Slovenia

Slovenia is a region in central Europe, bordering on the west with Italy, on the north with Austria, on the east with Hungary and on the south with Croatia. Its wine-growing regions are located to the north, where we find the Drava Valley or Podravje in Slovenian, to the east the Sava or Posavie Valley and finally to the west there is the Coastal Region or Primoeska. The vines present are mainly autochthonous such as Pinela, Rebula, Refosk, Sipon, Terran but there are international grape varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The main Slovenian wine area is Podravje which is the northernmost, characterized by a continental climate and a great variety of land, from the volcanic ones near Maribor to those of granite origin. In this area are grown vines of clear Austrian origin such as Renski Rizling, laski Rizling, Traminer, Rulander which are flanked by native vines including, Zametovka, Rumeni Plavec and Radgonska Ranina. Also the winemaking techniques are influenced by clear German influences, such as the late harvesting of the grapes and the production of the legendary Trockenbeernauslese. The Posavje area is located south-west of Slovenia, along the Sava River, and enjoys a climate of transition between the cold winds of the Alps and the currents from the south-west. The soils consist of marls, sandstones, limestone loess and vines are grown such as Sauvignon, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and LO Zametovka. In this area we find simple and light wines such as Cviek Rosè produced near Smarje-Virstajn, while in the subarea of ​​Bela Krajina, characterized by a mild climate, you get more structured wines and alcohol but also, through the autumn humidity that acts on the berries favoring the attack of noble rot, botrytized wines. The most western of the Slovenian wine-growing areas is that of Primorska which borders on Italy and enjoys the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean Sea. Here we find the sub-area of ​​the Slovenian Collio called Brda, which is the continuity of the Italian one. The most cultivated vines are the Refosk, and in the soil of red soil rich in iron the Terrano is raised, which gives rise to powerful wines with a tannin of great structure.