Korcula, Wine and Scooters
An island for the Epstein’s.
Two hours up the coast from Dubrovnik, a small island has an incredible reputation for wine production, lush rolling hills, and locally sourced food. The Old Town of Korcula Island brims with fushia flowers and an assortment of both pine and palm trees - the smell is divine. Homes had small gardens sprouting from their yards, colorfully decorating the patios with vibrant greens and deep reds. Korcula sounds like a dream, right? But aside from the beauty, there is a blissful essence that radiated here. There are few places I’ve been to where I feel completely at ease, but I could feel myself unwind instantaneously as we stepped off our ferry at the Korcula dock.
We strolled through the winding streets and found ourselves in front of LoLe, a small wine and tapas bar tucked away from the main walking path along the waterfront. Our Croatian host greeted us as we sat down and brought us a small white board with flimsy papers decorated with laundry clips. Handwritten on each note were descriptions of daily specials. Our server walked us through the rotating menu, speaking about each item with meticulous detail and devotion for the local ingredients. After much deliberation, we landed on ordering a tapas board of meats and fish, bruschetta, and zucchini fritters.
Shortly after our wine was poured, a tower (a literal tower) of meats and fish arrived at the table. The owner described the various salamis and sausages spread throughout the plate and noted two styles of anchovies - salted and white - that decorated the top of the tower. Our ears (and taste buds) perked up. Michael and I synchronously went for the salted anchovies and were greeted by a smooth, salty punch complimented by the fresh juice of a tomato. I knew right then that we would be eating very well on this island.
The next dish that was out down was the bruschetta, homemade bread with tangy tomato paste, salted anchovies, and angular. This might make the list as our favorite bite on Korcula Island.
LoLe Tapas and Wine Bar introduced us to a few of the local wines we would become very familiar with over the next few days. I ordered a glass of Grk (pronounced GURK), a white varietal only grown on this island. The owner recommended a glass from Bire Winery, one of the best known producers in the region. It was bright, punchy and finished dry on the tounge - the perfect pairing for those salty, cured tapas. I may be a white wine convert for the Grk.
The next day, we rented bikes and decided to head south to the town of Lombarda, on a mission to find the best wine the island had to offer. We found a bike path that hugged the coast for a few miles and got to take in the warm breeze and turquoise waters. Soon views of the water were replaced with rolling hills filled with green vines. Harvest comes during September on the island so the vines were bursting with budding grapes. We spent the afternoon tasting Grk and Posip varietals, eating lunch at a Konoba Luka by the beach, and admiring the neighborhoods with homes tucked away in the hills.
One of the best ways to explore this island and discover beaches outside the Old Town was was with a scooter. Now I wouldn’t call ourselves Hells Angels, but - amidst my slight nerves - I was pretty excited to see the island via scoot. Michael took a quick test drive around the town square to get his bearings and then picked me up with an enthusiastic, slightly mischievous smile. The salted breeze offset the warm day as we took in the beautiful waters. We would climb up and down small hills which yielded some fantastic views. While I still share a concern around motorcycle safety, I totally get the appeal. We came to a quiet fishing town with a pebble beach just on the outskirts of the winding roads. Without anyone in sight, we laid out two towels and spent a peaceful afternoon laying in the sun and floating in the water.
We spent five days in Korcula - three in Old Town and two in Zrnovo, and absolutely loved it. It was here that we really started to slip into our new lifestyle and begin to unwind.
Best bites in Korcula
LoLe Tapas and Wine Bar
Popic Winery- great Grk, also liked the Rose (obviously)
Bire Winery- we didn’t go but had wine from there and it was the best glass of Grk
Konoba Luka - lunch in Lombarda
Leo Food - casual kabobs and salads for a lighter/cheaper dinner alternative in Old Town
Konoba Skafetin- garden restaurant in someone’s home. Incredible seafood pasta, ambjerjack, and smoked fish
