Wine tasting events take place in many wineries as they offer tasting tours to attract potential customers where you can take advantage of. But to fully enjoy the experience, you need to prepare yourself and taste some wine to warm up your palate.

We have provided essential inputs that would help any wine tasting rookie experience the best of it. It also includes what wine bottles should be their first drink before attending any wine tasting events in the future.

Best Wine Choices For Starters

It is challenging for any first-timer in wine tasting to get fully acquainted, especially some wineries that offer top of the class or unique blends of wines. Some wines taste bitter, sweet, or too strong for any newbies. In building up your palate, it is best to introduce it to some basic wine blends.

Before you attend any wine tasting event, get yourself some of these wine bottles to savor the taste, the scent, and the fullness of the drink.

Real Stuff: Cabernet Sauvignon

When it comes to wine tasting, you’ll be surprised by how well your senses will work from the smell of the wine to how it will taste in your mouth down to your throat. Your palate needs to be familiar with some taste, that is why it is essential to have a glass of a pure, full-bodied red wine like the Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Cabernet Sauvignon is known to have an intense flavor and might be too strong for beginners. But it is an essential wine bottle to get your taste buds to familiarize with how a full-bodied red wine with high tannin and acidity tastes like.

Beginners can fully enjoy a glass of a Cabernet Sauvignon because of its fruity flavors that will stay in your mouth. From berries to plums to feature flavors like vanilla, chocolate, and spice.

Have a bottle of Flagey Echezeaux wines as they have a final blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and a mix of 32% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. It is rich in flavors that you’ll surely enjoy with every sip.

Classic Tandem: Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio

Once you taste the Cabernet Sauvignon, which is known to have intense flavor, you can readily enjoy the perfect classic tandem of Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio. If the Cabernet Sauvignon experience was too strong for you, it is still an excellent wine-drinking experience. But these two classics will not only let you enjoy wine drinking but also get you interested in wines even more.

Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio are known to be light-bodied wines. They are low in tannin, which is the primary factor of the bitter taste of the wine and is usually low in acidity. These two classic wines are easy to familiarize with since their characteristics are simple. Have a few drinks of Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio, and you’ll surely get acquainted quickly with how they taste.

Taste Some Passion: Bordeaux

Bordeaux wines are famous wine bottles in the wine industry named after a region in southwest France. Most Bordeaux blends are made of Cabernet and Merlot, that is why Bordeaux wines are known to have strong flavor and intensity. However, it is essential to try a bottle of Bordeaux wines to taste how they develop their wines and determine different wine characteristics.

The best character of a Bordeaux red wine is its distinct feature flavors like plum, black currant, and cedar. They range from medium- to full-bodied with the taste of minerals and fruit notes that will burst in your mouth in every sip. They have mouth-drying tannins that might be too strong for beginners but an essential step to learn more about wines.

Wine Tasting Preparation For Rookies

Now that you know which wine bottles you should have tasted before attending any wine tasting events. This time, you need to get yourself acquainted with how to prepare for it. We have listed the basic things you need to remember.

• Do not drink coffee, eat spicy food, or eat any food with garlic or onion. It is best to prepare your palate before the event, and these types of foods disrupt your tasting abilities.
• The best time to taste wine is before a meal, preferably before lunchtime.
• Drink plenty of water in between tasting a different wine. Some experts eat small parts of bread to clean and remove leftover flavors in the mouth.
• Make sure to check the order of wines. The rule of thumb is to always taste white wines before reds, lighter wines to heavy ones, and place sweet wines at the end.

Takeaway

Wine tasting is a fun and enjoyable experience, however it isn’t easy to fully enjoy the experience, especially for the beginners. Some wine tastes too strong or too sweet or too bitter for you to distinguish if you enjoyed the glass. So to have a better experience, it is best to get yourself familiar with the basics. Have a drink of the essential wine blends, and you’ll get a fundamental knowledge of their character. It is the right way as well to introduce their flavors to your mouth.

Author Bio

Scarlett Wells has been writing about wines for 5 years. She is a wine enthusiast too and loves to enjoy a glass while reading her favorite books. She’s into wine tasting tours which is the factor that improve her knowledge about wines.

