Do you want to help with the grape harvest?

Always eager for an adventure, we said yes without hesitation.
«Great! We’ll pick you up at 7 a.m. and bring you back by 2 p.m.»
In the morning, with comfortable shoes, water, and hats in hand, we met our
friends, waited for the car, and headed to the vineyards. We were immediately
surprised: we expected a small plot — after all, we were «helping some friends» —
but in front of us stretched a huge vineyard, with neat rows of grapes. Workers’ hats
peeked out from behind the vines, and beyond the field, the Adriatic Sea glittered
under the sun. We arrived at Senjanović Family Winery, located near the secluded
Stončica Beach.
We were given pruning shears and shown how to cut the grapes: gently hold
the bunch from below and snip from above — safer for your fingers. Each cut bunch
went into a crate, which we moved along as we harvested, and when full, it was left
under the vines to be collected later by tractor.
We started energetically, carefully placing each bunch in the crate at first.
Then we were told not to worry — these grapes were destined for wine, so a few
bruises didn’t matter. Bunch by bunch, crate by crate, we moved down the rows,
exchanging a few words along the way.

The work wasn’t too hard: some bending was required, but not too much. The
weather was perfect — the sun was gentle, and the breeze occasionally cooled us.
We kept an eye on the pruning shears, checked for wasps near the grapes, and
stretched our backs from time to time.
We discovered we were picking Plavac, a popular red grape variety in
Dalmatia. Of course, we couldn’t resist tasting a few sun-warmed grapes along the
way: juicy, powerful, slightly tart, with a long aftertaste. For me, the flavor was a mix
of cherries, blackberries, and prunes. Of course, I also tried the corresponding wine
— even though I rarely drink alcohol.

Around midday, our friend arrived with food for all the workers. She owns the
restaurant «Kod Paveta», so we had the chance to taste their famous pašticada, a
traditional Dalmatian beef stew cooked in wine and spices.
We all settled in the shade, enjoying the vineyard views and the sparkling sea, and
refueled with food and drink. After the break, we picked a few more rows, took some
photos to remember the day, and then it was time to head back — our evening held
work for us.

For us, this day on Vis was more than just helping friends — it was a glimpse
into Dalmatia’s soul, where wine, sea, and people blend into one perfect harmony.
Not once did we regret participating in the grape harvest. The experience was
fascinating, especially for city-dwellers like us with little agricultural experience.
We even joked about adding «winery harvest experience» to our LinkedIn profiles!