Grape vines have been cultivated all over Istria and as such in the area of Poreč since the time before Christ.  Additionally, there are many written monuments in the Poreč area which bear witness to its existence.  For example, stone monuments that date from the time of the rule of the Roman Empire bear witness to the existence of grape vines and grape harvesting.  Over the centuries the rulers of the city changed as did the city's name Parentium, Parens or Poreč, but it always remained coveted for its oil and wine.
Thanks to its fertile soil and mild Mediterranean climate with long, hot summers and short, mild winters, Istria has the ideal conditions for the development of grape cultivation.
The wine roads of the Poreč region will take you from city crowds to vineyards and wine cellars.  From Višnjan, about 15 km away from Poreč, they gracefully slope towards the shore in an area with red soil, ideal for the growth of grape vines, while in the opposite direction, towards Vižinada, the wine roads lead to the winegrowing hills and wine cellars of surrounding villages.  Excellent wines who owe their quality to the melding of traditional production with modern technology are born precisely in these cellars.
Over the long history of grape vine cultivation and tradition of winemaking in Poreč, at the end of the 19th century the basis for the foundation of today's Institute for Agriculture with its wine cellar were formed.
The Poreč area's most plentiful wine, Istrian Malvazija (Malmsey), a variety of white wine, and immediately alongside it White Pinot, Grey Pinot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon proudly climb the surrounding green hills.  Of red wines, those that best grow in the area are Teran, Borgonja, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Muškat and Malvazija Slatka (sweet Malmsey) are excellent desert wines.
The wine roads will enchant you with their natural beauty and all the colours, scents and tastes will guide you to new explorations.