Wines
of Slovenia
11)
Primorje
Region
On the
Italian Border and Istrian Peninsular balanced climate which is moderated by
the Mediterranean.
The best
wines come from this region and some of the best wines I have ever drunk come
from these producers. I prefer the reds. There is very much an Italian
influence. Surface of vineyards is around 6,500 ha
1a) Goriška Brda area:
Movia is probably the best producer of
Red and White Wines in Slovenia. Movia
have wine bar in Ljubljana stocking wines from all over Slovenia and the best
wines of Europe.
Marjan Simčič, Edi Simčič, Ščurek,
Jakončič and Bagueri are top producers. Red Varietals
are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Modri Pinot (Pinot Noir): also
Chardonnay (Bagueri). Best reds are full
bodied, rich in fruit taste, concentrated and complex with long length on the
palate. Best wines will keep for a long time. They have a good balanced
structure for tannin, acid and alcohol.
Rebula is the most characteristic white
wine of the area and is similar in style to Collio region Ribolla Gialla. Movia
is probably the best producer of these whites. It is the most widely grown
grape of the region sometimes used for “Passito” wines or Pikolit wines as they
are known in the area. Aromatic wines some are as sweet as late harvested
wines.
Vines
are grown on terraces on the slopes of the lower mountains. Soil is mostly
marls and shale and sandstone.
Try Kmetija “Poezija” semi-sweet wine made
from dried Rebula grapes 17% alcohol. It tastes of fruits, honey and it has a type
of “flor” which grows on the wine surface which prevents oxidation- Fino style.
1b) Kras area:
The
Karst white limestone rocks provide good soil for vine growing. Some of the
soils have high iron content. Vineyards are on flat topology or gently sloping.
The most
famous wine is Teran (a special
variety of the Refošk grapes) red whose
vines are grown on Terra Rossa soil. Vegetal and berry fruit tasting wines
these wines are said to have medicinal properties and I can believe it.
Also Refošk
or Rifosco grapes are grown here and which are blended into the red wines or
produced as varietal wines.
Čotar is one of the top producers; their
Kras Terra Rosa is a blend of Teran, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is a top
wine which easily competes with French and Italian reds. It is characteristic
of the area.
Other
top producers are Boris Lisjak and Renčel
Best for
red wines but some whites are produced from Malvasia, Prosecco, Sauvignon Blanc
and Chardonnay.
1c) Koper Area:
Situated
on the Istrian peninsular Koper produces mainly red wines and Refošk is the predominant
grape. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are also grown.
The best
producers are Santomas, Vinakoper and
Brič.
1d) Vipava:
The
vines are grown in the Vipava valley which borders on Goriška Brda. Both white
and red wines are produced. My favourites are the reds. The best reds are made
from Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes.
The best
whites are made from Malvazija (Malvasia) Rebula, Sauvignon Blanc and Beli
Pinot (or Pinot Blanc) grapes.
One of
my favourite producers is Vipava 1894
(Lanthieri) which is also the area’s biggest producer. Top producers
include Batič, Tilia and Sutor.
22)
Podravje
Region
In my
opinion the second best wines come from this area. The wines are better known
in Western Europe; Ljutomer-Ormož wines were popular in Britain in the 1970s
and 1980s. The vineyards are positioned on the river Drava and run down to the
border with Croatia.
Maribor is reputed to have the oldest vine
living vine in Europe. The vine produces 35 litres of wine per year.
The
Austrian influence is apparent in this region. This is the largest wine region
with over 10,000 hectares under vines.
2a) Maribor area
The vineyards
are the coolest of the region. Vines are grown on quartz rich clays and marls.
There are vineyards in the city of Maribor. The area is best for its aromatic
white wines especially Laški Rizling and Renski Rizling (Welch Riesling and
Rhein Riesling respectively). The area also produces reds the best is from the
Modri Pinot (Pinot Noir) grape. The Vinag Cellars are the largest in central
Europe with 20,000 square metres of cellars with 7,000,000 litres of wine
capacity. Vinag cellars are also known as Maribor Wine Tabernacle.
