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And Again the Vines Bore Fruit
by Polona
Preseren
It all begins at a celebratory feast,
which is marked by a drop of vintage wine. And so it was in
times past, when, especially on feast days, tables were laden
with delights and dishes were always accompanied by excellent
wines from Slovenian wine-growing regions. Especially cherished
was the wine on Martinovo (Martinmas), when must turns to wine.
As Martinovo approaches, which is on 11th November, the must
turns to wine, which has long been a reason for joy, and so
it has remained to this very day.
Furthermore, the new wine has to be tasted
and on this festive day; many Slovenes set off on trips around
wine-growing regions, where they taste local wines in traditional
wine cellars. Slovenes celebrate Martinovo at the weekend, and
if the 11th happens to be in the middle of the week, we celebrate
it twice. Usually, we serve the traditional goose with flat
cakes and red cabbage. As tradition goes, on this day the table
must be amply full, with goose or turkey or other poultry with
red cabbage on the menu. This feast day has its roots in the
pagan past, when farmers gave thanks for their harvest, whereas
in feudal times, it coincided with the settling of the debt
with the feudal lords. Thus, as in the past, celebrating Martinovo
remains a very popular tradition, especially in Slovenian wine-growing
regions. It is a day when we pay homage to our wines.
On other days in the year, however, all
the luxury of delight can be perceived on the many wine roads
and in traditional inns. The inn is the heart of the Slovenian
catering industry. The former must offer at least three meals,
characteristic of its region, besides its drinks. They are commonly
family- owned, and keep to tradition in their design as well
as in what they have to offer, while they keep to the principles
of healthy eating in their food preparations. The culinary menu
is complemented by excellent Slovenian wines, especially in
wine-growing regions. Characteristic of every inn and its homeliness
is its pristine hospitality - this is another reason the guests
keep coming back!
Tradition
The Slovenian poet France Prešeren, author
of the national anthem Zdravljica, begins his poem citing "Friends,
sweet wine our vines have yielded, reviving our veins, lightening
our hearts and eyes…". Whoever likes Slovenia also loves its
vineyards, which stretch out across the landscape, and also
stretch out across the price range of the wines. Wine-growing
has a long tradition, as the vine has been grown here since
antiquity, although it temporarily faded away after the collapse
of the Roman Empire. It was resurrected in the time of Franconian
rule in the 8th century. In the middle ages, its growth was
limited due to Turkish invasions and peasant uprisings, although
with major reforms and the development of the growing techniques,
the wine-growing industry was brought back to life.
In the middle of the 19th century, Slovenian
wine-growing was threatened by vine diseases, which affected
a good portion of the plantations. With vaccinations and State
support, the wine-growing industry was helped back on to its
feet. New varieties were planted and so the quality of the wine
was enriched. Today there are around 24,000 hectares of vineyards
in Slovenia, which are cultivated by wine-producers, who care
for their land and wines. They stretch out across our small
but picturesque country. In wine-growing, size is relative and
the quality of the wine is not diminished just because it comes
from a small geographical area. In wine terms, Slovenia belongs
to the old European region. It has an elaborate origin protection
and control system. Wine-tasting is compulsory for every wine
before it acquires permission for trade; the produce is limited
as far as surface areas under cultivation are concerned, while
wine-growers are becoming ever more aware, considerate and adherent
to the principles of sustainable wineproduction. Moreover, Slovenian
wine-growing includes influences from French, German and Italian
counterparts, both in vineyards and in production.
Viniferous Regions
Slovenia has a unique geographic setting
in the world. It would be difficult to find a country which
has such diverse environmental and climatic influences over
such short distances and which has, in addition, such a variety
of soil conditions. Slovenia is a small wine-producing area
and the variety is truly large here, as a wine-lover can see
and taste so many more different wines than almost anywhere
else. We can divide Slovenia into three wine-growing regions:
Podravje, Posavje and Primorje. Each one has its own specific
characteristics and microclimate, which is why each one can,
in line with its long tradition, serve up an original autonomous
wine selection and local specialities. This is why the range
of Slovenian wines is wholesome and includes almost all types,
from dry white and red wines to fortified wines and special
types (late harvests, selected berries, selected dry berries,
ice wines and sparkling wines).
