St Martin's Day Celebration, joy at the new wine vintage

Toast the new wine in Slovenia!

The holiday of fruitful autumn

The most widespread celebration in Slovenia related to wine and the culture of wine is the celebration of St Martin's Day. It is celebrated on 11 November and for a week or two after that. You will not experience autumn dancing like this anywhere else in Europe, so visit one of the large celebrations of St Martin's Day. To really experience the celebration of St Martin's Day, you should drive to the source of wine—to vineyards and winemakers. St Martin's Day is celebrated not only in all Slovenian wine-growing regions, but from the Mediterranean Sea to the Pannonian plains.

A group of four people in a rustic wine cellar, engaged in a tasting. A man pours red wine from a barrel into a glass.

When must turns into wine

The roots of St Martin's Day celebrations supposedly arise from a Celtic holiday which paid tribute to the fruitfulness of the autumn in the fields and vineyards. St Martin, a bishop from Tours in France with Hungarian roots, seemed like the most appropriate successor and protector of this important time. The joy as must turns into real wine is incomparable with any other holiday in Slovenia. Almost every seventh Slovenian is a winegrower and it is no coincidence that the greatest Slovenian TV soap operas of all time are related to wine dynasties.

A group of six people sitting around a rustic wooden table raising glasses of red wine in a toast.

St Martin's Day is redolent of like wine and delicacies

In addition to the celebration of a new wine vintage, St Martin's Day is characterised by its typical dishes, including, in addition to other types of poultry, the most typical roast goose or duck with shredded flatbread (mlinci) and stewed red cabbage. You will find St Martin's Day menus in most restaurants in Slovenia. Indispensable dishes include pogača, potica and other sweet delicacies.

St Martin’s Day with Michelin – an original feast according to Tomaž Kavčič’s recipe

St Martin’s Day is associated with a traditional feast, but you can also prepare it with a modern, innovative twist. This time, we contacted chef Tomaž Kavčič from Gostilna pri Lojzetu at Zemono Manor, which boasts a Michelin star. Tomaž entrusted us with his innovative recipe for a St Martin’s feast, Zemono style.

Prepare a Michelin-style St. Martin's Day feast

St. Martin's Day in Slovenia

As the old tradition says that on St. Martin's Day must turns into wine, wine is christened throughout Slovenia on that day and large St. Martin's Day celebrations take place outdoors. Take a look at some of the largest St. Martin's Day celebrations that are well worth visiting.

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Maribor – Old Vine Festival

Autumn events in Maribor, home to a grapevine that is more than 450 years old, are spiced up every year by the Old Vine Festival. The festival ends with a St Martin's Day celebration known for its rich...

St. Martin's Day in Ptuj

The wine-growing area around the oldest town in Slovenia, which also boasts the oldest wine cellar in the country, guarantees that your visit to Ptuj on St. Martin's Day will be an unforgettable experience.

St. Martin's Day in Brda

The region of Brda is famous for top-level wines and winemakers decorated by numerous awards. The main St. Martin's Day celebration in Brda takes place in the medieval town of Šmartno, where you can taste...

St. Martin's Day in Dolenjska

One of the most genuine experiences of St. Martin's Day awaits you in Dolenjska, the land of cviček, the most special of all wines. Visit Novo Mesto, the capital of Dolenjska, and make a toast with young...

St. Martin's Day in the Vipava Valley

The Vipava Valley is famous for excellent wines and numerous native wine varieties and specialties that make it one of the most attractive wine districts in Slovenia.

St. Martin's Day in Koper

The Koper hinterland offers a wide range of wines, with refosco and malvasia at the forefront. On St. Martin's Day, the wine-making tradition of the Istrian hills is paid tribute with public outdoor celebrations.

Go to Kras for St. Martin's Day

In autumn, the region of Kras glows in the red shades of smoketree and is full of the aromas of wine and home-made delicacies. The king of Kras wines is teran, a rich ruby-red wine that goes well with...

St. Martin's Day in Posavje

Feel the joy of St. Martin's Day among the fertile hills of Posavje. Join us in discovering the rich flavours of exquisite wines and culinary art from Posavje.

Ljubljana Wine Route

You can also taste top-level Slovenian wines in the capital city, Ljubljana. You can take a trip down the Ljubljana Wine Route as well as meet winemakers from all around Slovenia on St. Martin's Day in...

Wine stories from Slovenia

The winegrowing and oenology of Slovenia are represented by three wine-growing regions with 9 wine-growing districts. The first written testimonies to winegrowing in the area of present Slovenia date as far back as the 3rd century B.C. Large quantities of excellent wine have been produced here since then. Certain Slovenian winemakers win the most prestigious prizes and awards at world competitions. A special feature of Slovenian winegrowing and oenology are certain indigenous grape and wine varieties. Among them, two truly special wines are Karst Teran and Cviček from Dolenjska, and there are also Zelén, Pinela, Grganja, Klarnica and others. Have you tasted them? St Martin's Day is the perfect opportunity to do so.

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Where can you taste Slovenian wines?

During St Martin's Day celebrations, you can taste young wine virtually all around Slovenia. Not only can you taste the new vintage in restaurants, inns, wine bars, and at organised St Martin's Day celebrations, you can taste wine in other ways, too.

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Propose a toast in a vineyard cottage

Vineyard cottages, known locally as zidanice are pleasant-looking cottages in the vineyards of the Dolenjska and Bela Krajina regions. Locals will serve you their wines in the cellars of these cottages....

A visit to repnice turnip caves

While in the Posavje region, be sure to visit the typical repnice (pronounce rep-nee-tzeh) turnip caves. These are special caves that were once used to store food, mainly turnips, but most...

Follow ivy branches that take you to osmice wine bars

Around the time of the St Martin’s Day celebrations, osmice wine bars open their doors in the Primorska wine region, where you can be served local dishes and wines. The osmice wine bars are opened...

St Martin's Day Celebrations in Slovenia

On St Martin’s Day, there is no shortage of interesting events all around Slovenia. Check the locations where you can toast with young wine.

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11Nov

The five-day wine celebration in Maribor goes beyond the framework of the best St. Martin’s Day festivities, offering top-quality wine and culinary experiences....

St. Martin’s Day celebration

Maribor Free of charge

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St Martin's Day, the greatest holiday of bountiful autumn

Discover wine and the wine-growing tradition during the celebration of St Martin's Day. A week or two in November are reserved for joy at the new wine vintage. Slovenia is a miniature wine region of Europe.

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St Martin's Day Celebration, joy at the new wine vintage