The Lošinj Island: A culinary spectacle at the Restaurant Alfred Keller

The gourmet event of the year, powered by Gault&Millau Croatia

Published on 03/08/2021 at 00:00

Benvenuti wines: The Best Harvests for a Mid Summer Symphony

The exclusive ''Mid Summer Epicurean Extravaganza'' dinner, which will take time and place on the 7th of August at the Alhambra Boutique Hotel in Mali Lošinj, won't be just another promotion of high-end gastronomy performed by four top chefs, whose restaurants have been awarded Gault&Millau toques as well as Michelin stars. It will be a true symphony of outstanding delicacies and topnotch wines of the wine families Benvenuti and Frescobaldi, from the two wine regions known to any and every wine enthusiast: Croatian Istria, and Italian Tuscany.

The family tradition dedicated to the micro - location and autochtone wine varieties

If we were to describe the meaning and purpose of the Istrian family Benvenuti, it would be just that – family. Thanks to the family, the winery has developed and after more than eight decades has been growing strong, with wine production that brings the family together, insuring their existence, opening doors to the world, but at the same time keeping them close to their homeland. After all, the focus on the micro-location, the Istrian terroir and indigenous autochtone wine varieties is the reflection of their dedication and love towards the family tradition.

Alfred Keller Restaurant at the Alhambra Boutique Hotel

The brothers Albert and Nikola Benvenuti are the third generation of the wine-producing family that has settled around the small medieval town of Motovun, and it may be said that winemaking is a part of their DNA. That can be backed up with the wine jug from Roman times, dug out from the vineyard soils many years ago and now kept at the Wine Museum in Trieste. That wine jug, is by the family considered as a reminder of their mission in producing wines of exceptional quality. The era of contemporary winemaking started back in 1945. when Piero Benvenuti planted new vineyards around the small town of Kaldir.

His heir, Livio Benvenuti, contributes to the development of the winery in the '90s by planting new vineyards, and so his sons Albert and Nikola took over the family trade ten years ago and the respected local winery, developing it into a widely and well-known brand with many international acclaims and rewards, platinum Decanter medals and International Wine Challenge just to name a few.

Istrian winemakers, brothers Albert and Nikola Benvenuti

The Benvenuti's cherish three wine varieties: Istrian Malvasia, Teran and Istrian Moscato. The positions of their vineyards stretch up to 400m above sea level, where they receive plenty of sunshine during the day, which is key for good ripeness, especially for the Teran, which gives fantastic wines in this terroir.

The three harvests of their Teran Anno Domini, 2008, 2011 and 2013 will be enjoyed by the guests of the spectacular summer event ''The Mid Summer Epicurean Extravaganza''. Only selected grapes from the best Benvenuti vineyards, located on the steep slopes of the ''white soil'' Istria, are the ones that make it into the Anno Domini Teran. When it reaches the market, it is a well balanced, rounded wine with an ageing potential of many years.

During the gastronomic symphony at the Alhambra Boutique Hotel, the Benvenuti Teran Anno Domini will be paired with delicacies prepared by top chefs from Switzerland. The kitchen team will be lead by Chef Stefan Heilemann, awarded ''Chef of The Year 2021'' by Gault&Millau Switzerland, who comes from The Widder Restaurant, Zurich and hold four Gault&Millau toques and two Michelin stars. Heilemann will be joined by Chef Christian Kuchler – chef and owner of the Taverne zum Schäfli, Wigoltingen (Gault&Millau four toques, two Michelin stars) and Chef Sebastian Zier – chef of the Einstein Gourmet, St Gallen, also rewarded with four Gault&Millau toques and two Michelin stars. The Chef-host will be the young and prospective Chef Michael Gollenz, chef of the Restaurant Alfred Keller, Lošinj (Gault&Millau two toques). Their exclusive menu is something the winemaker Nikola Benvenuti is very much looking forward to taste, and has therefore selected his family best vintages to pair with the menu, alongside Tuscan wines from the Italian winemaking family Frescobaldi. Two outstanding wineries and an array of gastronomic wonders will surely prepare an unforgettable evening for the guests of the gastronomic event of the year in Croatia.