Jože Kupljen Mihalovci 41 2259 Ivanjkovci phone: +386 62 714-128 fax: +386 61 714-001 |
Jože Kupljen is one of the most successful private winegrowers in Slovenia. He exports 40% of his produce, mostly to Germany. This is the best indication of the quality of his wines, since Kupljen makes wines that are the specialty of German viticulture.
Kupljen has eleven hectares (27.2 acres) of vineyards, four of them in the very heart of Jeruzalem- Ormož area around Jeruzalem. His other sites are in Svetinje, Cerovec, and Žerovinščak. Modri Pinot is his only red grape, and white varieties comprise the majority of his production: Renski Rizling, Laški Rizling, Beli Pinot, Šipon, and Traminec.
Kupljen's Modri Pinot is a noble wine, made only from grapes with abundant pigmentation so it requires only limited maceration to acquire the appropriate rich colouring. The wine benefits from aging but can also be enjoyed young.
Kupljen's most successful white wines are dry, with a stressed bouquet: Renski Rizling and Šipon are considered the best of his production. Lovers of traditional Štajerska wine are particularly fond of Kupljen's Beli Pinot, a semi-dry wine with a rich and attractive bouquet and lasting taste. The winery also produces a number of special quality wines, late harvests being the most regular offering.
Kupljen's sparkling wine Rizling Brut Classic is almost sinfully rich: produced from a blend of high- quality Laški Rizling and Renski Rizling, the wine is matured for two years before degorgement.
The best Kupljen vintages are 1983, 1988, 1991, and 1993.