Best
producers are Joannes, Gaube, Meranovo,
Vinag, Zupan, Očkerl, – Šipon (Furmint) Ice Wine
Biggest
producer: Vinag which also produces
good wine.
2b) Haloze
It has a
similar climate to Maribor vies are gown on terraces alongside the Drava river.
The area is more famous for White wine and the best white wine is the Renski Rizling
which goes well with Zander and Pike caught in the local rivers. Most of the
wine is cellared in Ptuj where there are good restaurants to enjoy the white
wine and super fresh river fish.
Best
Producers are Kokot, Turčan and Skaza
Biggest
producer is Vinarstvo Slovenske gorice-Haloze
2c) Ljutomer-Ormož
This
area lies between the confluence of the Drava and Mura rivers. The summers are
hot but there is rarely scorching heat or drought. There is a balanced climate for viticulture.
This is my favourite area of the Podravje. Much of the area borders on Croatia.
It is a
legend of the area that the crusaders arrived in Ormož and believed it to be
the holy land and decided to stay and drink wine rather than go and fight. This
seems to be the sensible decision.
Jeruzalem–Ormož
is a special area which produces some wonderful white wines and some lovely sparkling
wine. Beli Pinot or (Pinot Blanc) produces the best wines which are fruity but
well balanced. The area is also famous for Šipon which made from the local
grape this is an acid rich white wine with an elegant bouquet.
Ljutomer
whites were rather popular in Britain in the late 1970s and 1980s but they are
not of the same high quality of Jeruzalem wines.
The best
producers are Jeruzalem–Ormož, Kranjc, čurin
The
biggest producer is Jeruzalem–Ormož
Ormož
has some very large cellars.
2d) Other Areas of the Podravje
I have
either not tasted wines from these areas or not found them notable: Radgona–Kapela, Srednje Slovenska Gorice,
šmarje
– Virštajn and Prekmurske Gorice
33)
Posavje
This
region borders the river Sava which flows past but not through the capital Ljubljana. I have
not found the wines of this region particularly noticeable even though there
has been a French influence.
However,
some good ice wines (ledeno vino) are produced in the region from the Laški
Rizling white grape some of these rival wines from the Podravje.
Most
growers blend their wines. There are many local growers who tend to be
individualistic. There was much emigration to the US during the phylloxera
crisis in the 19th Century. The soil is varied with marls, clays and
sandstones.
7,500 hectares are
under vines.
3a) Dolensjska Area
This area is renowned
for Cviček which is a blend of red and white wine and which
is made by many proud family producers and “hobbyists”. It is considered as impolite to refuse a glass whenever and wherever
it is offered- the families are proud of
their wine.
Dolenjsko
Belo is a white wine made from a blend of grapes including: Laški Rizling, Suavignon
Blanc, Beli Pinot and Rumeni Plavec. It is supposed to be good for rheumatism
and kidney stones.
The best
wines are the late harvested Laški Rizling and Sauvignon Blanc based whites.
Best
producers Martinčič, Frelih and Planinc
3b) Other Areas
Bela Krajina and Bizeljsko-Sremič- I have not tried wines from
this area.
44)
Quality
Terms
Namizno
vino - table wine
Kakovostno
vino – Quality wine with protected geographical location – IGP
Vrhunsko
vino – AOC or AOP.
Predicate wines
Pozna
trgatev - Spätlese
Izbor –
Auslese
Jagodni
izbor – Beerenauslese
Suhi
jagodni izbor - Trockene Beerenauslese.
55)
Other
Terms
Arhivsko
vino – Classico and Reserva
Mlado
vino – young wine
Peneče
vino- sparkling
Suho –
very dry or brut
Polsuho
- semi dry
Polsladko
–semi-sweet
Sladko –
Sweet
66)
Photos
Europe’s
oldest vine in Maribor
Jeruzalem–Ormož vineyards
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