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Le Bistro Esplanade

Grape harvest in the small vineyard of the iconic Oleander Terrace

Grape harvest in the small vineyard of the iconic Oleander Terrace, along with a tasting of the first exclusive bottles of Zinfandel 2019 with the Esplanade Hotel label and Krauthaker Winery signature

At the Oleander Terrace of the Esplanade Zagreb Hotel, with strict precautionary measures and a small circle of guests, a unique autumn grape harvest was held as well as a presentation of the first limited edition of Zinfandel 2019 with the Esplanade Hotel label and Vlado Krauthaker’s signature, one of Croatia’s most renowned winemakers, who donated zinfandel vines to the hotel several years ago. ‘Today I remember the beginnings of my collaboration with the Esplanade Hotel, which has lasted for more than 20 years. During one of our gatherings, we came up with a somewhat bold idea to plant zinfandel vines, a first in this part of Croatia, to further highlight the name of the famous fine dining restaurant Zinfandel’s. That this combination of winemaking and superb gastronomy was a good idea has been confirmed by the fact that we have bottled a symbolic number of bottles, marking a new, noble dimension of collaboration between Zagreb’s Esplanade Hotel and Croatian wine growers. I am proud that the prestigious Esplanade Hotel and its General Manager Ivica Max Krizmanić have chosen Krauthaker Winery to create this beautiful Croatian culinary story,’  said wine grower and oenologist Vlado Krauthaker and added that the ‘2019 harvest features dark red colour and the taste of berries, especially raspberries, accompanied by spices such as ginger, rosemary and garlic, with an aromatic smoky tobacco-like finish. I believe that true wine lovers will recognise its quality.’  The limited edition of Zinfandel 2019, with the Esplanade Hotel label and Krauthaker Winery signature, will be included on Zinfandel’s Restaurant wine list and will be available to guests at a price of HRK 430 (57 €*) until stock runs out.

It is precisely grapes that are a trademark of the Esplanade restaurant, named after the grape variety zinfandel, which was transferred from Dalmatia to the United States in early 19th century. Thus, this wine is a symbol of the intertwined cultures that meet in the kitchen of the Zinfandel’s Restaurant. ‘Zinfandel is a world-famous wine that has attracted the attention of consumers, particularly Americans, for decades. The mystery of its origin contributed significantly to its popularity. Since all the varieties grown in the USA are originally from Europe, the origin of all varieties, except for zinfandel, was well known. Scientists were trying to solve this enigma for decades. A team of scientists from the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb was lucky to find this variety in 2000 in Kaštela under the name crljenak kaštelanski. Through DNA analysis and in collaboration with colleagues from University of California, Davis, we have unequivocally proven that it is the same variety. Later we found documents showing that this variety was grown in Dalmatia in the Middle Ages under the name tribidrag, and in the 16th century it was our most exported wine in Venice. It should be emphasized that at the time of the discovery there were only twenty vines in Dalmatian vineyards, and since then we have been intensively propagating them. Some winemakers immediately started planting this variety in order to save it from oblivion through joint effort, so today we have numerous producers of that grape and wine. Some, like Krauthaker, successfully grow it in Slavonia as well,’ pointed out Professor Edi Maletić from the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb.

In addition to tasting the first bottles of Zinfandel 2019, with the Esplanade Hotel label, guests also had an opportunity to participate in the unique autumn grape harvest on the Oleander Terrace, which was led by Mr Krauthaker.

‘I am very pleased that last year’s harvest and long-standing collaboration with the great Croatian wine maker Krauthaker has borne fruit. The staff of the hotel has tended the vines in our little vineyard and we were particularly proud and excited to see the first berries. Then the idea began to come up that we could actually have a wine with our own label. As soon as we heard that the first bottles were arriving, we decided to bring together the friends of the Hotel Esplanade, to toast this successful venture and have fun in the fall harvest in the heart of Zagreb. The wine produced by the Krauthaker Winery for the hotel is of excellent quality. There are limited bottles, but we are happy that the hotel has its first wine, behind which is a beautiful story about friendship, love for gastronomy and oenology, as well as a link to the restaurant. This autumn, I believe that restaurant guests will enjoy the blend of zinfandel and autumn delicacies from the new menu,’ said the hotel’s General Manager Ivica Max Krizmanić. 

