Pelješac Wine Tours: Dingač & Ston Oysters
Pelješac is a finger of limestone pointing up the coast from Dubrovnik, and on its southern slopes, so steep the vineyards face the sea at forty-five degrees, Plavac Mali makes Dingač and Postup, the reds Croatia is proudest of; at its base, in the still water of Mali Ston, are the oysters. This page compares the top-rated Pelješac wine tours and tastings: cellar visits around Potomje and Dingač, oyster tastings at Ston, and the day trips that reach the peninsula from Dubrovnik and Split.
The wines: Dingač and Postup, Plavac Mali from the sea-facing slopes; lighter Plavac from the plateau; Pošip and Rukatac whites from the neighbours.
The oysters: Ostrea edulis, the European flat oyster, farmed in Mali Ston bay since Roman times and eaten on the half shell with a glass of white.
Getting there: an hour from Dubrovnik to Ston, an hour and a half to the vineyards; two and a half from Split.
Pelješac wine: Dingač, Postup and the slopes above the sea
Plavac Mali is the grape of the Dalmatian coast, a child of Zinfandel and an old Croatian vine, and it reaches its peak on Pelješac. The Dingač vineyards, above the village of Potomje on the peninsula’s southern side, tilt toward the sea so steeply that the grapes ripen from the sun above, the sun reflected off the water, and the heat of the white stone. In 1961 Dingač became Croatia’s first protected wine appellation; Postup, a little further west, followed. The wines are dark, warm and strong, and the cellars that make them are family businesses in Potomje, reached through a tunnel the villagers dug in 1973 to avoid carrying grapes over the ridge.
Cellar visits and tastings
Tours visit two or three cellars in Potomje, Dingač and the Postup villages: a walk through the tunnel or up to the vineyards, a flight of Plavac from the plateau, Postup and Dingač, and pršut and cheese alongside. Some estates pour prošek, the sweet dried-grape wine, to finish.
Ston and the oysters
Ston, at the neck of the peninsula, has salt pans worked since the fourteenth century and the longest defensive wall in Europe after China’s. Mali Ston, next door, farms the European flat oyster in a bay fed by fresh water from the hills. Every Pelješac tour stops here for oysters and mussels with white wine; the oyster festival is in mid-March.
From Dubrovnik or Split
Dubrovnik is the natural base: an hour to Ston, an hour and a half to the vineyards, full days with two or three wineries, oysters and lunch for 90 to 160 euros. From Split it is a long day; better to sleep in Orebić or Ston, or add Korčula across the ferry. See Dubrovnik wine tours and Korčula wine tours.
When to visit
Harvest is September into early October; May, June and October are the best months for tastings; the oysters are best from autumn to spring and the festival is in March.
How we choose
We list only experiences with a strong rating over a meaningful number of reviews and free cancellation where available, and we favour small-group and family-run hosts. FindEatLocal earns a commission when you book through GetYourGuide or Viator links on this page; it doesn’t change the price you pay. More about how we choose.
FAQ about Pelješac Wine Tours: Dingač & Ston Oysters
Frequently asked questions
Why Pelješac?
Because it is Croatia’s Pelješac and Bordeaux in one: the country’s first protected wine appellation, its best oysters, and a five-kilometre medieval wall, all within twenty minutes of each other.
What is the difference between Dingač and Postup?
Both are Plavac Mali from protected Pelješac slopes; Dingač, above Potomje, is the steeper, warmer and more famous; Postup, further west, is a little more restrained.
How do I visit Pelješac wineries?
On a tour from Dubrovnik, which is an hour away, or by car; the cellars are in Potomje, Dingač and the Postup villages and most welcome visitors by appointment.
Are Ston oysters worth the stop?
Yes; they are the European flat oyster, rarer and richer than the Pacific oysters most of the world eats, and every tour stops for them.
How much does a Pelješac wine tour cost?
About 90 to 160 euros per person for a full day from Dubrovnik with wineries, oysters and lunch.
Can I combine Pelješac with Korčula?
Yes; the ferry from Orebić to Korčula takes fifteen minutes, and some tours do both in a long day.