The Triple Bridge, located in the heart of Ljubljana, is considered one of the most beautiful places and main symbols of the Slovenian capital. The main feature of this bridge is its construction. The bridge consists of three parts, which begin at one point and diverge in different directions, resting the other ends on the opposite bank of the river Ljubljanica. The bridge is located in the historical centre of the city and connects its other two attractions – Central Town Square and Prešern Square. The project for the bridge was created by the Slovenian architect Jože Plečnica. It attracts tourists not only with its unusual appearance, but also with its architecture. Also, this is one of the Ljubljana’a attractions that you can enjoy totally for free.

Food & Wine Tour

This Ljubljana food tour will take you through the old town.During the food tour you will be served 9 traditional dishes from a variety of different cuisines from all parts and circles of society of Slovenia and 4 sorts of wine. You will also familiarize yourself with historical Ljubljana and hearing an overview of the history of Slovenes. At the end of the tour, you will know more about the history of Slovenes then some of the fellow citizens. You will also be in the know about the old town and know where to go next, what to do next, and what to eat next. It’s a perfect way to start your stay in the beautiful and tasty capital city!

Ljubljana Pub Crawl

Experience a crazy night out in Ljubljana with cool people who know how to party hard on a 4-hour pub crawl of the city center. Meet locals and people from all over the world on one of the most amazing party nights in town!

Get the party started on a fun night out in Ljubljana and join the locals and like-minded people from around the world at a selection of pubs and dance bars. Meet your party guides after dark and mix and mingle with the rest of your fellow pub crawlers. Get to know each other over drinks at the first bar, and continue to visit at least 3 different venues. Take part in party games and challenges designed to break the ice and connect you to your fellow travelers. End the night in one of the best clubs in the city, where you can dance the night away to your heart’s content.

Traditional Slovenian Dinner and Show

Ljubljana is one of the most charming capitals in Europe. It’s crammed with cobblestone streets and ancient buildings. And one of the best ways to get to know the culture is by attending this dinner and folk dance event. Feast on traditional Slovenian fare and sip wine while watching locals perform centuries-old folk dances. Learn about Slovenian folklore, take part in traditional games, and enjoy a special gift on the way out.

Experience the delightful culture of Ljubljana during a traditional supper and folk dance event. The capital of Slovenia is the country’s epicenter of culture and it shows. Sit back and enjoy an expressive folk dance show original to the region. Indulge in customary foods, savor local wine and play traditional games. After filling up on Slovenian folklore, you will receive a memorable gift.

Day Trips from Ljubljana

Lake Bled

A trip to Bled must be a part of any visit to Slovenia. Take our half-day tour and visit Lake Bled, the charming Alpine resort at the very edge of the Julian Alps. Explore Bled Castle, perched high above the Lake Bled’s tranquil waters and admire the views of Lake Bled from several viewpoints at the castle. Ride a traditional ‘pletna’ boat to Bled Island, where you can visit the church or try local sweet treats at the cafe. Enjoy a perfect day sipping coffee and eating »Kremšnita«, the traditional Bled custard cream cake, at the lakeside.

Postojna Caves and Predjama Castle

Visit amazing Postojna caves and unique Predjama castle. A two million years old and 21 km long system of subterranean caves is one of the most easily accessible network of underground caves in the world. A ride by electrical train will be followed by a guided walk through a series of cave halls with drop stones, pillars and translucent curtains that create unforgettable impressions. The underworld system is a home of the mysterious, unique and rare amphibian Proteus Anguinus, or human fish as it is popularly called here.

Venice

Experience Venice in one day without having to deal with the inconvenience of getting lost in its confusing tangle of lanes. This small-group day trip takes you from Ljubljana to Venice, the ‘Queen of the Adriatic.’ Learn about the history and culture of one of the world’s most stunningly beautiful cities; stroll over the countless bridges; linger in St Mark’s Square and discover the secrets of the city’s swamps, streets and squares. At the end of the day, hop back on the comfortable shuttle for the ride back to the pleasant Slovenian capital.

Alpine Region Day Trip

Slovenia is brimming with beauty — from the charming cobblestoned lanes of Ljubljana to the natural allure of the Alps. This small-group Triglav National Park tour gives you the ‘greatest alpine hits’ of the country, visiting the scenic alpine valleys of the only national park in Slovenia, stopping at jaw-dropping sights such as waterfall Peričnik or Planica ski centre, the second tallest ski-flying hill in the world. Numbers are usually limited to eight people, ensuring a small-group experience with personalized attention from the guide.

Škocjan Caves and Karst Region

Discover the mysterious beauty, secret underground waters and caves at the regional park of the Škocjan caves, famous for its natural wonders above and below ground. Over millions of years, the waters have created an underground wonderland of mysterious passages, spacious halls and an enormous, probably the biggest, subterranean canyon in the world. Visit the medieval city of Štanjel. Try their local wine and delicious Prosciutto. The city is famous for its garden made by Maks Fabiani, one of the most important architects in Slovenia.

1. Wine Tasting Ljubljana

Located in the capital of Slovenia, Dvorni Bar is a top destination for people who want to explore Slovenia and its wine. Here, you can get the best wine tasting experience with Wine Tasting Ljubljana. If wanting to know more about Slovenian wines is the target of your visits here, then this place will not disappoint you.

This is the place where you can find the most excellent wines made in Slovenia. Here you will get to meet the most elegant wine experts. These experts will guide you through some fascinating stories surrounding these wines and give you useful information about them. 

By the end of your tasting, you will have tasted the top wines in the country. Starting your Slovenia tour from here will also help you with choosing wines in the next restaurants you visit in the country. 

2. Vinogradi Horvat, Maribor

Are you looking for a top wine tasting experience around the Maribor region? If yes, then Vinogradi Horvat is the answer you are searching for. Here, not only do you get to experience the best wines in the country, but you can also find the local cuisine that is close to the heart of Slovenia. 

The hospitality and perfect location make Horvart worth every second of the time that you spend there. People consider it as the ideal place to dine along with experiencing the best wines available there.

3. Vinakoper, Koper

Koper city has beautiful destinations to go to, and with wineries like that of Vinakoper, it becomes the option to check out. With an extensive collection to choose from, Vinakoper serves as the home to Slovenian wines.

From fruity to aromatic wines, this place offers all kinds of liquor that interest you. Like the Louis XIII Cognac is popular in France, there are some locally famous Slovenian wines here that you must try out. You can get a quick tour of the Vinakoper cellars, where you will come across some of these hidden gems.

4. Dveri Pax Winery, Jareninski Dol

Checking out the Dveri Pax Winery is something that we highly recommend when you’re in Slovene Hills. Having made its name amongst the award-winning wineries in the country, Dveri Pax brings the best of wines to the visitors. From Chardonnay to Pinot Noir, this place has everything to offer that you would want as a true wine-lover.

Dveri Pax has different guides to take you through the giant selection of wines that it has on display. Spending time to drink and eat at Dveri Pax Winery is a royal experience in itself. There are some amazing delicacies to try out at Dveri Pax, along with the wines that they have to offer.

5. Tilia Estate, Dobravlje

Vipava Valley in the Dobravjle region produces wines of a unique kind. The Winery Tilia Estate is very popular in Vipava Valley, where people go to taste their favorite wines that are freshly prepared. Tilia has been producing wines and other products in Dobravjle for years.

Pinots are one of the most loved products of Tilia Estate. Be it Pinot Gris or Pinot Noir; you can get your hands on the best Pinot wines here. It is a big place to explore, so we suggest you find a good time to go there as you are more likely to spend hours in that place. During your tour to Tilia, you will be received by friendly guides who will introduce you to some unique wines which you haven’t tasted before. 

6. Doppler, Zgornja Kungota

You must visit the Doppler if you want to taste the most flavorsome wines in Slovenia. The wines at Doppler are rich in taste and it is amongst the best locations to have a glass of wine. Sparkling, red, white, oaked, or unoaked, you name the wine, and Doppler will have a glass of it for you to try.

