Page 222 - Terčelj, Dušan. 2015. The Culture of Wine in Slovenia. Edited by Aleš Gačnik. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 222
he Culture of Wine in Slovenia
carved in stone, depicting grapes and vine leaves, as well as Dionysus, the god of wine.
The Romans imitated the Greeks in their art: around Ptuj and Celje archaeologists have
found Roman artefacts with depictions of wine. A medallion with the image of Bacchus
from Ptuj has been used by the Commercial Community for Viticulture and Winemaking
as the trade mark of Slovene wines. There is also the famous Vače situla, which features
scenes of wine drinking.
The motif of the trade mark of Slovene wines was taken from a Roman model for the baking of celebratory bread kept by
the Ptuj Regional Museum. The front of the bottling plant belonging to the Ptuj wine cellar, 2006. Photo: Aleš Gačnik.
From the Middle Ages and the early Modern Age, when art was mainly connected with
religion, there are many artefacts involving wine. How beautiful are the Slovene gold
filigree altars on which grapevines wind their way up the pillars. Let us remember Muljava
or Podbrje near Podnanos. The same applies to literature. I do not want to start listing
examples. You can explore for yourself which literary works talk about wine. There are
many of them. I would just like to end with our national pride, A Toast, written by our
greatest poet, France Prešeren, following a request by Vertovec. We are the only nation in
the world which has such a toast calling for peace and co-existence as an anthem. This,
too, is the Slovene contribution towards a respectful attitude to wine.
218
carved in stone, depicting grapes and vine leaves, as well as Dionysus, the god of wine.
The Romans imitated the Greeks in their art: around Ptuj and Celje archaeologists have
found Roman artefacts with depictions of wine. A medallion with the image of Bacchus
from Ptuj has been used by the Commercial Community for Viticulture and Winemaking
as the trade mark of Slovene wines. There is also the famous Vače situla, which features
scenes of wine drinking.
The motif of the trade mark of Slovene wines was taken from a Roman model for the baking of celebratory bread kept by
the Ptuj Regional Museum. The front of the bottling plant belonging to the Ptuj wine cellar, 2006. Photo: Aleš Gačnik.
From the Middle Ages and the early Modern Age, when art was mainly connected with
religion, there are many artefacts involving wine. How beautiful are the Slovene gold
filigree altars on which grapevines wind their way up the pillars. Let us remember Muljava
or Podbrje near Podnanos. The same applies to literature. I do not want to start listing
examples. You can explore for yourself which literary works talk about wine. There are
many of them. I would just like to end with our national pride, A Toast, written by our
greatest poet, France Prešeren, following a request by Vertovec. We are the only nation in
the world which has such a toast calling for peace and co-existence as an anthem. This,
too, is the Slovene contribution towards a respectful attitude to wine.
218
