“There are two types of people, ones that eat so they could drink, and ones that drink so that they could eat. I don’t know which type u fall into, but it seems to me that I am the second one. “ – academic Luko Paljetak started the poet night “Wine in the verse – Wine in the glass” of the Dubrovnik FestiWinea , that was held in the Pucic Palace hotel this evening at 20:00, with these words.
After the welcome speech by the County Prefect Mr. Nikola Dobroslavic, Mr. Luko Paljetak reminded us once again with his verses of how much the wine is appreciated and celebrated, followed by the wine makers-poets Luka Krajancic and Frano Milos with their verses and wines that introduced us to the Dubrovnik FestiWiNe 2015. - a regional festival that premiered last year, and this year lasts from 20.-26. April 2015.
A poet, translator, theater and arts critic, director, feuilletonist, essayist, children’s writer, playwright; Winner of numerous literary awards, medals and recognitions, all this is Mr. Luko Paljetak. Mr. Luka Krajancic, in addition to being an excellent winemaker, is a poet of the land and the soul of the man. Winemaker, sculptor, poet, and as such is unique in the wine scene. Art is not strange to a superb winemaker, Mr. Frano Milos. He tried his hand in photography as well, photographing vineyard positions of Ponikve in all four seasons; therefore it is reasonable to say that he is artistically minded.

The host of the evening was The Pucic Palace Hotel whose team, led by the bar manager of the Wine bar Razonoda Hrvoje Gasparovic, marvelously combined the wines of the two winemakers-poets with the food prepared in the hotel. It was one very special menu since each course began with a song, and the first song was by Mr. Frano Milos, “Stagnum tears”, followed by the Stagnum Rose,2013 wine with goat cheese and prosciutto. Three songs by Mr. Luka Krajancic followed after – Briefly about the stones with Intrada SurLie, 2012 and smoked sea bass with alfa sprouts, and A part of me with Intrada, 2013. with one year old Pag cheese. This part ended with a song Tezaska and Plavac, 2010. and smoked muscles on aragula. Frano Milos recited the songs Plavac and Konoba , and these two songs were followed by Stagnum, 2006. with mellow roast beef rump steak with spicy olives.
The night continued with Luka Krajancic with the song Jubavna and wine Opera, 2009. served with profiteroles with strawberries in aceto. Desert was announced by Frano Milos and the song Yivot with his Stagnum semisweet, 2007. and chocolate with truffles. This pet night ended with Frano Milos songs-Peljeski kamen and plavac and Nevera by Luka Krajancic, followed by the verses, with song about wine, of Luko Paljetak . The music background of the evening was in the hands of another Dubrovnik artist, Mr. Braco Tepsic.
Poet night, “Wine in the song-wine in the glass” was an introduction to the regional wine festival Dubrovnik FestiWiNe 2015. that will be held from april 20th-26th. During this week, in the marked hospitality facilities, it will be able to taste excellent County wines and food under special conditions.
On Thursday april 24th, in hotel Excelsior starting at 20:00 hours, a tasting gourmet spectacle FestiWine Gala will e held - author's night with the signature of renowned chefs: guest Tomaž Kavčić and host Petar Obad. For wine selection and blending with food is responsible sommelier Siniša Lasan, reigning champion of Croatia, and through seven creative courses with seven premium wines of Dubrovnik-Neretva County will lead us, always interesting and expert gourmet manager, Rene Bakalovic. Income of the dinner is intended for one-month professional training in the restaurant Pri Lojzetu - Castle Zemono, Slovenia for two contest winners of Dubrovnik FestiWine Challenge. The price of dinner is 500.00 kunas per person, and all information and reservations can be obtained at 448-180 from Monday to Friday from 09-17 hours.
On Friday and Saturday, 24th and April 25th in Lazareti is scheduled the central part of the festival - exhibition of wine where it will be able to taste many wines of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County.
RRA DUNEA and Dubrovnik - Neretva county are the organizers of this regional wine festival, which started in 2014, and the executive producer is Dubrovnik PartneR agency.

The winner of the Dubrovnik FestiWine Trophy 2015 is Plavac mali Pomet 2012, Crvik winery which won the gold with 89,20 points.

There were thirty-eight samples, seven white, two rose and 29 red wines, which was evaluated and judged by the fifteen members of the international jury, headed by Bojan Kobal, president of the jury. The members of the jury were Anna Aga, Greece (enologist), Chris Alblas, Netherlands (member of the jury, journalist), Paul Robert Blom, Netherlands (member of the jury), Franjo Francem, Croatia (enologist, member of the jury, Vice President of Sommelier Club), Andrea Gabbrielli, Italy (journalist), Darrel Joseph, SAD (member of the jury, journalist), Siniša Lasan, Croatia (Croatian champion in the sommeliers), Angela Muir, Great Britain (member of the jury), Aleksandar Noršić, Croatia (sommelier), Tihomir Prusina, Bosnia and Herzegovina (enologist), Jožek Rozman, Slovenia (journalist), Željko Suhadolnik, Croatia (member of the jury, journalist), Lars Torstenson, Švedska (member of the jury, journalist) and Peng Wu, China (importer of wine and wine school leader).

Sixteen gold medals were assigned, of which twelve for red wines and four for white wines. There were twelve silver medals, including three whites, two rose wines and seven red wines, and also nine bronze, all for red wines.

Ploče gate (East entrance to the Old City of Dubrovnik)

Lazareti were built as one of the preventive health protection measures fore the citizens of the Dubrovnik Republic.
Since Dubrovnik was an important port city that hosted travelers from all over the world, the Grand Council of the Dubrovnik Republic made a decision on July 27., 1377. on introducing the quarantine as a measure of protection against infectious diseases, especially the plague. This was the first time in the world that this type of measure was made. This decision was announced in the so called Green Book (Liber viridis) under the title Veniens de locis pestiferis non intret Ragusium nel districtum (He, who’s coming from infected regions, shall not enter into Dubrovnik or to its areas).
It is determined that neither domestic nor foreign people, which are coming from the infected regions, cannot enter the city of Dubrovnik if they haven’t previously spent 30 days on the islands of Mrkan, Bobara and Supetar near Cavtat.
In the verdict made in 1397. it was decided that foreigners and their ships cannot sail west from Molunat or east of the island of Mljet, and they are determined to quarantine on the island of Mrkan and Mljet.
Because of the distance, but also for strategic reasons, quarantine was moved closer to Dubrovnik in the 15th century.
At the begging of the 15th century in Dubrovnik there was a quarantine in Danče. For this purpose, some houses were excluded in 1430 in the town park Gradac.
At the end of the 15th century, the decision was made on the construction of the quarantine in Ploce. The construction of the quarantine in Ploce started in 1590, and was completed in 1642.
Lazarettos are impressive complex made up of ten halls so-called boats, among which there are five internal courtyards, so-called badžaferas, with two floor houses at the entrance and the end of the Lazaretto. The complex is surrounded by the high walls and gates from the sea and land side.
Today in Lazareti are located Lazareti Art Workshop, Dubrovnik Sanitation and humanitarian association Desa.