Hvar produces some of the best red wine in Croatia. The star grape is Plavac Mali, a full-bodied red with high tannins and a characteristic note of dark cherry and figs, grown on the steep terraced slopes of the Sveta Nedjelja and Ivan Dolac areas on the island's southern coast. The south-facing exposure and the retained heat from the limestone soil give Hvar's Plavac a concentration and intensity that the same grape can't achieve on the mainland.
The main producers to look for are Zlatan Plenkovic (wines under the Zlatan Otok label) and Ivan Dolac Cooperative. Both can be found on restaurant lists throughout the island and at shops in Hvar Town. The local white — Bogdanuša, a grape variety found only on Hvar and the neighbouring islands — is a lighter option with a mineral character; it works better with fish than with the heavier Dalmatian meat dishes. Wine tasting visits can be arranged at several of the estates in the south coast villages, particularly around Sveta Nedjelja, which is reachable by boat from Hvar Town in summer.