In the beautiful setting of the Martinis Marchi estate on the Adriatic, located in the village of Maslinica on the west coast of the island of Šolta, our hard-working team has been organizing "Wine & Friends" for the ninth year - a culinary and wine event in which you can enjoy gastronomic delicacies, fine wines, and art while celebrating the beauty of the untouched nature of the island and the Mediterranean way of life and enjoyment.
Carefully selected and varied wine houses are always brought together, and this year the wines were presented personally by the owners of the wineries. This year they were: Royal Hills Estate Winery, Litterarii Winery, Miloš Winery, Domaine Koquelicot Winery, Markus Winery and foreign winemakers Marchesi Fumanelli, Sattlerhof and Jakončić Winery. The gathering started with a special welcome in the marina, with the presentation of the refined and powerful Encry champagne, with a special opening ritual presented by the owner Enrico Baldin himself and his wife Nadia.
We would especially like to highlight the gathering and presentation of our local partners, the winemakers of the island of Šolta, namely the Kaštelanac, Marinac and Balić wineries, but also the inevitable autochthonous Šolta producers, the Tvrdić family, who have been producers of honey for many years, and the award-winning Šolta oil makers Olynthia Natura.
"The team's mission has always been to create unique and authentic experiences, special emotions and events that merge the enjoyment of the moment in the beautiful environment and nature surrounding the estate and the people who recognize it. From this desire was born the idea for such an event, which is enjoyed by all lovers of the hedonistic Mediterranean life and high gastronomy and wine. Special emphasis in our restaurant is always on cooperation with local producers, on the freshness of ingredients and the preparation of dishes that have been characteristic of our climate since ancient times." - pointed out the host of the evening, procurator Ivan Kuret.
In the afternoon, visitors enjoyed a wine presentation with a carefully selected selection of top cheeses in the rooms of the 300-year-old heritage castle and then an interesting exhibition of underwater photos of our archipelago by the famous Croatian photographer Bože Vukičević and in the painting workshop of Vicko Buktenica, a naive painter from Šolta whose Buktenica Gallery is a must-see station if you want to experience Solta in a pristine way.
The others enjoyed the luxurious gardens of the castle, the scents of Mediterranean plants or carefree conversations and socializing with a view of the award-winning best small marina and nearby islands, and of course, with a wine glass.
The event was rounded off by an exclusive gala seven-course dinner, with the most beautiful sunset on the terrace of the Martinis Marchi restaurant. This year, special interest was also stimulated by the chef-guest, the appearance of one of the best and awarded Croatian Chefs, Fabricio Vežnaver, who, together with the Martinis Marchi restaurant team led by Toni Miloš, meticulously prepared the menu and dishes for pairing food and wine! For over 20 years, together with his wife, Fabricio ran the famous Pergola restaurant in Istria, which was one of the first restaurants included in the Michelin guide, and was also a member of the JRE association, and Fabricio himself, among other awards, received two important Gault&Millau awards for the chef of tomorrow 2019 and 2021 for the Chef of the year.
The combination of food and wine, with the exquisite melodies of the famous local tenor, Vlado Garić, and this perfect evening is the best invitation not to miss the next event at this exceptional place, announced for August 5th, and traditional themed Martinis Marchi Summer Party!
WINE & FRIENDS - GALA DINNER 2023
Welcome drink:
ENCRY champagne
SNACK: Adriatic sardines in tempura - Chef Fabricio Vežnaver
Markus Winery – Rose Markus 2022
Cold appetizer: Carpaccio of fresh shrimp - Chef Fabricio Vežnaver
Sattlerhof Winery – Ried Kapellenweingarten Sauvignon Blanc 2020
SOUP: St. Jakob Scallops - Martinis Marchi Restaurant
Winery Jakončić – Chardonay, Borgo shcolaris 2019
Hot appetizer: Homemade ravioli filled with cottage cheese in butter - Chef Fabricio Vežnaver
Royal Hill Winery – Royal Hill Blanc de Noir 2022
Fish main course: Fillet of Adriatic sea bream – Chef Fabricio Vežnaver
Domaine Koquelicot Winery – Belaigra 2019
Meat main course: Filet black Angus – Chef Fabricio Vežnaver
Marchesi Fumanelli Winery – Amarone Classico della Valpolicella DOCG
Dessert: White and dark chocolate with forest fruits – Martinis Marchi Restaurant
Miloš Winery – Stagnum Dessert 2016