Page 120 - Terčelj, Dušan. 2015. The Culture of Wine in Slovenia. Edited by Aleš Gačnik. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 120
he Culture of Wine in Slovenia
By quality
Drinkers must find wine tasty, pleasant and drinkable. Together with food, it must offer a
physical feel-good factor, comfort and, if consumed appropriately, also mental satisfaction.
Wine thus contributes to quality of life and health. Often one wishes for another glass, but
can be dissuaded from this by the thought that physical and mental satisfaction lie in the
slow sipping of small quantities and in contemplation of the goodness of wine. And that
is a true hedonistic pleasure.
We professionals, however, have set ourselves stricter standards. In addition to having a
full flavour, a high quality wine must possess a high extract and a harmony among all its
components, including the aroma. In particular, the following must never stand out: alcohol
and acidity or polyphenols, the latter imparting a tartness to the wine. All these components
must, in addition to being harmonious and fully flavoured, also linger on the palate. Wine
has to have a gentle bouquet, expressing finesse, not aggression, and a true character. When
looking at wine from a professional viewpoint, its drinkability is not included. Of course,
there are wines that are drinkable but not full-bodied or harmonious and that can offer
satisfaction only when consumed together with food. Such a wine is Cviček which, sadly,
with regard to international norms, is not considered a high quality wine.
The grape varieties which facilitate the production of quality wines are themselves called
quality varieties. There are also table and mass varieties. Each demands suitable natural
conditions for the development of the best grapes as encoded in its genetic make-up.
Moreover, there is an optimum winemaking method for each variety. Yields that are too
high reduce not just the quality of the grapes, but also of the wine.
The high quality, low yield white varieties first introduced in Štajerska by Archduke Johann
were initially grown in Burgundy in France, from where they spread to the Rhine Valley.
In Slovenia, these varieties found better natural conditions with more sun and warmth;
when we started producing a higher yield, the quality of these wines fell. In Slovenia, as in
Germany, we started creating clones with high yields. We obtained more grapes and wine,
but of lower quality. These clones (such as Riesling, Pinot Gris, etc.) do not give wines with
the refined bouquet, full body and harmony for which this variety is renowned: instead,
they have only retained the name of the variety from which they have been selected. Thus
we nowadays have no way of knowing whether we are drinking wine produced from a clone
or the old variety that produces the highest quality. Unfortunately, things have gone even
further and new varieties have been created through crossbreeding, which was supposed
to result in the good qualities of the original high quality variety and the higher yield of
the other variety used. But these new varieties did not produce the desired results either,
i.e. the excellent quality of the high quality varieties.
With the re-establishment of the grapevine after the vine-louse epidemic, regulations were
put in place in Slovenia allowing and recommending the varieties to be re-established in
each winegrowing region. In this way the production of grapes and wine was managed and
the quality of wine raised. High quality white varieties were envisaged to be suitable for
the Podravje winegrowing region. It is only in the last thirty years that high quality white
varieties have also been established in the Posavje and Primorska winegrowing regions
116
By quality
Drinkers must find wine tasty, pleasant and drinkable. Together with food, it must offer a
physical feel-good factor, comfort and, if consumed appropriately, also mental satisfaction.
Wine thus contributes to quality of life and health. Often one wishes for another glass, but
can be dissuaded from this by the thought that physical and mental satisfaction lie in the
slow sipping of small quantities and in contemplation of the goodness of wine. And that
is a true hedonistic pleasure.
We professionals, however, have set ourselves stricter standards. In addition to having a
full flavour, a high quality wine must possess a high extract and a harmony among all its
components, including the aroma. In particular, the following must never stand out: alcohol
and acidity or polyphenols, the latter imparting a tartness to the wine. All these components
must, in addition to being harmonious and fully flavoured, also linger on the palate. Wine
has to have a gentle bouquet, expressing finesse, not aggression, and a true character. When
looking at wine from a professional viewpoint, its drinkability is not included. Of course,
there are wines that are drinkable but not full-bodied or harmonious and that can offer
satisfaction only when consumed together with food. Such a wine is Cviček which, sadly,
with regard to international norms, is not considered a high quality wine.
The grape varieties which facilitate the production of quality wines are themselves called
quality varieties. There are also table and mass varieties. Each demands suitable natural
conditions for the development of the best grapes as encoded in its genetic make-up.
Moreover, there is an optimum winemaking method for each variety. Yields that are too
high reduce not just the quality of the grapes, but also of the wine.
The high quality, low yield white varieties first introduced in Štajerska by Archduke Johann
were initially grown in Burgundy in France, from where they spread to the Rhine Valley.
In Slovenia, these varieties found better natural conditions with more sun and warmth;
when we started producing a higher yield, the quality of these wines fell. In Slovenia, as in
Germany, we started creating clones with high yields. We obtained more grapes and wine,
but of lower quality. These clones (such as Riesling, Pinot Gris, etc.) do not give wines with
the refined bouquet, full body and harmony for which this variety is renowned: instead,
they have only retained the name of the variety from which they have been selected. Thus
we nowadays have no way of knowing whether we are drinking wine produced from a clone
or the old variety that produces the highest quality. Unfortunately, things have gone even
further and new varieties have been created through crossbreeding, which was supposed
to result in the good qualities of the original high quality variety and the higher yield of
the other variety used. But these new varieties did not produce the desired results either,
i.e. the excellent quality of the high quality varieties.
With the re-establishment of the grapevine after the vine-louse epidemic, regulations were
put in place in Slovenia allowing and recommending the varieties to be re-established in
each winegrowing region. In this way the production of grapes and wine was managed and
the quality of wine raised. High quality white varieties were envisaged to be suitable for
the Podravje winegrowing region. It is only in the last thirty years that high quality white
varieties have also been established in the Posavje and Primorska winegrowing regions
116