The wine region of Posavje, located in
the heart of Slovenia, is famous for the little big wine, the
Cvicek, with an alcohol content of 8.5% barely still a wine
by European standards. Cvicek, whose properties were described
in books dating back as much as 200 years, is a combination
of two grape varieties, which gives it a distinctly light ruby
colour, a fruity aroma and pleasant freshness.
Cvicek, which is in itself a Slovenian
speciality, is characterised by a fresh taste and low level
of alcohol and is a very drinkable wine, which is certainly
kept by every vineyard cottage in the region.
Vineyard cottages are small, private
wine cellars, as the region is characterised by small wine-producers,
who have always stubbornly defied natural and social conditions.
It is this Slovenian wine region that has suffered most from
the consequences of the two world wars, and in between them
the great economic crisis, which is why many inhabitants emigrated,
above all to the US. The Posavska region is also known for its
predominantly rather sweet wines, which have received their
fair share of medals at international wine fairs.
The region in the south-west of the country,
Primorska, is aptly named (Primorska-by the sea), even though
only a small portion of it actually lies by the sea. This is
the western part of Slovenia, where the warmth of the Adriatic
is enriched by the influence of Istra. Summers are very hot
here, winters temperate. This region too is very fortunate in
the number of varieties it boasts, where due to the warmth and
sunshine the red wines, which are given a special flavour by
the iron-rich soil, prevail. The wine-growing region of Primorska
is made up of the Briški okoliš with the renowned Rebula and
White Pinot, the Vipava region with its wonderful white and
red wines and especially a topnotch Cabernet Sauvignon, the
Kras region with its Teran, Refošk and Terra Rossa, which is
a blend of Teran, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and the Koper
region with its Refošk and Malvazija. The Primorska wines are
dryer, contain more minerals and more pigment than wines of
other regions.
A special part of Slovenian land is the
territory on the right bank of the Soča river. These are the
unique Goriška Brda, where the warmth of the Adriatic and the
gentle breezes from the Alps, which give its wines, both of
the autochthonous Rebula and Pinela, as well as the Cabernet
Sauvignon, Pinot and Merlot, a special character. We can drink
a toast with these wines in the finest restaurants in New York,
London, Milan, Berlin, Tokyo and Moscow. Nevertheless, the doors
of the local Briška inns are always open to visitors.
Podravje, which stretches across the
North-West of Slovenia, is characterised by sediments which
were formed by lively geological activity and the remains of
the Panonian sea, as well as thermal and mineral springs. It
is this soil that is the factor behind the speciality of the
wines in this region. The climate is typically continental with
its abundance of sunny days, which sometimes result in dry spells,
while Winters are relatively cold.
The production of wine was present in
this region as far back as ancient times. The archaeological
findings actually testify to the fact that Celtic and Illyrian
tribes living in the area were accustomed to it. In all likelihood,
they derived their knowledge of these wines from the Greeks.
During the time of the Roman Empire, the region gained a reputation
for good wines and was among the first to establish commercial
wine-growing. Today the region is known for its early and late
grape-harvesting. The temperate climate and the particular soil
are ideal for producing strong and aromatic white wines. Wines,
which are definitely worth trying here are Renski Rizling, Laški
Rizling, Sauvignon, Šipon, Grey Pinot, White Pinot, Traminec,
Yellow Muškat and Radgonska Penina. In Podravje, in Ptuj, we
find the oldest wine cellar in Slovenia, while in Maribor we
find the oldest vine in the world, a venerable vine over four
hundred years old. The old vine presents a starting point and
a final stop for many a wine route which weaves through the
Maribor wine district. In honour of the vine, various festivities
called 'From Vine To Wine' are held each year.
Wine Routes
Wine shops are the most appropriate place
for wine tasting and purchasing in Slovenia, as they usually
offer a wide variety of wines, or a visit to the actual wine-producer.
Obviously restaurants also have a quite handsome selection of
wines, which suit certain types of food, even though restaurants
tend to favour one wine region over another. Slovenian wine
connoisseurs, and there are many, as Slovenians love a drop
of vintage wine, have the habit of choosing their "personal"
vintner, with whom they purchase wine for domestic consumption.
They usually stick with small vintners, for some it is their
profession, while for others it is a hobby and they do it out
of love for the wines. It is understandable that such small
vintners do not produce a lot and do not market their wines
or their best vintage, as their primary concern is quality.
