If a good wine
with a good meal is the objective, most restaurants in
Slovenia offer large selections of quality wines, although many will tend to
favour wines from particular regions or producers. If only the best will do
and cost is immaterial, wine archives are the best places to buy Slovene
wines. On the other hand, it pays to visit some of the wholesale depots of
the larger wine producers, for
example,
Vinag,
Vinakoper,
Vipava, and
Gori{ka Brda
(all major cities have them and their addresses can be found in
the Yellow Pages) - the salesperson will gladly sell even one case (twelve
bottles), a half-case, or just one bottle at wholesale prices.
Vinoteke
(Specialized
Wine
Shops)
If one wishes to browse through a truly large selection and maybe even sample a wine before buying, the proper place is a specialized wine shop - vinoteka is the Slovene word and these can be found in all major cities and resorts. For the purpose of this presentation, let us mention just two. Vinoteka Brade{ko, located at the City Fairground in Ljubljana, certainly offers the largest selection of wines in Slovenia. The caretaker makes every effort to collect the wines of numerous small producers, and all the Champion wines are available as a matter of course - over eight hundred vintages are available at all times. Besides its wine shop, Vinoteka Brade{ko also has a tasting bar where almost all the wines on sale can be sampled. If you prefer to do your sampling with a good meal, there is also a restaurant on the premises. For a truly memorable evening, reserve a table, select your meal, and choose a selection of wines to sample during the hors d'oeuvre; order a bottle of the one you like most for your main course.
Slovenia's oldest Vinoteka is in the Vodni Stolp (Water Tower) in the center of Maribor. The shop is on the ground floor and its choice is good although this Vinoteka does tend to favour wines from the Podravje region. But the true attraction of Vodni Stolp is on the top floor: a large round hall with a high ceiling somehow reminiscent of a medieval banquet hall - dedicated entirely to wine tasting. There is no choice of food, just plates of neutral-tasting cheese and bread to cleanse the palate between wines. The service is highly professional: you may choose your own wines but it is better to let the waiter make the selection, grading the flavours and bouquets for maximum enjoyment. Your party should visit Vodni Stolp an hour or two before lunch or dinner, select a five or seven wine presentation, complete your tasting with a glass of one of the fine sparkling wines of the region (excellent appetizers!), and then walk to one of Maribor's great restaurants for a perfect meal - accompanied by a bottle of superb wine, of course.
Wine Routes
The true Slovene wine connoisseur will have his favourite "private" suppliers - the quality of Slovene wines rests on the large number of small producers tending small vineyards and selling the majority of their wine through such "private connections." Particularly in the Podravje region, viticulture is also a hobby and a favourite retirement occupation. Understandably, the production of such "amateur" cellars is very small, but quality is the producer's primary concern. Usually, one needs an introduction.
Most small producers, however, tender to the general public. Obviously, the size of their stock can not support any effective advertising even in the best of years, so the prospective buyer must do some research to find them. The easiest way to approach this task - and also a very pleasant one - is to follow one of Slovenia's Wine Routes or (Vinske ceste); these are clearly marked on most tourist maps. The Viticultural Map of Slovenia is the best source for condensed information on sites and wines to look for.
Currently, there are twenty official Wine Routes in Slovenia; every viticultural area has at least one, but most will be found in the Podravje region. A Wine Route will mostly follow local roads, meandering from one site to another. The places where wine can be tasted and bought are usually marked, but it is very hard to miss the characteristic, usually small homesteads surrounded by vineyards. Customers are always cordially received, and the prospective buyer is expected to try properly cooled wines accompanied by plates of local bread, cheese, and dry meats.
Wine
Fairs
Buying wine at wine fairs is the surest way of obtaining truly great wines and vintages, but it can be a bit expensive: once a wine has received a gold medal or even the Champion title, its price increases considerably.
Most of Slovenia's winegrowing regions hold annual wine fairs. These are mostly regional affairs, although with some international participation, particularly from neighbouring countries with similar wines and viticultural traditions. The largest and most prestigious wine fair is Ljubljana's annual Vino fair, previously held in the first week of September and moved to the first week of June since 1995.
The Vino fair has a long tradition, the first of its kind being held in 1811 when it was called Poku{nja ilirskih vin ("The Tasting of Illyrian Wines"). In 1955, the fair won the approval of the OIV (Office International de la Vigne et du Vin - the International Office for Grapevine and Wine), and the Vino fair has adhered strictly to its high standards ever since. This makes the annual Ljubljana Wine Fair one of only six European wine exhibitions certified by the OIV, with medals and diplomas awarded being officially recognized in all European countries.
Since 1961, all wines have been judged by juries of international experts. An interesting detail: in 1969, the judges had the opportunity to test the oldest wine presented at the Ljubljana Wine Fair so far - an 1885 Lagrima delicieze from Spanish Malaga that was awarded one of the four Champion titles bestowed in 1969. An indication of the choice of wines at the Ljubljana Wine Fair: in 1994 (as this text was being completed), forty-five judges from twenty countries had to evaluate 1298 wine samples entered by 471 producers from twenty-two countries. Three Champion titles were awarded: to Beringer Knights Valley Meritage 1992 from California; to La{ki Rizling - suhi jagodni izbor 1992 from the Vinag winery of Maribor in Slovenia; and to Cabernet Sauvignon 1990 from the Vinocola guell y Borlando S.A. of Chile.
