Slovenian Wine

I love to travel and I love wine. A trip to Slovenia combines these two passions. Slovenia is in Central Europe, just north of Croatia. It borders Italy to the west and the Alps, to the north provide a natural dividing line between Slovenia and Austria. It is a beautiful country, with sharp snow covered peaks, lush green valleys and cold clear rivers. The Slovenia people take their food very seriously and that includes their wine.

So much of Central Europe is not known for its cuisine, but do not let that reputation keep you from eating your way through Slovenia! They share Italy’s food values. The ingredients are fresh; the spices lively.

On our last trip, we had the pleasure of an intimate wine tasting at Scurek. The winery sits almost on the border between Italy and Slovenia. Here’s the view from the tasting room. Just beyond the houses, that’s Italy.

Slovenian wine is a well kept secret. It is inexpensive and almost uniformly good. The whites are particularly crisp. My favorite of the (many) whites we tried was the Stara Bradja from 2001.

For the reds, we loved “UP” which is sort of a tribute to the Slow Food movement. I am not a wine expert so what I can tell you is that it tasted spicy and a little fruity and it went very well with the homemade prosciutto and Reggiano  parmesan cheese.

The wine tasting was wonderful and if you have never had the pleasure of an intimate wine tasting, treat yourself. Being able to talk one on one with the wine makers as you sip their creations brings the experience to a different level.

There were two other couples at our tasting, one Irish and one Scottish. The conversation was lively and we filled the tasting room with laughter. I was jealous to hear that they could buy as much of the wine as they wanted. Customs would not charge duties — as long as it was for “personal” use. We, as Americans, were limited to two bottles each, duty-free. So, of course I bought the big bottles. We drank them all the following Thanksgiving.

There is a lot to see in Slovenia. The capital, Ljubljana (Lube-lee-anna), is beautiful. The 19th century architecture of the city has been preserved. The Ljubljanica river flows through the heart of the city and the open air market on Saturdays is amazing. The country side is pristine, filled with deep Alpine lakes and tidy little farms. To me, Slovenia combines the best of Germany, Italy and Austria. Next time you plan a European vacation, save a few days for Slovenia and discover this amazing country.

Tagged as: Slovenia, slovenian wine, Travel, wine