Vižinada has been close to our hearts for many years. The surface area of the small Istrian municipality is affluent in winemakers and agricultural products, as well as rural gastronomy, which is rightfully among the best on the entire largest Croatian peninsula. That's why we are happy that we came to the second edition of Viva Vino Vižinada on April 29!
A walk in Vižinada with a glass in hand is a great way to get to know the wine and gastronomic scene, which is a feat of the Tourist Board of the Municipality of Vižinada in cooperation with the Municipality of Vižinada, the Italian Union and the Association of Italians of Vižinada. They are proud of over a million vines and as many as fourteen winemakers who skillfully prepare some of the best Istrian wines. After all, this was demonstrated at the recent Vinistra, led by Luka Rossi from Vižinada, where local winemakers achieved enviable success.
We have tasted some of these wines ourselves on our way around, and we have noted down the ones we will surely return to. All winemakers have already developed a refined taste for rural tourism, created tasting rooms, and provide unique experiences. We passed vineyards, cellars, olive groves, groves that gently decorate Vižinada and its surroundings, and the hosts conveniently remembered to connect the already legendary Parenzana railway with five stations.
For the first refreshment immediately after departure, homemade paština and pandešpanja were offered along with liqueurs and brandies from Vižinad distilleries Rossi and Sosich. At the first station, the wineries Deklić and Bruno Ferenac presented themselves, along with the Istrian prosciutto of agrotourism Selo Mekiši. The second station offered refreshments with wines from the Sosich and Giulio Ferenac wineries and a savory curd cake from the Jadruhi tavern. Station number 3 offered refreshments by the spoonful, i.e., Istrian manestra with corn prepared in agrotourism Fatorić; the bites went down the throat more easily with the wines from the Franc Arman and Pilato wineries.
The fourth station also offered hot refreshments, but not on a spoon, but on a fork: venison fudge from the catering business Le Ruten and wines from the Marino Rossi and Pino Rossi wineries. At the fifth station, it was time for something sweet: along with traditional Istrian cakes, as they are usually prepared for the famous Vižinada summer event Sweet Istria, wines from the Arman Marijan and Geržinić wineries were tasted. At the very end of the hike, we gave all participants a final party with a concert by the duo Insieme and one more farewell sip.
We enjoyed the quality offer of the wine and, even more, the conversation with the hosts. In Vižinada, the heart is wide open, and wine lovers will easily find top-quality liquid products in the local cellars, which go well with the local gastronomy!
Photos: Viva Vino Vižinada
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