BIRD is delighted to announce its partnership with Meneghetti Wine Hotel & Winery, a historical and award-winning estate tucked deep in the Istrian countryside at the northwestern tip of Croatia. Enveloped by 50 acres of olive groves and vineyards, and scattered buildings made up of creamy stones, red pantile roofs, and white-washed walls, Meneghetti embodies a traditional Istrian village and is made up of 58 suites and villas.
With a story that began in the early 19th century, when original owner Mr Meneghetti lived in small house on the estate and planted an allotment of grapes, olive groves, and other fruit and vegetables to sell to high-ranking war officers; this pocket of Istria has since evolved into a Croatian cultural legacy. Owned by husband and wife, Miroslav Plišo and Romana Kajfež since the early 2000s, the couple discovered the estate abandoned and overgrown. Over the past 20 years, the duo has injected new life into the property, blending its age-old history with innovative culinary and wellbeing experiences such as vinotherapy and oyster-shucking in nearby fjords.
Farm-stays:
Meneghetti’s upscale accommodation features 10 rooms and suites, and 48 residences and villas dotted across the estate – each acting as its own separate unit with all the amenities of a usual hotel. Spanning one-to-three bedrooms, villas are built to a traditional Croatian layout with minimal furniture and open brick walls throughout, while spacious balconies are at the heart of hotel rooms, overlooking the sprawling vineyards and centuries-old oak trees below. Simplistic and homely, every room is adorned with traditional Mediterranean elegance, with warm earthy tones, wooden beams, and wrought iron detailing dominating the decor. Presenting you with a heady flavour of bucolic life, pool terraces blend into the chic countryside, while family-style, multi-course meals can be savoured in the private al-fresco dining areas.
Award-winning bottles:
Famed for its quality wine, Istria is often referred to as a little Tuscany. Intrinsic to the guest experience is Meneghetti’s winery, where a microclimate aids a blend of cool evening air, and versatile soil supports prolonged grape life, resulting in bottles equivalent to those of Provence and Bordeaux. Claiming the title of Croatia’s leading wine, Meneghetti produces a diverse catalogue spanning robust reds, zingy whites, and limited-edition sparkling rosés. Each vine is hand-pruned and gently nurtured to achieve older age, while sustainability continues well into the production process, championing the community’s talented and undiscovered winemakers along the way. Resembling a former military hangar, an ode to its humble beginnings, oenophiles are treated to exclusive access into the manufacturing method, with regular tastings, tours, and talks from the on-site sommeliers.
Alongside its 14 wine labels, Meneghetti produces four olive oil labels from the 750 trees across the estate, including the award-winning Izbor blend – proclaimed the best olive oil in the world by bible Flos Olei (the world’s most prestigious olive oil awards). Hand-picked and high in quality, each velvety oil balances bitterness, piquancy, and durability, distinguished by its rich golden tone.
Unrivalled access:
Wedged between Rovinj and Pula, Meneghetti is close by to Croatia’s cultured coastal towns, medieval hilltops, and stone-built villages. The ramshackle phenomenon of Lim Fjord is just 20 minutes away, shaped by the Pazinčica River and famed for its floating oyster shucking bar. The west coast is home to Brijuni National Park, an archipelago of 14 islands, one of which houses the globe’s oldest olive tree and annual musical concerts are held amidst the drama of the groves and pine forest. With a mélange of ancient ruins scattered throughout Pula, Meneghetti also offers daily trips to the ancient Roman Theatre – the sixth largest and most preserved in the world – with exclusive access to concert tickets, bespoke tours, and transportation.
Having been on the truffle map since the early 1990s, Istria is a forager’s haven. Bustling with both black and white varieties, you are treated to private access to local hunting tours journeying through the Mirna River and Motovun Valley, with the option to bring their findings back for dinner. Personalising every stay, Meneghetti’s experience ambassadors are on deck to provide a programme as unique to the guest as the destination’s multi-faceted history.
Farm-to-fork gastronomy:
Located within Croatia’s food capital, Meneghetti evokes the taste of Istria through its culinary journey. Committed to zero-kilometre cuisine, Head Chef Damir Pejcinovic’s 1.5-hectare garden is made up of 44 different species of home-grown fruits, vegetables and herbs including tomatoes, oregano, and apricots, all of which are incorporated creatively into dishes at the two on-site restaurants. Hand-chopped beef steak tartare, artichoke and truffle ravioli, and Adriatic bluefin tuna salad make up the Meneghetti Restaurant menu, holding firm on farm-fresh flavours and its dedication to seasonal produce. Recommended by the Michelin guide year after year, award-winning cheeses, dried prosciutto, and fresh mussels are all sourced from local producers on the Istrian peninsula. Slow al fresco dining can be appreciated at Oliveto Restaurant & Lounge Bar, while private picnics featuring delicious pastries, local cheeses and vintage bottles can also be personally packed and enjoyed in the heart of the vines.
Experiential wellness:
Inventive treatments incorporating cold-pressed grape oil, organic olive oil and red wine serum make up the spa menu. Ensuring no part of its homegrown grapes goes to waste, Meneghetti was one of the first to launch the unusual Vinotherapy, an experiential process where pips and pulps are rubbed into the skin to reduce signs of ageing. Resident olive oil is also brought to the massage table with Oleotherapy, combining a gentle exfoliation with a softening home-made olive oil serum. Featuring two outdoor pools, an indoor heated pool, Finnish sauna, and other Thai and Balinese ancient rituals, spa access is complimentary for every guest. In summer, daily yoga, guided biking tours and wild water swimming join Meneghetti’s wellness programme. Unusual for where olive oil making and vineyards flourish, a daily shuttle takes you to Meneghetti’s private beach with its own Boho beach club and canopy sunbeds, while private cycling routes make for the perfect afternoon adventure.
Rates start from £210 per night on a B&B basis
For more information, visit: www.meneghetti.hr/ |@meneghetti_istria
