
In the spring and summer, awaiting the arrival of the new vintage
Celebrations and festivals connected with wine and local cuisine start as early as in the spring in wine regions. Visit the Brda & Vino spring festival or the Rebula and Olive Oil Festival in the Brda Hills in April. Spring in Izola usually starts with the Orange Wine Festival on the last Friday in April, and in the beginning of June, the streets of Izola come to life with the Olive, Wine and Fish Festival. The largest wine festival in Slovenia, Vinska vigred (Wine Spring), takes place in May in Metlika in Bela krajina. At the beginning of May, you can combine something sweet with a glass of good wine at the Wine and Chocolate Festival in Podčetrtek. In May, visit Marezige in Slovenian Istria, where the traditional Refosco Festival has been taking place for many years. In the Dolenjska region, its remarkable wine called Cviček is being celebrated at the traditional Cviček Week every May.

At summer festivals, the wine is frequently combined with various fields of cultural creativity. One example of this is Ptuj, where the Days of Poetry and Wine are organised in August. The lovers of the Karst Teran and prosciutto must visit Dutovlje, where the Festival of Teran and Prosciutto takes place in August. At the onset of autumn, it is also lively in Lendava at the Vinarium Festival.

We look forward to the new wine vintage in autumn
In addition to numerous grape harvests and St Martin’s Day celebrations, you can visit also other wine-related events. Among the largest ones is the Old Vine Festival in Maribor. Taste the noble drops of wine in November at the Slovenian Wine Festival in Ljubljana. Even in Bohinj, which is not considered a traditionally wine-producing region, you can raise your wine glass at the Cheese and Wine Festival in September.

Wherever you encounter a bouquet of ivy
A lot happens in the Karst Region in all seasons, as winemakers open Osmice – pop-up wineries. The tradition of opening Osmice in the Karst Region, which has lasted over two hundred years, is more alive than ever. A permission was granted to wine-growers to sell excess wine, home-made prosciutto and other meat products tax-free for eight days, and this provided the ideal excuse to hold a social and joyous event. Home-made bread, Potica and cooked Štruklji (rolled dumplings) are sure bring you good cheer. Osmice take place throughout the year, and to mark the way to them, ivy bouquets known as “fraskas” are placed along roads and at intersections.
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