Slovakia

The Republic of Slowakei with its capital Bratislava (German: Pressburg) in Mitteleuropa covers 49,035 km². It borders Österreich to the west, Tschechien and Polen to the north, Ukraine to the east, and Ungarn to the south. In 1993, the former state of Tschechoslowakei peacefully split into the two independent states of Slovakia and Tschechien. Viticulture has a shared history that dates back to the Kelten.

Wine Regions

The wine regions are mainly located in the south along the borders with Österreich and Ungarn. The vineyards form a strip about 60 kilometers long along these borders and are mostly situated along the Donau-Nebenflüssen Hron (Gran), Nitra (Neutra), and Váh (Waag) around the capital Bratislava (Pressburg). A continental Klima prevails with hot summers and cool winters with moderate Niederschlag.

Notable wine-producing municipalities include Hurbanovo, Levice, Modra (with a viticulture school), Nitra, Nove Zamky, Pezinok, Raca, Sahy, Sered, Sobota, Trnava, and Zlaté Moravce. A special feature is the small area in the far east that borders the Hungarian Tokaj-Hegyalja. Here, wine is produced in the three (formerly Hungarian) villages of Kistoronya, Szõlõske, and the Slovak part of Sátoraljaújhely in the style of Tokajer. After years of disputes, the two countries finally agreed in early 2003 that the wines produced within the 172-hectare area could bear the designation of origin Tokaji (Tokajer).

Varietal Overview

In 2022, the vineyards covered 14,364 hectares, and the Wein-Produktionsmengen were 332,000 hectoliters. Two-thirds are white wines and one-third red wines. Notable wineries include Gbelce, Hlohovec, Hurbanovo, Matysák, Pavelka, Topolcany, and Trnava. Aside from exports to Tschechien, most is consumed domestically. The two dominant white wine varieties are Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling, followed by Blaufränkisch. The varietal overview:

Wine Categories

The wine categories are based, as in Austria and Germany, on the Mostgewicht of the grapes; 1 °NM (Normalizovaný Muštomer) = 1 kg Zucker per 100 l Most. In August 2009, the EU-Weinmarktordnung came into effect for all member countries with fundamental changes to wine designations and quality levels. The following new designations or quality levels exist (see also detailed under Qualitätssystem):

• Víno (formerly Tafelwein) = Wein
• CZO (Chráněné Zeměpisné Označeni) = Regional Wine or Landwein
• DSC (Districtus Slovakia Controlatus) = Quality Wine or Qualitätswein (at least 16 °NM, yield limits per region)

Prädikatswein (Quality Wine with designation)

• Kabinetné = Kabinett (fully ripe grapes, at least 19 °NM)
• Neskorý zber = Spätlese (fully ripe, at least 21 °NM)
• Výber z hrozna = Auslese (overripe, selected, at least 23 °NM)
• Bobuľový výber = Beerenauslese (overripe, selected, at least 26 °NM)
• Hrozienkový výber = Trockenbeerenauslese (overripe, selected, at least 28 °NM)
• Cibébový výber = Dried berry selection (botrytis grapes, otherwise as before)
• L’adové víno = Eiswein (harvested at least minus 7 °Celsius, at least 27 °NM)
• Slamové víno = Strohwein (at least 3 months dried on reed mats, at least 27 °NM)

Tokajer (see there for the regulations that also apply to Slovakia)

• Esencia = Eszencia (at least 450 g/l sugar, at least 50 g/l total extract, 3 years aging)
• Forditáš = Fordítás (2 years aging, of which 1 in wooden barrel)
• Mášláš = Máslás (2 years aging, of which 1 in wooden barrel)
• Samorodné = Szamorodni (2 years aging, of which 1 in wooden barrel)
• Výber = Aszú / Ausbruch (3 to 6 Putňový, 3 years aging, of which 2 years in wooden barrel)
• Výberová Esencia = Aszú-Eszencia (at least 180 g/l sugar, 3 years aging, of which 2 in wood)

Special Wine Designations/Types

• Mladé Víno = Jungwein (bottled before the end of the harvest year)
• Archívne Víno = Archivwein (at least 3 years aging)
• Panenská úroda = Jungfernwein (grapes from the first harvest after planting vines)
• Pestovateľský Sekt = Winzersekt
• Sekt vinohradníckej oblasti / Sekt V.O. = Sekt from a specific wine-growing area

Map: © Goruma