A piece of heaven on Krka River

Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan, two actors who famously portrayed James Bond, both enjoyed stays at Hotel Grad Otočec, a castle hotel built in the 13th century on a small island in the River Krka near Novo Mesto, halfway between Zagreb and Ljubljana. Among its distinguished guests over the years have also been actors Henry and Peter Fonda and Matthew Perry, statesmen Nikita Khrushchev and Josip Broz Tito with Jovanka Broz, King Harald V of Norway with Queen Sonja, as well as Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, the three crew members of Apollo 11, the first spacecraft to land on the Moon. A group of Zagreb-based wine and gastronomy journalists and influencers were hosted for a six-course dinner prepared entirely from Slovenian ingredients. The menu was created by Head Chef Đorđe Piperović, while the dishes were paired with carefully selected wines by Restaurant Manager and Sommelier Denis Iskra.

Hosts Mojca Grill and Matej Jordan began the evening with sparkling wine in the Wine Tower, an exclusive tasting space. Domaine Slapšak Brut Nature is produced using the traditional Champagne method from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and the indigenous Slovenian grape variety Žametna črnina. The world’s oldest vine—popularly known as the Stara trta—also belongs to this variety and has been growing in Maribor for more than four centuries. A cutting of this vine has been planted in the courtyard of Otočec Castle, where grapes are harvested and made into wine. A small quantity is blended with other wines and offered as a ceremonial or protocol wine. The six-course formal dinner was prepared by Head Chef Đorđe Piperović and paired with suitable wines by Denis Iskra.

Guests were welcomed with an amuse-bouche of veal loin with cheese, pickled onion, and homemade bread served with butter flavoured with smoked salt, alongside Lisjak olive oil from the Slovenian part of Istria. In the glass was Sauvignon 2024 from the Kozinc winery. The same wine accompanied the first course of the evening: beetroot carpaccio with gorgonzola mousse, thyme crackers, and toasted pine nuts. This was followed by tuna tartare with soy sauce, quail egg, and peanuts, paired with Movia Rebula 2024 from Goriška Brda by Aleš Kristančič. A risotto with smoked trout, pumpkin purée, and semi-dried olives was matched with Albiana Chardonnay 2022, while grilled sea bass with millet dressing, julienned vegetables, and butter sauce was paired with Pinot Grigio by Marjan Simčič, a neighbour of Movia in the Brda region.

The main course featured duck breast with artichoke purée, sour cherry gel, port sauce, and polenta made from Bohinj corn, an indigenous variety. The accompanying wine was Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 from the Dolfo winery by Marko Skočaj, also from Goriška Brda. Dessert provided a sweet finale: white chocolate mousse with fennel ice cream, paired with Šturm Rhine Riesling. A particular highlight of the entire dinner at Hotel Grad Otočec is the fact that most of the vegetables used are grown by the hotel itself in the Castle Garden.

A stay at the hotel includes fine dining, wireless internet access, and complimentary swimming at Hotel Šport in Šmarješke Toplice. Guests can enjoy an atmosphere that reflects the core values of Relais & Châteaux accommodation: courtoisie (courtesy), charme (charm), caractère (character), calme (tranquillity), and cuisine (haute cuisine). The hotel offers 16 luxuriously appointed accommodation units, ranging from spacious double rooms to two magnificent royal suites. Nearby is a golf course covering 75 hectares with 18 holes, complete with a hospitality venue aptly named “The 19th Hole.”

PR: Ivo Kozarčanin for Cork Croatia

Photography: Hotel Grad Otočec and Ivana Pranjić