Apart from the Wineries, the place is incredible to hang out too. Zgornja Kungota may be a small village in Slovenia, but it is also a beautiful place to visit. A tour here with your friends or loved ones will certainly create memories that you will always remember.

7. Lepa Vida Winery, Nova Gorica

Along the borders of Italy lies Nova Gorica which is home to Lepa Vida Winery in Western Slovenia. Known for its excellent Slovenian wines, this winery has a huge experience in the industry that goes way back to the ’late 80s. It has some top-shelf wines under its belt for its consumers. At this destination, the hosts treat you with some of the most amazing liquors you will ever have.

Having been in the industry for a long time, Lepa Vida not only offers you its selection of wines but also gives you a chance to know about the hard work that goes into wine-making and what it takes to become one of the most preferred Winery destinations in the country.

With so many wineries and vineyards in Slovenia, it is certainly a dream country to visit for the wine-lovers. So, make sure to check out these top winery destinations on your visit to Slovenia. The best way to visit local wineries with a guide is to join Wine Tours Slovenia. If you want to explore Slovenian wine regions on your own, rent a campervan with NestCampers.

As Christmas night brings your friends and family close, it calls for the need to have an inviting dinner table in front of you and your guests to be part of the event and make it even more memorable. A top-quality Slovenian wine can make this experience possible, and this post highlights one of the best choices that you can go for. Check out the list below.

1. Chardonnay

Chardonnay is amongst the most popular white wines globally. There are all kinds of Chardonnay out there, ranging in taste, texture, price, and availability. You can try the oaked chardonnay if a high-end wine is on your list to serve this Christmas. Having delicious dishes like lobster and other sea foods on the table is meant to be served with unoaked chardonnay white wines.

The rich and tasty wines made of Chardonnay come in different flavors of pineapple, vanilla, and butter. A bottle of Slovenian Chardonnay wines can make for a perfect drink alongside a savory Christmas night dinner. A bottle of Chardonnay is a must-have drink that you should have in your cabinets to make the best out of moments.

2. Teran

Source

Red wine is a widespread preference among people at festivals, and Teran wine is a household name for it. The first thing that you notice after pouring yourself a glass of Teran wine is the pleasing aroma that it has, which will pull you towards it. It is a red wine that is thick in texture and has a gentle taste without any strong punch to it.

The simplicity of its taste makes it a perfect choice to have while relaxing during your holidays. It makes for a worthwhile experience when you sit down to sip the dry Teran wine with your friends while enjoying their company. You can have it with a meal, or choose to drink it without any side snack. The flavors that this wine brings to you will keep you in a happy space and make conversations longer.

3. Rebula

Rebula wine from Slovenia has a rather peculiar taste that no other wines can reach close to. The real taste of these wines is the most worthy of experiencing when tasting them during your wine tours at the places where they originate from. But getting an imported bottle from producers at your home is nevertheless a bad option either.

Rebula is a white wine made for people who are looking to get a unique taste out of their drinks. We recommend you try the orange Slovenian wine if you are spending your Christmas along with your friends who are looking to try something new for the festival.

4. Zelen

Even if you are not big on wine, you will still like what Zelen has to offer. This white wine from Western Slovenia is so light, that you won’t realize it even when you are already a glass down. The grapes used to make this wine makes it taste fresh almost all the time.

The Zelen wine makes for a perfect pairing with many dishes. You can have it with prawns and even with grilled fish. This wine goes back to as old as a hundred years. The ever-growing popularity of Zelen makes it a go-to choice during celebrations.

5. Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc comes in several flavors ranging from lime to peach. Like most of the wines on this list, it has a distinct aroma that can fill a room and set the mood for celebrations with your loved ones. With its acidity being a little higher than normal, Sauvignon Blanc is a wine that is for people who love the dry taste of their drinks.

It has some more varieties for people looking for a sweeter version of it. This wine goes well with Oysters on your plate. Various wine producers offer Sauvignon Blanc for different costs. It is easily available at different local and online stores.