The gathering on the Oleander Terrace was also the ideal occasion for announcing the new exciting autumn menu of the Zinfandel’s Restaurant, whose concept is authored by Executive Chef Ana Grgić. Guests will be able to enjoy it starting on 29 September. For the occasion, Ana prepared a series of fantastic creative dishes that were an excellent pairing for the Krauthaker wines, such as pickled Jerusalem artichoke in soup of Jerusalem artichoke with salted prawns and caper oil, gnudi with fluid beet gel, hazelnut pesto and stilton cheese cream, as well as turbot fillet with velouté of black garlic and pine nuts. Particularly delightful were the kale rolls filled with a homemade duck confit served with black lentil cream and juniper berry and cardamom sauce, which went especially well with the zinfandel. ‘The menu is completely inspired by aromatic autumn foods such as chestnuts, corn, black truffles, oranges and porcini mushrooms. I am especially proud of our gourmet winter collection, which we pickled ourselves. The new menu highlights fresh homegrown ingredients that we get from carefully selected family farms. For example, the delicious duck, every part which we use in our meals, comes from the Orehovec family farm in Varaždin, while the goat cheese is produced by the award-winning Moravec family farm,’  said Esplanade Executive Chef Ana Grgić. For those with a taste for proven hedonistic combinations, the new autumn menu brings a delicious Kagoshima Wagyu steak with caramelised shallot and shiitake mushrooms, as well as the indispensable foie gras, this time in symbiosis with marinated pears in port wine and red pepper, served with warm brioche and orange butter. The creative dessert menu brings citrusy flavours of orange and tangerine, delicious rhubarb and superb chocolate, and certainly deserving of a taste is the unique sweet corn ice cream with apple terrine, as well as crunchy ginger biscuits served with milk jam and candied ginger, which bring to the table a touch of orient. The wine list of the Zinfandel’s Restaurant has been refreshed with new labels and is an excellent upgrade to Ana’s autumn flavours.

Along with the star of the event, Zinfandel 2019, the guests had the opportunity to toast with Krauthaker’s excellent sparkling wine Juliet, which features varieties of Muscat Yellow, Muscat White and Muscat Ottonel We also enjoyed Zelenac Kutjevo, recognizable by its floral tones and gentle honey shade, while Krauthaker’s Pinot noir and refreshing Rosé cuvée further enriched the flavours of Ana’s autumnal dishes. The official water of Zinfandel’s Acqua Panna & S. Pellegrino was provided for this occasion by the company Pago Croatia.

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FOR EVENT PHOTOS AND MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE PR DEPARTMENT OF THE ESPLANADE HOTEL:

• Sanda Sokol, PR & Marketing Manager, T. +385.1.4566.036, M. +385.91.4766.647, E. [email protected]
• Andrea Ožegović, PR & Marketing Coordinator, T. +385.1.4563.888, M. +385.91.4766.648, E. [email protected]

DOWNLOADING MATERIALS:
• PHOTOS (credited as The Esplanade Hotel Archive)
• Wine List
• COVID-19 video and the Esplanade’s precautionary measures
• Zinfandel’s contact: T. 01 4566 644, [email protected]www.zinfandels.hr

#Zinfandel’s Restaurant
The one-of-a-kind ambience of the Zinfandel’s Restaurant and cuisine that combines top-quality local ingredients and flavours from around the world guarantee a truly delightful culinary experience in the very heart of Zagreb. The excellent cuisine of Zinfandel’s is run by the Chef de cuisine of the Esplanade Ana Grgić, whose many years of experience and training with world renowned chefs guarantee an unforgettable gourmet experience. Her repeatedly awarded and talented culinary team, offering fresh and witty interpretations of Croatian traditional cuisine, also includes excellent pâtissiers. Innovative cuisine in a pleasant setting includes views of the legendary Oleander Terrace and outdoor dining. Continuing with the Esplanade’s tradition of supreme gastronomy, with its selection and combination of flavours, this charming chef introduces a freshness and creativity that connect Zagreb with the Mediterranean and continental Europe. Zinfandel’s Restaurant received a series of culinary excellence awards: It was included in the Hall of Fame of the TripAdvisor Portal and in the Falstaff Restaurantguide, it received the Great Rail Journeys Gold Food Award, it was included in 2013 and 2016 in the Guido Gallo guide published by Riso Gallo, it carries a recommendation by the Michelin guide for the third year in a row, three caps in the selection of the Gault&Millau gastronomic guide, an LTG award for contemporary restaurant of the year, and many other awards.

#Krauthaker Winery 
The rich viticultural and winemaking tradition of the Kutjevo area was embraced, accepted and promoted by Mr Vlado Krauthaker, agricultural engineer, oenologist, and since 1992 the owner of Krauthaker Viticulture and Cellaring. Important determinants of their own production in the Krauthaker Winery include the cultivation of vines according to organic principles and the continuity of quality. The wines are regularly presented at exhibitions and fairs in Croatia and around the world. Their quality is confirmed by medals and recognition by professionals at numerous wine evaluations. Over the years, the winery has received the Decanter World Wine Awards, Chardonnay du Monde, Challenge International du Vin, MUNDUS VINI Grand International Wine Award, International Graševina Festival and others. Thanks to the preserved nature, favourable climate and location, and above all soil quality, a total of 25 different wine labels come out of the Krauthaker cellar.
• Krauthaker Winery contact:
Danira Orešić, LIGHT KOMUNIKACIJE, PR, Marketing, Brand Development, T. 091 516 60 47, E. [email protected]www.lightkomunikacije.hr

#Pago Croatia – Acqua Panna & S. Pellegrino
The company Pago Croatia d.o.o. (Llc.) has been active on the Croatian market and has been a part of your lives for 25 years, representing world-famous brands of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. In its portfolio, among others, it offers waters S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, two historical Italian classics whose success lies in attractive values and an elegant balance of flavours. Names that are highly valued all over the world, both in top restaurants and at home. They celebrate high-quality food and lifestyle every day, making each meal a special experience.

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