Slovakian wine and food: Pairing inspirations

ZAR Hospitality's Fallow Deer with pumpkin, potatoes and shallots — (Image credit: Credit Unknown)

VIAJUR director and winemaker, Tomáš Dilong worked with the talented chefs leading culinary endeavours at the winery group’s fine-dining restaurants to choose three beautifully created dishes that were inspired by traditional Slovakian recipes. He then chose three very different VAIJUR wines to pair with them.

Fallow Deer

Tommáš Šečík, group executive chef, ZAR Hospitality

Slovak game meat, locally sourced from the mountains (pictured above), offers a savoury and tender experience that pairs seamlessly with the wholesome goodness of locally grown vegetables – pumpkin, potatoes and shallots – all organically cultivated on our Farná farm. Freshly harvested by hand, rosehips add a delightful touch. Our focus on simplicity and natural quality of ingredients creates a connection between the plate and the rich agricultural landscape surrounding us.

Tom&aacute;&scaron; &Scaron;ev&#269;&iacute;k, group executive chef at ZAR Hospitality — Tomáš Ševčík, group executive chef at ZAR Hospitality

To be paired with: VIAJUR, Dunaj, Nitra 2021

This fallow deer dish effortlessly pairs with VIAJUR Dunaj 2021. With its profound ink-like colour, this red wine captivates the senses with luscious plum and indulgent chocolate notes. The well-balanced acidity, full-bodied character and sweet, ripe tannins create an ideal harmony with the savoury and tender Slovak game meat. The wine’s richness and depth also beautifully complement the seasonal vegetables.

Catfish

Restaurant Franz Josef's head chef, Martin Klau&#269;o — Franz Josef head chef, Martin Klaučo

Martin Klaučo, head chef, Franz Josef restaurant, Hotel Lomnica

The culinary artistry of VIAJUR’s Franz Josef restaurant is where sustainability meets exquisite, vibrant flavours. Embrace zero waste, with catfish bones transformed into a rich, fennel-infused sauce. Cauliflower, raisins and sturgeon caviar add contrasting textures and pops of sweetness and salinity. Almost alingredients of this umami-rich dish are meticulously sourced locally.

To be paired with: VIAJUR, Rizling jurský, Svätý Jur 2021

The VIAJUR Rizling Jurský 2021 enhances this dish enormously. Sourced from 50-year-old vineyards above the village of Svätý Jur, the wine displays an intense yellow colour with a green hue, releasing captivating aromas of citrus and lime. The wine’s mineral and crisp palate complements the fish’s oiliness, enlivening the palate with refreshing acidity, and it will age handsomely.

Amouse Bouche

ARTE restaurant's head chef, Jir&iacute; Zaj&iacute;&#269;ek — ARTE restaurant’s head chef, Jirí Zajíček

Jiří Zajíček, head chef, ARTE restaurant, Pálffy Manor

This gastronomic journey begins with a creamy, fruity, earthy amuse-bouche of sheep-cheese chips paired with grape gel and marinated leaves. Transition seamlessly to the next course, featuring smoked eel adorned with creamed horseradish, tonburi and chives, the smoky richness of the eel harmonising with the sharpness of horseradish. Concluding the adventure is succulent deer served on an onion biscuit, partnered with tapenade and black truffle.

ARTE restaurant's Amuse Bouche - sheep-cheese chips paired with grape gel and marinated leaves &amp; smoked eel with creamed horseradish, tonburi and chives — ARTE restaurant’s Amuse Bouche – sheep-cheese chips paired with grape gel and marinated leaves & smoked eel with creamed horseradish, tonburi and chives

To be paired with: VIAJUR, Blanc de Noir, Nitra 2022

Crafted using the traditional Champagne method and Pinot Noir, this wine is a symphony of bright acidity, creamy texture and delicate bubbles. Pairing seamlessly with the amuse-bouche, the wine enhances the sheep-cheese chips, cutting through the creaminess and elevating fruity and earthy notes. During the smoked eel course, the blanc de noir’s richness complements the eel, while its creamy texture dovetails perfectly with the horseradish.

Where to stay

Pálffy Manor

A meticulously revitalised, renaissance manor house entrenched in the town’s 700-year-old viticultural tradition. Within the historic and modern wings, the manor offers four unique suites, providing a flawless blend of heritage and comfort, deliciously complemented with two exquisite restaurants, the à la carte Hostinec Palatín and the fine-dining restaurant ARTE, not to mention VIAJUR’s cutting- edge winery and brewery. A great choice for private and corporate events, Pálffy Manor beckons with a tapestry of tradition and modernity, making it the perfect retreat for wine lovers.

Hotel Lomnica

Hotel Lomnica equals alpine tranquillity and timeless elegance for nature enthusiasts. Situated amidst the High Tatras mountain range, Hotel Lomnica invites you to a retreat in the heart of Tatranská Lomnica village. First opening its gates in 1894 and wholly refurbished in 2016, this historic establishment merges traditional allure with contemporary luxuries. It offers guests top-class gastronomy in à la carte and fine-dining restaurants, accommodation in both its historic and modern sections, and all the alpine activities you can wish for in the immediate vicinity – the hotel is a popular destination for winter skiing and summer hikes in the High Tatras National Park; furthermore, the Lomnica Gallery, showcasing works by leading Slovak artists, enriches guests’ cultural experience in this mountainous escape.