The shortest way to such wine-growers is the wine routes, which
weave their way around wine regions and are clearly marked on
most of the tourist maps. At the moment there are around twenty
wine routes in Slovenia. Most of them are in Podravje, although
each wine region has at least one wine route. Such wine routes
are usually marked on local roads, from where access to the
vintner is available. Once there, the tasting of suitably chilled
wines and a cured meat and cheese board along with home-baked
bread await the visitor.
Wine in Economy
In Slovenia, wine-growers produce around
60% of white wine, which is also the most consumed, although
the consumption of red wines has been growing lately. In the
last few years, Slovenian wine-growers have produced around
100 million litres of wine on average per year, while the Slovenian
market has lately seen a slight fall in wine sales and consumption.
Slovenia is not only a producer and exporter of wine, the majority
of which is quality wine, but it is also an importer. The majority
of wine imports come from Macedonia, while other import regions
include Italy, Germany, Chile, Australia and California.
Slovenian wine-growers tend to stress
that our wines have a very favourable quality and price ratio.
We are somewhere in the middle by European standards, but getting
better and making greater inroads with each passing day. A certain
portion of our wine is exported, so the overall situation had
taken a bit of a downturn after joining the EU, especially with
regard to administration and distribution matters. At the same
time, however, Slovenia also obtained better security and recognition
through accession. Simultaneously, the Slovenian market will
slowly be opened to the arrival of a greater share of foreign
wines, which will stimulate the winegrowers into producing even
better quality wines.
Some Slovenian Wine Varieties
Slovenia is home to autochthonous wine
varieites. But due to the fact that Slovenia's wine regions
are cut across by borders in some places, certain varieties
belong to both countries on either side of the border. Such
cases are Rebula or Teran, which are native to both Slovenia
and Italy. The same goes for Šipon, which has its roots here,
in Austria, in Croatia and in Hungary. The autochthonous Vipava
wine variety is green and has a good chance to develop. The
Friuli-Briško area is home to the Friuli Tokaj.
Sometimes it is difficult to speak of
imported varieties, especially if one variety has been produced
in a certain place for two to three hundred years. With acclimatisation,
such a variety slowly becomes naturalised. Our varieties are
mainly naturalised - and here we are referring to wines such
as the Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and White Pinot. Thus, the
Slovenian character is reflected even in world-renowned varieties.
Slovenian vintners who wish to preserve
the tradition of Slovenian wine-growing are well aware of this,
even though customers often demand market orientation, a kind
of membership ticket to the market place. It is important that
the wine-grower produces a wine that has an international style,
and gains the trust of the wine connoisseur. More and more connoisseurs
want the wines to represent the characteristics of our region,
so that these are felt in every glass of wine. This is where
our future lies. The wine should not hide particularities, it
must accentuate them.
The Osmica
Particularly in the Slovenian coastal
regions of Kras, Goriško and Vipavsko, the Osmica, which opens
its doors at about this time, is traditionally present. The
Osmica is a form of open wine sale along with other home-made
specialities, such as smoked ham, homemade salami, sausages,
Prata (a dish made with beef sausage encased in pastry), cheese,
cabbage and turnips, while for dessert, stuffed dumplings are
a must. The Osmica came to Slovenia by virtue of a decree by
the Austro-Hungarian Empress Maria-Theresa in the middle of
the 18th century and kept its tradition even under Italian occupation
until the second world war, while in the Primorska region it
still exists to this day. And why Osmica (number eight)? The
name tells us that the farmer had to sell the previous year's
wine, homemade food, home-baked bread and pastries for eight
days. The osmica has always been extremely popular and people
always loved to visit them. It was a time of relaxation, pleasant
gathering and interesting conversation; everything was pleasant,
delightfully home-like. The wine was drunk either in the cellar
from the barrel or in the courtyard sitting on benches made
of ordinary boards, while the local people helped themselves
to a cold-meat platter, home-baked bread, hard-boiled eggs and
sweets.
Particularly well-visited were the Osmica
events in Kras, where they squeeze Teran out of the Refošk vine,
a very healthy dark wine, which deliciously complements smoked
ham, the second most famous Kras speciality - a leg of pork
(prosciutto), cured and dried in the Kras wind, known as the
Bora. Both are offered at Osmica events in Kras. And what better
occasion than the festival of wine!
(Content abstracted from "Slovenija.svet"
published by Slovenska
izseljenska matica.)
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