Page 69 - Terčelj, Dušan. 2015. The Culture of Wine in Slovenia. Edited by Aleš Gačnik. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 69
The Culture of Wine Drinking
sense, a product of nature, as he lives with it every day. In addition, winegrowers are also
formed by local customs, and by cultural and historical circumstances.
The vine is a cultured plant; it feels best where it first appeared of its own accord, i.e. on
dry stony ground with poor soil in very sunny localities, surrounded by warmth, on both
steep and gentle slopes. In Slovenia, man created the best winegrowing locations through
deforestation in hilly areas with poor soil and toiled to create an appropriate medium out
of layers of marl. Over the centuries he cultivated many varieties, partly adapting those
brought from remote lands, which produced better wine. Even a
hundred years ago there were more than a hundred varieties, which
were later mostly abandoned; only the best were kept.
Although the grapevine comes from dry regions and needs plenty
of sunshine when flowering and maturing, it also needs rain in
order to grow. It requires warm, sunny days when it can obtain a
multitude of components from the soil and the sun. Slovenia is
very varied in terms of the structure of the ground and climate.
If we want to learn about the conditions producing the variety of
grapes from which our favourite wine is made, we have to go to the
relevant winegrowing districts, among the vineyards of Podravje,
The diversity of winegrowing landscapes: Slovenske Konjice, Lendavske gorice, the
Goriška Brda, Ptuj, Mestni vrh, Drašiči, 2006. Photos: Aleš Gačnik, Staša Cafuta.
Posavje or Primorska. From the main roads we can usually not see
vineyards: we need to turn onto side roads, wine routes that often
run uphill. It is only when we are driving along the hilltops that
the full beauty of the landscape, so different from district to district
and from one season to another, is revealed. In spring, we see rows
of vines coloured light yellow or pink; in the summer a lush green
covers the hillsides; and then in the autumn it changes into a
multitude of colours from burnt sienna to violet red. Some prefer
the diversity of landscape on the Kras, others in the Brda or in the
hills surrounding Jeruzalem, not to mention all the other areas.
When one is admiring the carefully nurtured vineyards with their
simple cottages in Dolenjska and Štajerska, one wants to get to know
the winegrower responsible for them. In Primorska there are no such
65
sense, a product of nature, as he lives with it every day. In addition, winegrowers are also
formed by local customs, and by cultural and historical circumstances.
The vine is a cultured plant; it feels best where it first appeared of its own accord, i.e. on
dry stony ground with poor soil in very sunny localities, surrounded by warmth, on both
steep and gentle slopes. In Slovenia, man created the best winegrowing locations through
deforestation in hilly areas with poor soil and toiled to create an appropriate medium out
of layers of marl. Over the centuries he cultivated many varieties, partly adapting those
brought from remote lands, which produced better wine. Even a
hundred years ago there were more than a hundred varieties, which
were later mostly abandoned; only the best were kept.
Although the grapevine comes from dry regions and needs plenty
of sunshine when flowering and maturing, it also needs rain in
order to grow. It requires warm, sunny days when it can obtain a
multitude of components from the soil and the sun. Slovenia is
very varied in terms of the structure of the ground and climate.
If we want to learn about the conditions producing the variety of
grapes from which our favourite wine is made, we have to go to the
relevant winegrowing districts, among the vineyards of Podravje,
The diversity of winegrowing landscapes: Slovenske Konjice, Lendavske gorice, the
Goriška Brda, Ptuj, Mestni vrh, Drašiči, 2006. Photos: Aleš Gačnik, Staša Cafuta.
Posavje or Primorska. From the main roads we can usually not see
vineyards: we need to turn onto side roads, wine routes that often
run uphill. It is only when we are driving along the hilltops that
the full beauty of the landscape, so different from district to district
and from one season to another, is revealed. In spring, we see rows
of vines coloured light yellow or pink; in the summer a lush green
covers the hillsides; and then in the autumn it changes into a
multitude of colours from burnt sienna to violet red. Some prefer
the diversity of landscape on the Kras, others in the Brda or in the
hills surrounding Jeruzalem, not to mention all the other areas.
When one is admiring the carefully nurtured vineyards with their
simple cottages in Dolenjska and Štajerska, one wants to get to know
the winegrower responsible for them. In Primorska there are no such
65
