Page 209 - Terčelj, Dušan. 2015. The Culture of Wine in Slovenia. Edited by Aleš Gačnik. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 209
e and food
Until the appearance of vine-louse, vineyards included grapevines of different varieties,
which produced just one type of blended wine, which was then named according to its
origin: Vipavec, Bizeljčan, Haložan, etc. Thus only one type of wine was consumed at a
meal and other social occasions. The only difference lay in whose wine was the best. Every
caterer strove for his establishment to have a good reputation and that was only possible
if the wine was good. Only the aristocracy and the richer townspeople were able to afford
wines of different origins and those that were known as “sweet”. Valvasor categorised
wines as sweet, i.e. better wines with less acidity, dry and harmonious. He only used these
categories for wines from Primorska. Ivo Zupanič says that in Styria wine was classified by
the acid content and the price reflected this. Less acidic wines had a higher price as they
were considered better quality.
A feast for the
members of the Ptuj
leather guild, 1769, oil
on canvas, 62 x 92.7
cm, 1769. Source: Ptuj
Regional Museum.
Wine has always been a part of sustenance. Nowadays, this role is emphasised even more
and it is recommended that wine is consumed exclusively with food. Over the last hundred
and fifty years great changes have occurred in the production of grapes and wine. The
consumption of wine has changed, too. The introduction of new, high quality varieties
and modern methods of wine production have led to a better and more varied selection
205
Until the appearance of vine-louse, vineyards included grapevines of different varieties,
which produced just one type of blended wine, which was then named according to its
origin: Vipavec, Bizeljčan, Haložan, etc. Thus only one type of wine was consumed at a
meal and other social occasions. The only difference lay in whose wine was the best. Every
caterer strove for his establishment to have a good reputation and that was only possible
if the wine was good. Only the aristocracy and the richer townspeople were able to afford
wines of different origins and those that were known as “sweet”. Valvasor categorised
wines as sweet, i.e. better wines with less acidity, dry and harmonious. He only used these
categories for wines from Primorska. Ivo Zupanič says that in Styria wine was classified by
the acid content and the price reflected this. Less acidic wines had a higher price as they
were considered better quality.
A feast for the
members of the Ptuj
leather guild, 1769, oil
on canvas, 62 x 92.7
cm, 1769. Source: Ptuj
Regional Museum.
Wine has always been a part of sustenance. Nowadays, this role is emphasised even more
and it is recommended that wine is consumed exclusively with food. Over the last hundred
and fifty years great changes have occurred in the production of grapes and wine. The
consumption of wine has changed, too. The introduction of new, high quality varieties
and modern methods of wine production have led to a better and more varied selection
205
