Although I love exploring the world, foreign countries with their versatile landscapes and different customs, tasting the local cuisine, … this year I have discovered a hidden gem right in my backyard! My home country, Slovenia, is small but charming. I’ve realised that I don’t know it as well as I thought I did, so I said a big “yes” to the invitation on a gourmet-oenological trip without hesitation.
Subterranean charm of a European wine cellar: Wine cellar Zlati Grič
Our first stop was the underground wine cellar Zlati Grič. We drove through a small winding road between the vineyards, stopped in front of a modern and architecturally sophisticated building, subtly built into existing stone in a way that it almost blends with the landscape. As it is completely underground with its roof overgrown with grass one could never guess the building is 3500 square meters big and has a capacity of 1,3 Mio. litre. Modern equipment and sophisticated appearance place the wine cellar Zlati grič among the most eminent cellars in Europe. I was impressed by its clean design and with 30C+ outside I really enjoyed the pleasantly cold interior. After a brief tour, we stopped for the wine tasting and let ourselves be spoiled. We tested a significant part of their wine selection. The fact that white wine is a staple of the region was especially pleasing to me. Pairing tasty cheese with different varieties of wine including sparkling wine, our taste buds were truly pampered. I must admit, I drank a lot… After all, good wine should not go to waste 😉
Sparkling wine ripens among the walls of the mighty Ziče Carthusian Monastery: the sparkling wine cellar Zlati grič
»Mighty« is the best word to describe Ziče Carthusian monastery. Upon arrival I was left speechless. If I ever considered a big wedding (probably not, but still), this would be on top of the list for the venue pick. We had an honour to walk the arched cellars of the monastery, where 60,000 bottles of white and (my favourite) rosé ripen.
Swing a golf club before you sit down for a gourmet experience
Wine region is also the home of the golf course Zlati Grič, for which I can without exaggeration (and despite my poor knowledge) say that it is one of the most beautiful, truly idyllic golf courses in Slovenia. The lively playground is subtly embedded in the surroundings consisting mostly of vineyards. It is visited by experienced golfers as well as sport novice (me being the latter). The masters of the Zlati Grič Golf Club gave us a short golf lesson and showed us how to hit the stick. After sports activities, there was a snack waiting for us at the field, and later we drove to the Grič Restaurant, located at the top of the hill. Ending the day with delicious food, which perfectly matched the wines of the Zlati Grič, we chatted away into the sunset with a wonderful view of the scenic landscape.
photo: Ajda Sitar and Matej Narek
outfit: Dorothy Perkins dress, H&M hat, Deichmann shoes
Prva fotka je nerealna, top res 🙂