Pelješac wine tasting and local winery visit

Pelješac wine is the point here, but the appeal is getting to taste it where it is made. At family-owned Vinarija Škurla, in the small village of Broce near Ston, a family member welcomes you, shows you the production area and leads a tasting with local food.

I like two things in particular: you get a personal introduction to a working family winery, and the wine comes with a generous table of regional nibbles, including cheese, cured meat, olives and homemade bread. The family’s own olive oil is part of the tasting too.

One consideration: the visit is just 90 minutes, and the winery tour is described as short. If you want a detailed, technical lesson on every step of production, this may feel brief. The focus is on a warm introduction, a few useful stories and the tasting.

• Meet the people behind the wine: A family member hosts the visit. Mea and her father run the winery, and Mea has led tastings.
• Taste the local mix: The standard tasting includes four local wines and/or fruit liqueurs, with food alongside.
• Get a look at production: The tasting room shares a building with the production area and shop, so you can see where the wine is made.
• Pair wine with home-produced flavors: Cheese, cured meat, olives, homemade bread and olive oil give you more than a row of glasses to compare.
• Fit it around Ston: The winery is in Broce, about 1.5 kilometers beyond Ston by road, making it a natural add-on to a day in town.

A family winery just beyond Ston

Pelješac is often called Croatia’s Empire of Wine, and this visit gives you a small-scale way to understand the claim. Instead of treating wine as a label on a menu, you meet a family producer and hear about the area’s wine history and traditions from someone connected to the work.

The setting is Vinarija Škurla, a family-owned winery in Broce. To find it by car, continue about 1.5 kilometers after leaving Ston. The winery is described as the first house on the right as you enter the village. Searching for Winery Škurla in Google Maps is another straightforward option.

The location makes it easy to pair the tasting with time in Ston. You can visit the saltworks or walk the town walls, then set aside an hour and a half for the winery. Broce has also been described as within walking distance of Ston, but the exact route and how comfortable it is for you are not specified. If you plan to walk, check your route before setting out rather than assuming the road is a pleasant stroll.

A welcome, a short tour and a taste of local methods

The visit begins with a greeting from a family host, followed by a short tour of the winery. You’ll see the production area and hear about traditional methods passed down through generations. The tour is a useful starting point: it gives you context for the wine in your glass, without requiring you to arrive with a cellar’s worth of vocabulary.

Mea and her father are associated with the winery, and Mea has hosted tastings. The available information doesn’t promise that a particular family member will lead every visit, but the format is personal: your host is part of the family business, not simply a guide reading a script.

Expect a broad introduction to Pelješac wine rather than a long technical seminar. You’ll hear about the region’s wine history and what makes its wines distinctive, but the production tour is short. One past participant wished for more time to discuss the process and see the facilities. If machinery, fermentation and vineyard practices are your main interest, prepare a few questions for your host and use the time well.

Four pours, sometimes more

After the introduction, you settle into the winery’s tasting room for a guided tasting. The stated inclusion is four local wines and/or fruit liqueurs. The mix can vary: one tasting, for example, included two whites, a rosé and two reds, while another included more pours than expected. Treat four as the plan, not a guarantee that every visit will follow the same sequence or include the same selection.

That variation is part of the pleasure, but it matters if you are comparing experiences. You are not promised a fixed flight of four specific wines, or a particular ratio of red to white. The host guides you through what is being poured and explains the wines as you taste. The emphasis is on discovering local styles in a family setting, not on a formal class with a printed tasting grid.

Fruit liqueurs may be included alongside or instead of some wines. If you are especially keen to taste a particular type, ask what is being poured when you arrive. The experience is advertised in English, so you can follow the explanations without needing to translate the details yourself.

Homemade bread and a table of local food

The food is not an afterthought. Your tasting comes with traditional finger foods, including cheese, cured meat, olives and homemade bread. Olive oil is also part of the experience, and the family’s own oil has been served alongside the wines. The advertised highlights describe it as organic.

These simple pairings do useful work. Bread and olives give you a break between wines; cheese and cured meat make the tasting feel more like a small regional meal than a succession of sips. You can compare how the wines sit alongside salty, savory foods, which is often more useful than tasting them in isolation.

