Sommelier Bob de Young Announces Wine Tours of Hvar from Oslo in October

We are delighted to announce something new for later in the season - accompanied short-break wine tours of Hvar from Norway. Our good friend and confirmed Jelsaphile Bob de Young has been working away and is now offering an intense three-day tour of the island and its wines for small groups up to 12 people, with the first tour scheduled to start on October 11.

There is probably nobody better qualified to lead the tour. An American citizen, Bob has lived in Oslo for more than 30 years, speaks Norwegian, and is founder of Cafe Cappuccino, Cafe Bacchus and Restaurant Baltazar in the Norwegian capital. He is also a fully trained sommelier.

As you can see from the interview above - shot in Jelsa earlier this year - Bob's love for Croatia started a long time ago, but really intensified when he bought a house here in 2005. He makes it over at least four times a year and is a very popular figure around town. He appreciates quality, and here is pictured below enjoying one of his favourite Hvar combinations - dinner at Me and Mrs Jones washed down with a glass of Andro Tomić's Sveti Klement. 

To learn more about the itinerary, wines and winemakers, visit Bob's blog and contact him directly. 

This is the second new wine initiative for Jelsa in recent weeks, after we announced the first intern programme for Californian wine students from Fresno State University with the Hvar Winemakers Association, which will see 20 students on a 6-week programme, based in Jelsa and Sveta Nedjelja, starting in June next year. 

I really hope this tour is a huge success, as it will open the door to perhaps more late season initiatives such as this. Bob is also working with us to organise the proposed Hvar tourism festival in Oslo this winter. Good work Bob, and best of luck with the tour.