Page 62 - Terčelj, Dušan. 2015. The Culture of Wine in Slovenia. Edited by Aleš Gačnik. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 62
he Culture of Wine in Slovenia
The second important milestone was the March Revolution in 1848. In Vienna, the March
Constitution was adopted, which abolished serfdom, but not without compensation. Sadly,
winegrowers, particularly in Styria, were unable to pay this compensation and thus the best
vineyards in the Slovene part of Styria were bought by merchants and foreigners, while
Slovene winegrowers became vine-dressers.
In the 1830s the cosmopolitan and educator Archduke Johann (1782-1859) planted vineyards and built a small mansion
on the Meranovo estate above Limbuš near Maribor, 2006. Photo: Aleš Gačnik.
The second half of the 19th century was nationally and economically very eventful.
Agricultural schools were established which ensured agricultural progress, including in
viticulture: in 1872, a school for fruit and wine growers was established in Maribor, in 1869
a similar school in Gorizia and in 1873 another one in Slap near Vipava. The latter was in
1886 moved to Grm near Novo mesto. The school in Slap was the first agricultural school
where the language of instruction was Slovene. This period also saw the appearance of
numerous books and publications on viniculture.
The third milestone was the vine-louse epidemic in 1880 in the Bizeljsko region, which
within a decade destroyed all the vineyards on the present-day territory of Slovenia. In spite
of this tragedy, vine-louse actually accelerated the development of viticulture. The renovation
was carried out in a planned fashion. The soil had to be trenched up one metre deep. Vines
were then planted in rows, using selected quality varieties. The growing of mass produced,
low quality varieties was abandoned. Vinicultural development was managed by the state.
Agricultural societies began setting up testing stations for agricultural research. One such
institution was opened in 1867 in Gorizia, then in 1894 in Maribor (the precursor of the
present-day Agricultural Institute) and in 1898 in Ljubljana (now the Agricultural Institute
of Slovenia). Thus three Austrian provinces that encompassed Slovene regions with well-
developed viticulture each had their own scientific and research centre.
58
The second important milestone was the March Revolution in 1848. In Vienna, the March
Constitution was adopted, which abolished serfdom, but not without compensation. Sadly,
winegrowers, particularly in Styria, were unable to pay this compensation and thus the best
vineyards in the Slovene part of Styria were bought by merchants and foreigners, while
Slovene winegrowers became vine-dressers.
In the 1830s the cosmopolitan and educator Archduke Johann (1782-1859) planted vineyards and built a small mansion
on the Meranovo estate above Limbuš near Maribor, 2006. Photo: Aleš Gačnik.
The second half of the 19th century was nationally and economically very eventful.
Agricultural schools were established which ensured agricultural progress, including in
viticulture: in 1872, a school for fruit and wine growers was established in Maribor, in 1869
a similar school in Gorizia and in 1873 another one in Slap near Vipava. The latter was in
1886 moved to Grm near Novo mesto. The school in Slap was the first agricultural school
where the language of instruction was Slovene. This period also saw the appearance of
numerous books and publications on viniculture.
The third milestone was the vine-louse epidemic in 1880 in the Bizeljsko region, which
within a decade destroyed all the vineyards on the present-day territory of Slovenia. In spite
of this tragedy, vine-louse actually accelerated the development of viticulture. The renovation
was carried out in a planned fashion. The soil had to be trenched up one metre deep. Vines
were then planted in rows, using selected quality varieties. The growing of mass produced,
low quality varieties was abandoned. Vinicultural development was managed by the state.
Agricultural societies began setting up testing stations for agricultural research. One such
institution was opened in 1867 in Gorizia, then in 1894 in Maribor (the precursor of the
present-day Agricultural Institute) and in 1898 in Ljubljana (now the Agricultural Institute
of Slovenia). Thus three Austrian provinces that encompassed Slovene regions with well-
developed viticulture each had their own scientific and research centre.
58