The amount served has been described as generous, though exact portions are not specified. If you have a dietary restriction, the information provided does not list substitutions or confirm which foods can be changed. Contact the winery ahead of time rather than counting on an option that has not been promised.

What the $43 price buys you

At $43 per person, the value rests on three things: a family-hosted visit, a short look at the production space and a guided tasting with food. You are paying for more than four glasses. You get a local introduction to Pelješac wine and the chance to ask questions directly of someone involved in the winery.

A tasting in a casual, personal setting can be a better fit than a polished but impersonal wine presentation, especially if you want to connect a place with what you’re drinking. The food and olive oil add substance, and the option of trying fruit liqueurs broadens the experience beyond wine alone.

The price does not include bottles or other items you buy. You can purchase wine at the winery, but treat any shopping as an extra, not part of the tasting fee. Some of the wines are available only at the winery or in restaurants, so this is a useful chance to ask about bottles you may not see in ordinary shops. That doesn’t mean you need to buy anything: the tasting is the main event.

Making the visit fit your day

Ninety minutes is a sensible length for a relaxed tasting without turning the winery stop into a full-day commitment. You have time for a welcome, a short tour and several pours with food. It also means you should not expect an extensive vineyard visit or a long technical presentation; neither is part of the stated format.

The most natural pairing is a visit to Ston. The town’s walls and saltworks make a full outing, and the winery can work well as the later stop, when you’re ready to sit down and taste. The exact order depends on your plans and the available tasting times, so check the start times before organizing the rest of your day.

The meeting directions are specific once you reach the area: after Ston, continue about 1.5 kilometers to Broce, where the winery is the first house on the right. The listing also identifies the activity as wheelchair accessible. If you need details about the route into the building or the layout of the production and tasting spaces, confirm them directly, since those specifics are not given.

Who will enjoy this tasting most

I’d choose this experience if you’re curious about Croatian wine but prefer a friendly introduction to a formal lecture. The family-hosted format, regional food and chance to see the production area make it approachable for wine beginners as well as people who already enjoy comparing a glass or two.

It also suits anyone spending time around Ston who wants an activity that feels rooted in the area. You’ll hear local stories, taste the winery’s wines and eat familiar regional accompaniments in the place where the wine is made. For a short visit, that’s a satisfying combination.

It may be less suited to someone seeking a long winery tour, extensive vineyard access or a highly technical account of production. The visit is brief, and the tour is described as short. If detailed production knowledge is your main goal, ask the host questions, but don’t book expecting a multi-hour study session.

Should you book Vinarija Škurla?

For a relaxed taste of Pelješac, I’d put this on the list, especially if you’re already visiting Ston. The best reasons to book are the family connection, the guided tasting and the food: it’s a practical way to meet a local producer and try several regional pours without committing half a day.

Book it with the right expectations. You’re signing up for a warm 90-minute introduction, not an exhaustive winery course. The tasting is listed at four wines and/or liqueurs, though the pours may vary, and purchases cost extra. If that balance suits you, the $43 price buys a personable stop with a real sense of place.

FAQ

How long does the wine tasting last?

The experience lasts 90 minutes.

Where is Vinarija Škurla?

It is in Broce, about 1.5 kilometers beyond Ston. The winery is described as the first house on the right as you enter the village.

How many wines are included?

The stated tasting includes four local wines and/or fruit liqueurs. The selection can vary, and some tastings may include more pours.

What food is served with the wine?

Traditional food is served with homemade bread. The listed examples include cheese, cured meat and olives.

Is olive oil part of the tasting?

Yes. Olive oil is included in the experience details, and the winery’s own olive oil has been served with the food.

Who leads the tasting?

A family member hosts the visit. Mea and her father are associated with the winery, and Mea has led tastings.

What language is the tour in?

The tour is offered in English.

Is the winery wheelchair accessible?

The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible. Specific details about the route and facilities are not provided.

Are purchases included in the price?

No. Items purchased at the winery are not included in the tasting price.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The activity also offers a reserve-now, pay-later option.