, Plešivica, Pokuplje, and Moslavina. Wine festivals across Europe typically combine producer tastings with food pairings, live music, and a strong sense of place. Visitors can expect access to wines from a range of producers in the appellation, alongside food stalls offering regional specialities, masterclasses or vineyard walks for those who want to learn more, and an opportunity to buy directly from producers at cellar prices. Many events run across multiple days or weekends, allowing visitors to sample different parts of the programme according to interest, and combine well with the area's wider tourism offer. The event is organised by Croatian Uplands Wine Association, which sets the tone and direction of the programme each year.
The Croatian Uplands (Hrvatsko Zagorje and Plešivica) in northwestern Croatia near the Slovenian border is a small but increasingly recognised quality region. The cool continental climate suits crisp white wines from Graševina, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, the indigenous Škrlet (in Moslavina) and Pušipel/Furmint, alongside traditional-method sparkling wines that have developed a strong local reputation. The Plešivica zone has become a magnet for natural-wine enthusiasts, with producers like Tomac (founded 1804), Korak, Šember and Režek attracting international attention for their orange wines and traditional-method sparklers.
The 2026 edition is scheduled for TBC 2026. Cost details are best confirmed directly with the organiser ahead of travel. Full programme, ticketing and updated information are published on the official site at croatian.wine. Visitors are advised to check directly with the organiser for the latest schedule, as festival programmes are sometimes updated close to the event date.
The Croatian Uplands sit just outside Zagreb, with Plešivica 45 minutes from the capital and Hrvatsko Zagorje 60 minutes north. Zagreb itself, with its strong restaurant scene, central European architecture and the Museum of Broken Relationships, is the natural base. The region pairs wine tourism with the spa towns of Krapinske Toplice and Tuheljske Toplice and the Trakošćan Castle. Cuisine pairs the wines with strudel (Croatia's strudel tradition runs from the Habsburg era), štrukli (the Zagorje cheese pastry), purica s mlincima (turkey with baked pasta), and the strong charcuterie traditions of the area.
