A wine and crystal summit of sorts between Slovenia and Croatia took place on Wednesday, 22 May, at the Rogaška Glassworks store in Zagreb. The event was organized by the Women on Wine (WOW) association, with some twenty members and a large number of media representatives attending.

Since the clouds threatened with rain, the event did not take place as expected in front of the shop, with a view of the Croatian Fine Arts Home building. Instead, guests mingled surrounded by beautiful crystal and art objects exhibited in the shop. Perhaps it was for the best since that made it possible for everyone to be close enough to observe these precious objects, handmade from the most beautiful glass and crystal. After all, love between Zagreb and Rogaška has always been a two-way street, and the store’s doors have recently been re-opened for all the fans of premium crystal objects.

The Rogaška Glassworks is the perfect combination of tradition, art and passion that lasts more than 350 years. The tradition includes the skills of the old masters, while the openness towards the new technologies has inspired a contemporary design that nowadays captivates customers of all generations. The factory has produced, engraved, painted, carved and decorated crystal objects since the 17th century. It delivers impressive 20 tons of crystal products a day and about eight million products annually. As many as 95 percent of output is exported abroad, and Rogaška was the first company from the former Yugoslavia which had its showroom on New York’s Madison Avenue.

The WOW members and media representatives had an opportunity to see for themselves the quality and beauty of artistically crafted glasses sculpted by Croatian artist Gordana Drinković. Rogaška was represented at the event by Sašo Ilić and Špela Sedminek. “In addition to being proud of the tradition, excellent export results and numbers, we are happy that our workshops produce well-known awards for most festivals in the region – from Porin, Dora, Večernjak’s Roses to Tour de Croatia, Snow Queen, ATP tournament and many other prominent events. In Rogaška, we never stop searching for new forms, precise craftsmanship, exciting new solutions – in forms, patterns, colours. Everything is handmade, and our crystal is one of the cleanest and therefore the brightest. It is important to note that everything is created, designed and realized in Slovenia.”

Although the product range of Rogaška is innovative and vibrant, and includes pots, ashtrays, candlesticks, picture frames, flower vases, and many other things that make a home or are excellent as a gift – the WOW members and the media were this time mostly interested in high-quality crystal glasses and decanters, quite appropriately for members of a wine association and lifestyle media representatives. The wine programme offers top-of-the-range luxury crystal glasses that provide wine connoisseurs with a new dimension of wine enjoyment, and a bar section with impeccable design to enjoy more relaxed moments.

The beautiful glasses of the Armonia line were filled on Wednesday with equally exceptional wines produced by Puklavec Family Wines Jeruzalem Ormož. The glasses are of a unique shape and are ideal for both sparkling wines and regular wines. The line also includes excellent simple glasses for water or whiskey and even wine on certain occasions.

This time, the guests drank “Penina Brut Estate”, sparkling wine produced by the Charmat method from Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. It is lively, refreshing sparkling wine with only seven grams of sugar residue, with plenty of citrus notes, and a dash of hazelnut and red fruits. The second wine was “Cuvee of Sauvignon and Pinot Gris”, an incredibly fresh and light wine suitable for this time of the year. Sauvignon gives it freshness and Pinot Gris elegance, with a harmonious and balanced result. It pairs excellently with chicken and poultry, and especially with all the asparagus dishes. Next was fantastic, complex Pinot Gris, “Pinot Grigio 7 Numbers”, 2017, an exceptional varietal wine featuring intense aromas of ripe apples and peaches, with a hint of vanilla – spicy, slightly pungent, with a long aftertaste. Finally – two Muscat wines. “Muškat Ottonel” is a dessert wine that nicely combines sweetness and lightness, distinguished by low alcohol content, making it excellent for tasting even when it is sweltering. It is a sweet mid-body wine that is characterized by nutmeg aromas and freshness and goes well with desserts. Finally, bubbles again. “Muškatna Penina” is a refreshing wine with sugar residue and enchanting nutmeg aromas.

As politicians would say, the Slovenia-Croatia summit, which gathered female wine experts, top Slovenian wine producers and – last, but not the least – the hosts, the wonderful Rogaška Glassworks – was hugely successful. We look forward to furthering bilateral co-operation in the areas of wine and enjoyment of life.

More wine news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

Photos by Rene Karaman