Slovenia

The Republic of Slovenia (Slovenian Slovenija) with its capital Ljubljana (German Laibach) covers 20,273 km². The country borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the east, and Croatia to the southeast. After the end of World War II in 1945, Slovenia existed as a part-republic in socialist Yugoslavia. Following the declaration of independence in 1991 and the 10-Day War, Slovenia became an independent nation-state.

History

The first vine stock were planted about 2,400 years ago by the Celts. The Romans influenced viticulture mainly in the area of Poetovium (Ptuj = Pettau). The Roman wine author Pliny (23-79) mentioned viticulture in the Karst region and referred to these wines as an elixir of life.

During the Migration Period, viticulture came to a halt again. However, in the Middle Ages, wines were highly valued at the courts of imperial Vienna and archiepiscopal Salzburg. The Austrian Archduke John (1782-1859) owned a model vineyard near Maribor (Marburg). Even today, the influences of the historical and long association with Austria-Hungary can be felt. As in most European countries, large vineyard areas fell victim to the phylloxera in the second half of the 19th century.

Climate & Soils

The climate conditions are characterized by Alpine, continental, and Mediterranean climates. After short, heavy rain in spring, a warm summer and a long, mostly sunny autumn follow, allowing for a late harvest with quality wine. The soils are characterized by a great diversity (see under the wine-growing regions).

Wine Regions

The wine-growing areas lie in the north at the borders with Austria (Southern Styria), in the east with Hungary, and in the west with the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia. About three-quarters of the production is accounted for by white wine, about a quarter by red wine. A showcase operation and pioneer is the winery Movia. There are many small winemakers with tiny plots. Slovenia is divided into three large wine-growing region with 14 origin-protected wine-growing area.

Podravje (Drauland) with 9,650 ha

Is divided into two areas:

Stajerska Slovenija (Slovenian Styria) with 8,685 ha

• Haloze
• Ljutomer-Ormoz
• Maribor
• Ptuj-Srednje Slovenske Gorice
• Radgona-Kapela
• Smarje-Virstanj

Prekmurje with 965 ha

• Lendavske Gorice-Goricko

Posavje (Save Region) with 4,328 ha

• Bela Krajina (White Krajina) with 608 ha
• Bizeljsko Sremič with 1,264 ha
• Dolenjska with 2,456 ha

Primorska (Adriatic Coastal Region) with 8,081 ha

• Goriška Brda (Görzer Hills) with 1,992 ha
• Kras (Karst) with 753 ha
• Slovenska Istra (Slovenian Istria) with 2,331 ha
• Vipavska Dolina (Vipava Valley) with 3,005 ha

Grape Variety Overview

In 2022, the vineyards covered 14,789 hectares of vine area, and the wine production volumes were 546,000 hectoliters. The grape variety (Statistics Kym Anderson Kym):

Wine Categories

These are based, as in Austria and Germany, on the must weight of the grapes. The label must indicate the quantity of bottles produced or liters. The sweetness level are dry (dry), semi-dry (semi-dry), semi-sweet (semi-sweet), and sweet (sweet). In August 2009, the EU Wine Market Regulation came into effect with fundamental changes to wine designations and quality levels. The following new designations or quality levels exist (see under quality system):

• Vino (formerly Namizno Vino or table wine) = wine
• PGO = Deželno Vino or country wine
• ZGP = Kakovostno Vino or quality wine
• VV z ZGP = Vrhunsko Vino or premium wine / quality wine
• PTP = Priznano Tradicionalno Poimenovanje or traditional wine

PGO (Priznano Geografsko Oznaka)
recognized geographical designation)

Wine from fully ripe grapes, natural alcohol content at least 8.5% vol, maximum yield 120 h/ha, sensory and analytical testing required.

ZGP (Zaščitenim Geografskim Poreklom)
protected geographical origin

Use of quality wine grape varieties and specific vineyards is required, fully ripe grapes, natural alcohol content at least 8.5% vol (9.5% vol in wine-growing zone CII), max. maximum yield 80 hl/ha, sensory and analytical testing required, official tasting must achieve at least 16.1 out of 20 points.

VV z ZGP (Vrhunsko Vino z Zaščitenim Geografskim Poreklom)
premium wine protected geographical origin

This corresponds to a quality wine. In addition to the basic criteria, the following conditions apply: Registered harvest, no enrichment and no additives allowed, no deacidification. In official tasting, at least 18.1 out of 20 points must be achieved. Additional designations/wine types:

• Pozna Trgatev = late harvest (overripe or Botrytis; at least 92 °Oe)
• Izbor = select harvest (overripe or botrytized; at least 108 °Oe)
• Jagodni Izbor = berry select harvest (overripe or botrytized; at least 128 °Oe)
• Suhi Jagodni Izbor = dry berry select harvest (overripe or botrytized; at least 154 °Oe)
• Ledeno Vino = ice wine (naturally frozen at harvest, at least 128 °Oe)
• Slamno Vino (Vino iz Sušenega Grozdja) = straw wine (dried on reed mats)

PTP (Priznano Tradicionalno Poimenovanje)
recognized traditional designation)

Wines produced using traditional methods with protection of geographical origin. There are only four of them; these are Belokranjec, Cviček, Kras Teran, and Metliska Crnina.

Special Wine Designations/Types

• Arhivsko Vino = archive wine (aging 2 years in barrel and 2 in bottle; at least 83 °Oe)
• Mlado Vino = young wine (marketing 30 days after harvest until January 31 of the following year)
• Kakovostno Peneče Vino, Penina = sparkling wine or quality sparkling wine

Map of Slovenia: © Goruma
Flag: by User:Achim1999, public domain, Link
Coat of Arms: by Achim1999, public domain, Link
Map of Wine Regions: By Agne27 from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link edited by Norbert F. J. Tischelmayer - May 2019