Slovenia's wine industry is a hidden gem within Europe, characterized by small family producers and a rich diversity of grape varieties. With its continental climate and Mediterranean influences near the coast, Slovenia offers a unique wine-tasting experience that is less frequented by tourists compared to its neighbor, Croatia.

Principal Grape-Growing Regions

1. Primorska

- Location: Represents 40% of plantings (6,437 ha), bordering the Mediterranean Sea and Italy's Friuli region.

- Climate: Warm, Mediterranean-influenced.

- Main Varieties: Chardonnay, Malvasia Istarka (in various styles including oak-aged and amphora/orange wines), Rebula (Ribolla Gialla, known for its skin contact styles).

- Red Varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Refosk (also known as Teran or Refosco in Istria).

- Unique Features: Known for Refosk wines, which thrive in Slovenska Istra and Kras regions. Bordeaux varietal blends are also common here.

2. Posavska

- Size: The smallest wine region (2,552 ha), predominantly made up of small producers.

- Climate: Continental with influences from the Pannonian plain.

- Varieties: Blaufrankisch (important red grape), Zametovka (known for its velvety character, often used in blends).

- Special Wine: Cviček, a popular pink wine blending Zametovka or Blaufrankisch with white varieties like Kraljevina and Grasevina.

3. Podravska

- Production: Largest wine-producing region (6,244 ha) with a continental climate.

- Varieties: Welschriesling, Furmint, Blaufrankisch (benefiting from its proximity to Austria).

- Specialty Wines: Icewine and Sparkling wines are prominent products of this region.

- Red Wines: Less than 10% of production, focusing primarily on white varietals.

Slovenian Wine Labels

- Sweetness Levels: Slovenian wine labels indicate sweetness levels:

- Suho: Dry

- Polsuho: Medium-dry

- Polsladko: Medium-sweet

- Sladko: Sweet

Exploration and Recommendations

Slovenia and its diverse wine regions offer a perfect exploration ground for wine enthusiasts already familiar with Italian or Austrian wines, seeking to delve deeper into Central and Eastern European wine cultures. The blend of familiar grape varieties and unique regional expressions make Slovenian wines a delightful discovery for any wine aficionado.

Written by Nicolas Quillé, MW

Born in Lyon, France, from a family in the wine business for three generations. Nicolas has a Master degree in winemaking from the University of Dijon, Burgundy and a Master in sparkling winery management from the University of Reims, Champagne. Prior to coming to the United States, have worked in Burgundy and the Rhone Valley as a winemaker.

He came to the United States in 1997 and worked for J. Lohr and The Hogue Cellars as a winemaker. During his time at Hogue Cellars, he went back to school and earned a MBA with honors from the University of Washington (first of class). He was the General Manager and Winemaker for Pacific Rim for 10 years where I lead our two wineries making 600,000 cases of wine. He recently took a position as the Chief Winemaking and Operations Officer for the Crimson Wine Group supervising six prestigious estate wineries in OR, WA and CA. In 2018 he became a Master of Wine formerly joining the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine.