Jul 28 2008
Life in Motovun - House Renovation, Sundowner Party, Wineries and Motovun Ranch
This week we returned to Motovun and Istria; it has been a long time since we were there in the summer.
Our house renovation continues under Gino’s supervision in Motovun. The exterior rendering has been completed and the floor structure is in. They have added the interior plasterboard walls and ‘roughed-out’ the electrical and plumbing work.
Ranko Bon, the town’s dilettante, held one of his famous Terrace Sundowner Parties. The terrace in front of his house has a unmatched view across the Mirna Valley below Motovun. For a small town, Motovun has a real international community during the summer months - Americans, Australians, Germans, Italians, Danes and even Iranians.
In the small village of San Mauro near Momjan is the Sinković Winery. In the valley near Momjan are the 2 local wine producers that we like the best - Kozlović and Kabola. Now we can add a third. The Sinković Zlato just received the Champion’s Medal at the recent Zagreb Fair - making it apparently the best wine in Croatia. Zlato is made from the local white grape - malvazija. While there Aklie made a new friend, Jack the 12-year-old truffle-sniffing pig - though it took them some time to warm to each other. Truffles are usually unearthed by dogs in Istria, but the Sinković’s use Jack.
Hidden down below Motovun, on the road to Brkač, is the Motovun Ranch. It is run by our friend’s ex-husband. The ranch is over 10 hectares set in an undeveloped valley. They organize lessons, single-day and multi-day tours.
