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Slovenia The story of viniculture in Slovenia
Article Posted: Thursday August 30th
Article last updated on: Thursday August 30th
Miso Alkalaj Introduces the story of VITICULTURE IN SLOVENIA In terms of global history of wine-making, the art started early in Slovenia:
Archeological findings indicate that wine was made before the Romans came to the present winegrowing regions. "Vaska situla", a 6th century B.C. Celtic vessel discovered in Vace, depicts festivities which include wine. But wine-making in the present area of Slovenia truly blossomed with the Romans. The Roman writer Tacitus mentions Petovia's (todays Ptuj) wines in the 1st century AD, and numerous archeological findings of amphoras, goblets and glasses give hints of a booming production and trade. Slovenia's historic logo
A Roman bread mould, excavated near Ptuj, serves today as the model for the registered trademark of Slovenian wines. Wine-making almost died out in Slovenia in the 6th century AD -- first, as Slavs from Russian steppes migrated into the area, and later, Hungarian tribes threatened the lands of present Podravska region during the ninth to eleventh century. Slavs were, however, not completely ignorant about wine. A Slovenian pagan legend tells of the flood and its survivors. Only four men were supposed to live through the flood -- the fate of three is unknown, but the fourth saved himself by climbing a vine that was growing on a high hill and touching the sky. Kurent, an important Slavic deity, observed the happening and was pleased to see that the man was seeking salvation by climbing the plant that was dedicated to Kurent. The god took pity and caused the waters to recede. But the saved man had to promise Kurent -- in his own name and the name of all his descendants -- that he would cultivate and venerate two plants, enjoying their fruit: the grapes and buckwheat. The craft of wine-making really returned with the Christianization of Slavs, but only started to flourish in the 12th century as the Hungarian tribes receded eastward and the climatically ideal areas of Styria and Prekmurje became available for cultivation. The art of wine-making was reintroduced by monks. The influence of Minorites were particularly important in the Podravska region. From the 12th century onward, the history of Slovenian viticulture is one of continuous development. The plague years The Phylloxera plague hit Slovenia in 1880 -- the first sites affected being those around Pisece and Bizeljsko in the Bizeljsko-Sremic area. The affliction spread quickly in all direction: first to Kapela to the northeast and the sites around Izola and Piran in Primorska. In 1986, the aphid was already attacking vineyards in Haloze; by 1900, half of all vineyards in Slovenske Gorice were destroyed. Before the Phylloxera plague of 1858, Slovenia cultivated some 51.000 hectares (126.000 acres) of vineyards (according to the 1850 records). The plague bankrupted many growers before the cure was found and they were forced to find other employment -- many were even forced to emigrate to new lands of promise like the USA. Most of the abandoned vineyards were never re-vitalized -- pre-WW2 records register only 38.000 hectares (93.900 acres) in all of Slovenia. Though viticulture experienced an upsurge in post-WW2 years, the initial drive that favoured quantity over quality quickly lost momentum as even cheaper products from countries like Greece, Rumania, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Serbia flooded the markets. Slovenia focusses on quality In years of average yield, Slovenia produces about 800.000 - 900.000 hectolitres (21.1 - 23.8 million gallons) of wine annually, on some 21.500 hectares (532.000 acres) of vineyards in three wine growing regions: Podravska, Posavska and Primorska. These are further subdivided in accordance with specifics of microclimatic conditions, soils, etc. For comparison: the total area of Slovenian vineyards is approximately the same as that of Bordeaux country, production of wine about half of that. Quality and high-quality wines dominate -- only some 30% of wine produced in Slovenia is of the table-wine category. The quality of Slovenian wines is guaranteed by the large number of small producers. The outstanding quality comes in batches of 700 to 3000 bottles, lovingly prepared by vignerons with small and immaculately tended vineyards. The Slovenian Wine Growers and Producers Association imposes and enforces strict rules, governing everything from the types of grapes that may be grown in specific regions, to the methods for production of wines and labeling. Slovenia has always been the crossroads between north and south, east and west; travellers brought viticultural knowledge from all dominant viticultural nations. Accordingly, French, Italian and German influences are evident both in the growing and production of wines, as well as in terminology. Varietal wines are predominantly named after the grape, while blended wines frequently carry the name of the producing region; the terminology for high-quality and predicate wines is equivalent to German. Vintage years
Slovenia lies on the southern slopes of the Alps and touches the Mediterranean -- consequently, though it may enjoy the benefits of "the best of both worlds", Slovenian viticulture is also at the mercy of climatic unpredictabilities from both the north and the south. Consequently, total annual output of Slovenian vineyards may vary even as much as 50%. There are extraordinary vintages and absolute failures, with a spectrum of ``in-betweens''. There were seven extraordinary vintages in this century: 1917, 1942, 1947, 1952, 1958, 1971, 1983. 1993 is judged as excelent, while 1994 was very good in the Primorska region; in Posavska in Podravska, only late harvests were successful in 1994. The best vintages are stored in wine archives. Older bottles are sold only on rare auctions; some wines from 1980 onward are still on sale in the archives and specialized wine shops. For more information about the wines of Slovenia, please visit their web site at the Joseph Stefan Institute in Lubljana. Wines of Slovenia Copyright (c) Miso Alkalaj, June 1995
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