Meneghetti

Meneghetti is a prestigious winery on the Croatian side of Istria dedicated to both wine and oil production and hospitality. In fact, the estate has a luxurious Wine Hotel, surrounded by vineyards and with an adjoining wine cellar. The historical roots of this estate date back to the period immediately following the Napoleonic domination of Istria, when the territory returned under Habsburg rule. At that time, a man named Meneghetti purchased numerous hectares of land and began selling food to local troops. Gradually Meneghetti built dwellings and barns, planted vineyards and olive groves and started breeding goats and sheep. Over time, the estate became famous for its beauty, then fell into a period of gradual abandonment, until in the early 2000s Miroslav Plišo and his wife Romana Kajfež bought the property, restoring it to its former glory.

The vineyards of the Croatian Meneghetti estate are planted on red soils, poor in organic matter but rich in stones and mineral elements such as iron, characteristics that favour quality viticulture. Agronomic management is based on sustainable practices and the vines are pruned by hand using the Simonit & Sirch system, aimed at the well-being and longevity of the plant. Among the varieties grown is Malvasia Istriana, an indigenous grape variety of this impervious patch of land, alongside the international grapes Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Nero, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The oenological process uses state-of-the-art technology and is conducted with respect for the character of the terroir, with vinification in steel tanks and maturation always in steel or in oak barrels of different capacities. The winery also produces fine Metodo Classico sparkling wines, refined with long periods on the lees.

The Meneghetti estate offers a rather wide selection of wines, differentiated by styles and types, with sparkling, white, red, rosé and sweet wines of great pleasantness. Some, such as Malvazija Istriana, fully reflect the tense and mineral character of the area, while others offer a different but equally intriguing interpretation, characterised by a more international style.