Villa Meneghetti
by
Terry Sullivan
Summary: After a day of wine tasting and winery tours, it is nice to relax in elegance. Villa Meneghetti transports you to another world. Off of the traveled roads, the villa is a quiet retreat for travelers who want an olive grove and vineyard lodging experience.
The entrance to Villa Meneghetti was gated and closed upon our arrival after a day of winery touring in Istria. Kathy walked over to the gate and pushed a button on the call box. Soon the gate opened and we drove down a tree lined road towards the villa. An olive grove was to our right and vineyards were to the left. In front, near the parking area, a team of staff waited for us to pull in and assist with luggage. It didn’t take long to notice the touch of elegance in this villa less than two kilometers from the Adriatic Sea.
Our Room
We were ushered into the villa; after signing in we were treated to a glass of sparkling wine. Then we were shown to our room to freshen up prior to dinner and wine tasting. Our room was quite large; so was the bed perhaps the largest bed we have ever slept in being wider than a king-size bed. Opposite the bed there was a chair, dresser and television. On the dresser there was a container of fresh strawberries begging to be eaten. After resting we headed downstairs to the living room to talk with Goran Hanžek (co-owner) and taste wines.
Dining
We decided to have dinner in the villa. We didn’t order anything in particular, I just commented that since we were close to the Adriatic Sea that seafood may be a choice for the evening. That was all that was needed. The dining area has several tables and chairs. We settled in and tasted several wines along with our dinner. Bread and different Meneghetti olive oils were served.
The first course consisted of crab meat in a small glass container with a glass top. Three small containers held spices and sauces to mix with the crabmeat. We were instructed to add them to the crabmeat in the bowl, place the top on the bowl and shake it. The staff called this the Meneghetti shake. It was wonderful. Between courses, I tasted the three olive oils. Our main course was monkfish and chopped vegetables.
During our conversation about olive oil, I mentioned an ice cream dessert made with vanilla ice cream, olive oil, sea salt and cracked pepper. Meneghetti’s version of the dessert appeared at our table. The glass had olive oil at the bottom, then a layer of vanilla ice cream followed by chocolate and sea salt. Dinner was fantastic.
Since it was dark, we decided to tour the winery and tasting room the next day. We retired for the evening and slept soundly. The next morning, breakfast was set out in the dining area. We could help ourself to the many items along the side of the room. These included different rolls, meats, cheeses and fruits.
If you would like to experience a touch of elegance in a secluded villa, spend the night at Villa Meneghetti. Your challenge is to leave because you will want to stay there.
Meneghetti Winery article
Villa Meneghetti
Stancija Meneghetti 1
52211, Bale, Croatia
GPS: N45º 00.446’ E13º 44.720’
Article written March 2013
