Page 157 - Terčelj, Dušan. 2015. The Culture of Wine in Slovenia. Edited by Aleš Gačnik. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 157
Getting to know wine
0.5 ha. Only 1500 farms, i.e. 3.2% of all the farms with vineyards, have at least 1 ha of
vineyards. As the size of vineyards increases, the number of farms falls dramatically, thus
only 200 farms have over 3 ha. These farms have organised themselves into an association
of family winegrowers with their own trade mark VZDVVS and an emblem. The members
of this association are exclusively winegrowers who make a living from the cultivation of
grapes and winemaking. Considering EU norms, this structure is worrying. I wonder if all
that will be left will be around 200 farms with approximately 5,000 ha of vineyards: in
other words, only a quarter of the land currently planted with vineyards. Should the rest
simply vanish because they are not economically viable? Should the image of our cultural
heritage on those friendly hills, in particular in Dolenjska, but also in Štajerska and the
Vipava area, simply disappear? Is it all to be overgrown by trees and brambles?
I see one way of retaining at
least a part of these vineyards
in the sale to tourists of wine at
the winemakers’ homes, which
is what wine routes facilitate.
Thus the vineyards would remain
cultivated and the Slovene hills
populated, otherwise the land-
scape will soon become neglected
and largely uninhabited, with
perhaps just a few weekend houses
remaining. Winemaking tourist
farms need to be organised along
wine routes, which will sell wine
to visitors and offer them culinary
specialities, thus informing wine
lovers about the local cultural
and historical characteristics. I
(I’m down in the vineyard.) Haloze, 2006. Photo: Aleš Gačnik believe, although it is already
somewhat late, that it is neces-
sary in order to preserve our
cultural heritage and to stop the
shrinking of winegrowing areas
to improve the economic position
of those living in winegrowing areas, particularly the poorer ones along the borders. I have
long advocated the solution proposed by Ozimič: “The point of a wine route is in offering
wine as a cultural product and not just as an agricultural product, in the location where
it is produced. Visitors should be able to experience the winegrowing landscape in all its
dimensions.”37
37 I bid., p. 38.
153
0.5 ha. Only 1500 farms, i.e. 3.2% of all the farms with vineyards, have at least 1 ha of
vineyards. As the size of vineyards increases, the number of farms falls dramatically, thus
only 200 farms have over 3 ha. These farms have organised themselves into an association
of family winegrowers with their own trade mark VZDVVS and an emblem. The members
of this association are exclusively winegrowers who make a living from the cultivation of
grapes and winemaking. Considering EU norms, this structure is worrying. I wonder if all
that will be left will be around 200 farms with approximately 5,000 ha of vineyards: in
other words, only a quarter of the land currently planted with vineyards. Should the rest
simply vanish because they are not economically viable? Should the image of our cultural
heritage on those friendly hills, in particular in Dolenjska, but also in Štajerska and the
Vipava area, simply disappear? Is it all to be overgrown by trees and brambles?
I see one way of retaining at
least a part of these vineyards
in the sale to tourists of wine at
the winemakers’ homes, which
is what wine routes facilitate.
Thus the vineyards would remain
cultivated and the Slovene hills
populated, otherwise the land-
scape will soon become neglected
and largely uninhabited, with
perhaps just a few weekend houses
remaining. Winemaking tourist
farms need to be organised along
wine routes, which will sell wine
to visitors and offer them culinary
specialities, thus informing wine
lovers about the local cultural
and historical characteristics. I
(I’m down in the vineyard.) Haloze, 2006. Photo: Aleš Gačnik believe, although it is already
somewhat late, that it is neces-
sary in order to preserve our
cultural heritage and to stop the
shrinking of winegrowing areas
to improve the economic position
of those living in winegrowing areas, particularly the poorer ones along the borders. I have
long advocated the solution proposed by Ozimič: “The point of a wine route is in offering
wine as a cultural product and not just as an agricultural product, in the location where
it is produced. Visitors should be able to experience the winegrowing landscape in all its
dimensions.”37
37 I bid., p. 38.
153
