Hollywood certainly knows how to produce entertainment, and the European Culture Club (EEC) is no exception. In a first-of-its-kind experiential wine-tasting theater, Matko Brljevic Malinger, the EEC founder and director/producer of the Zinfandel Story, created a performance combining talents from international actors and Croatian musicians, tracing the roots of “American” Zinfandel. The sold-out event took place last weekend in the Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach, California, where over 100 people experienced wines from Zinfandel, Primitivo, Tribidrag and Plavac Mali.
“Zinfandel Story is a wine-tasting storytelling performance where instead of a sommelier in a traditional wine tasting, actors and musicians engage attendees in a historical journey from California via Italy to Croatia, and then back to Napa Valley,” said Brljevic Malinger, well-known theatre director, filmmaker and founder/producer of various Croatian and European film festivals in Hollywood.
“Collaborating with wine-loving actors such as Zana Marjanovic who led the performance, and Tunde Skovran, Marek Probosz, and Maddalena Ischiale who were in character of each of the countries and wines, we inserted favorite songs of the legendary winemaker Miljenko Mike Grgich, the main protagonist of Zinfandel Story.”
Notably, all participating singing musicians were Croatian including Klapa More from Split, Roko Blazevic, and Dr. T, aka Tihana Skaricic (also an entertainment director for EEC), who engaged the attendees with ”Miljenko’s selection” evergreens, culminating with his most favorite song Que Sera, Sera.
Not only did the event educate Americans about the indigenous Croatian wines, but also it provided a great way to close the month-long celebrations of Croatian Heritage Month, proclaimed by the City of Los Angeles.
EEC partnered with all performers as well as Croatian Consulate in Los Angeles, Croatian Premium Wines, Dalmatia Spreads, and select wineries. Due to the story focus, wines served were from Grgich Hills Estate, Calilfornia, and Grgić Vina, Korta Katarina and Rizman from Croatia. To showcase the plethora of Croatian varieties, wines from Ilok Cellars, Kutjevo and Delmati were also served as welcome drinks.
For information on future experiential-wine performances in other US cities, visit European Culture Club and Croatian Premium Wine.
Source: European Culture Club – Zinfandel Story – Director/Producer Matko Brljevic Malinger and artists
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