Autumn in Slovenia – the season for wine

Autumn in Slovenia – the season for wine

An integral part of the biggest agricultural fair in Slovenia, AGRA, which is held in Gornja Radgona in north eastern Slovenia, was the 41st Vino Slovenija. The wines were evaluated by four renowned Slovenian oenologists and international guests. 418 wines from 137 growers from: Slovenia, Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Macedonia and Hungary were judged. Radgonske gorice from Štajerska Slovenia was awarded three titles for their sparkling wine and named Winemaker of the Year 2015.

Borut Cvetkovič, Managing Director and Klavdija Topolovec Špur, Chief Oenologist, share the inside story of their success.

The Slovenia Times: Three sparkling wines from your cellar were awarded as the champion and, for the first time, the brut was one of these. How did you achieve such success?

Borut Cvetkovič: Of course we are pleased and justifiably proud that we achieved these awards. They are the result of the good and professional work of the entire team at Radgonske gorice. Our brut sparkling wines have gradually gained increased market share through sustained promotion and the fact that they are excellent has been confirmed by yet another gold medal which we received this year at the prestigious wine competition in France - Les Citadelles du vin 2015. And, of course, our customers are increasingly reaching for and consuming these sparkling wines, with less residual sugar, which has confirmed their excellence and popularity.

The Slovenia Times: What does it mean for the domestic market that your cellar was awarded Winemaker of the Year 2015?

Borut Cvetkovič: The fact is that this is a great recognition of the quality of our products and, at the same time, a great responsibility for the future to preserve and develop products of good quality which will meet the expectations of our consumers - traditional, yet still in step with time; modern, innovative, likeable.

The Slovenia Times: Which of the three championship sparkling wines is your personal favourite?

Borut Cvetkovič: I am a fan of all our classic sparkling wines. Which one I choose depends completely on the occasion and the moment. I admit, however, that most frequently I enjoy a glass of Zlata radgonska penina brut.

Klavdija Topolovec Špur: I cannot decide which one is the best, it depends on the opportunity. To me it is more important that the sparkling wine is harmonic, in short, that it is pleasantly drinkable.

The Slovenia Times: What are the expectations for the 2015 harvest?

Borut Cvetkovič: We started the harvest a few days ago and this year we are looking forward to a good harvest that will meet our expectations regarding our own grape production as well as the quantities from contracted vintners. This year's vintage will be a real balm for our cellarmen relative to last year's difficult wine year. We are looking forward to new, young wine, which in a month's time will pamper our taste buds...

Klavdija Topolovec Špur: The harvesting started on 27 August with the picking of the autochthonous variety, Ranina. We then continued with the Chardonnay, which is the basis for the sparkling wines, Zlata radgonska penina and Srebrna radgonska penina. The first analyses of musts are showing a satisfactory quality. We only wish for a slightly lower pH of the Chardonnay which is of the utmost importance for the production of sparkling wines. We believe that, with the appropriate oenological practices, we will be able to produce superb sparkling wines with the new vintage.

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41st "Vino Slovenija" Champion wines

Champion - dry non aromatic white wine
Chardonnay Goldberg 2013, Vina Belje - Belje d.d., Croatia
Champion - dry aromatic wine
Sauvignon 2014, Vinarství Mikrosvín Mikulov a.s., Czech republic
Champion - wine teran PTP Slovenia
Teran PTP izbrani 2011, CV - Colja Wine, Matej Colja, Coljava, wine sub-region Kras, Slovenija
PTP Izbrani Teran, Vinska klet Boris Lisjak, Dutovlje, Slovenija
Champion - dry red wine younger than three years
Cabernet sauvignon 2012, Vinska klet Boris Lisjak, Dutovlje, wine sub-region Kras, Slovenija
Champion - dry red wine older thay three years
Sara 2007, Vinska klet Boris Lisjak, Dutovlje, wine sub-region Kras, Slovenija
Champion - sparkling wine
Zlata radgonska penina half dry 2011, Radgonske gorice d.d., Gornja Radgona, wine sub-region Štajerska Slovenija, Slovenija
Zlata radgonska penina brut 2007, Radgonske gorice d.d., Gornja Radgona, wine sub-region Štajerska Slovenija, Slovenija
Zlata radgonska penina dry 2010, Radgonske gorice d.d., Gornja Radgona, wine sub-region Štajerska Slovenija, Slovenija
Champion - Ecological wine
RWC 2011, Hirschmugl-Domaene am Seggauberg, Austria
Journalists Champion - dry aromatic wine

Sauvignon 2014, Hiša vina Doppler, Dolnja Počehova, wine sub-region Štajerska Slovenija, Slovenija

The results of the competition can be found at www.pomurski-sejem.si

Traditionally, in all the winegrowing regions of Europe, St Martin's day is when "the must turns into the wine". It is, therefore, a quasipublic holiday and people gather to taste the new wine together. This is also possible in Ljubljana on Saturday, 7 November, when you can taste the 2015 vintage wines in the squares and streets of the old town when the Ljubljana Wine Route - St. Martins day festival will be held.

www.ljubljanskavinskapot.si

Taste the champions in Ljubljana

Taste the championship wines from Radgonske gorice at Viva il Vino, organised by Radostne prireditve and held at the Grand hotel Union in Ljubljana on 23 October 2015 at 7 pm.

www.radost.si

Do not miss the most prestigious Slovenian wine event

For 17 years, in the third week of November, the largest and most prestigious Slovenian wine event, the Slovenian Wine Festival, has been held. At this festival, both local and international winemakers present their wines in the fabulous halls of the Grand Hotel Union. This year the festival will take place on 19 -20 November 2015.

www.slovenskifestivalvin.si

Source: ''TheSloveniaTimes''