The wine-growing region of Posavje

The wine-growing region of Posavje has been overlooked in comparison with the other two Slovenian wine-growing regions, until recently. A reproach that this area produces lower quality wines is a thing of the past. Several years of effort by winemakers, including good promotional campaigns, brought the well-deserved recognition and popularity to these wines.

Worth mentioning is the phenomenon of cviček from Dolenjska, an excellent red wine that is composed of at least four wine varieties. 70% of cviček consists of red varieties including žametna črnina and modra frankinja, while 30% consists of white varieties including kraljevina and laški rizling. Some winemakers are also adding other wine varieties to the mix. Cviček has been produced for over 200 years. However, it has long been considered to be a low-quality wine; moreover, it has sometimes also been referred to as a ‘fake’ wine due to its low alcohol content (around 8-9%). The discovery of its numerous medicinal characteristics, increase of work quality of winemakers, statutory protection and, primarily, drinkable taste has contributed to it becoming one of the most popular wines in Slovenia. It has also gradually been getting recognition in a wider sense.

Region along the Krka River valley

The picturesque hills of Dolenjska are scattered with primarily small vineyards that are cultivated by numerous amateur winemakers. Typical features of the wine-growing district of Dolenjska are the vineyard houses called zidanice. Žametna črnina, modra frankinja and modra portugalka prevail among the red wine varieties and chardonnay, sauvignon and laški rizling among the white ones. A wine called cviček can be produced only in this wine-growing district.

On the southern side of Gorjanci

The climate for vine cultivation is even more favourable in the wine-growing district of Bela krajina than in Dolenjska; the winemakers of Bela krajina have begun to produce high quality and tasteful wines in the past few decades. These wines have been receiving Slovenian and international awards and recognition that only wines from the wine-growing regions of Podravje and Primorska received in the past. Bela krajina cultivates primarily the same types of vine as Dolenjska; however, they carry out more late harvests and deal more with maceration of grapes – consequently, very good rosé wines are produced.

From Sava to Sotla

The mountain range on the left bank of the Sava River and along the Sotla River, bordering on Croatia, constitutes the main part of the remaining district of the wine-growing district of Posavje. In the wine-growing district of Bizeljsko-Sremiško, modra frankinja and modri pinot prevail among red wines and beli pinot and laški rizling among white wines. In recent years, the district has become famous for the production of good sparkling wines and outstanding sweet wines. The most popular wine blend among the population is bizeljčan. Typical features of the area are repnice, wine cellars dug into the earth.