Slovenian wines indeed have a lot to offer. A few sips of it are enough to make your guests comfortable and invoke a conversation while sipping on it. That said, these are not the only Slovenian wines that are worth your time, we suggest you also check out Predicate and Puro which are also worthy of being raised for a toast too. 

Christmas is the time to be merry, and the wines on our list are sure to give you that. We wish you a pleasant holiday and a Happy Christmas!

Blending the wine with your dinner is so much art within. People are unfamiliar with the ways through which they can create wine miracles. This article is all set to teach you the fundamentals of pairing your food with your wine.  Perhaps, a great combo of these two makes you feel overwhelmed with the traits of wine and the tastes of the meal dish. You will find tips to best match your food and wine ingredients and also get an insight about what to look for in the food ingredients to make out the great out of these two!

1. Check the Sweetness Level of Wine

The sweet foods must accompany the wines that are equally or over sweet. The sweetness of the wine would cut the salty taste and elevate the richness of the food. The sweeter wine would not let the food taste tedious and make a sound pair. One should check the sweetness level of the wine and accordingly pair up the food. For instance, a Mac and cheese with ham will match best with the zesty wine with sugar like a Riesling. 

2. Check the Acidity Level of Wine

The wines that belong to cool climates are much more acidic than the ones that are from humid climates. A certain way to get the best wine pair with the food dish is to prior check the acidity level of the wine. The wine must always be more than the food. If you are eating food with the fattest calories, you must go for picking the top acidic wine. You can pair such foods with Rose, Sparkling, and White wines.

3. Try Matching it with the Sauce

There are specific contrast and congruent wine pairing techniques. By using one, you can match the wine with food. It is advisable if you prefer to match your wine with the Sauce served more than the food ingredients. Citrus sauces go excellent with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay wines. Even Chardonnay pairs wonderfully with cream and mushroom sauces. Try out red and meat sauces with Shiraz wine. When you identify the sauce serving and match the wine to it, you get a classy combination! 

4. Wine must have Flavor Intensity as Food

The most significant thing is the match between the wine intensity and the sense of the food. Both should be parallel for the best outcomes. The food, and wine both with the strong citrus flavor could go well hand in hand. Baked macaroni is salty and rich in fats. You can blend Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay with it for the best suitability. If the dish is with a sweet texture, say a Russian salad, you can match it with Pinot Noir. Choose the wine that does justice to your food.

5. Best wines for strongly flavored meat

We observed the food ingredient and sauces that contribute importantly to deciding the wine pair. However, the strong and mild flavors of the food also contribute to the same. Drinks like red liquor can be the best drink for pairing with strongly flavored meat as well as spicy cooked fish. The spicy or tangy flavor of food goes perfectly with the tasty wines. That means red wines couple best with strongly flavored meat (red meat.) Check the spices first and pick the wine later!

6. Best wines for mildly flavored meat

Mildly flavored meat pairs extremely well with wines with a lighter intensity. When we talk about mildly flavored meat, we intend to say fish and chicken dishes. White wine varietals are the best deal for mild meat foods. Mild seafood dishes can pair completely with  Pinot Grigio or Arneis and even with Chablis wine. The lightly flavored foods have a delicate yumminess inside and hence, are supposed to pair with an equal level of wines.

7. Salt and Tannin must be balanced well

A higher salt level can magnify the tannin impact on the red wines as well as on the highest acidic white wines. It is, henceforth, necessary to match the salt and tannin levels of the wine. Salt can destroy the Tannin, but, it may seem Tannin tastes more bitter Cabernet Sauvignon is one such example of heavy red wine that increases the level of Tannin and makes the wine taste bitterer. Salty food dishes must always pack up with less acidic wines.

8. Pair up different and indifferent wines

You can match wines with the food that may be complementary or contrasting to each other – beef and mushroom forms a congruent pairing with maximum sharing components. Red wines from congruent pairs, whereas lime and coconut form contrasting pairings with few shared elements. White, Sparkling, and Rosé wines form the contrasting pairings. Matching the different and indifferent wine pairs lead to delicious and delightful combinations of food and supporting drinks for the meal. Contrasting pairs, balance contrast tastes, and flavors. Congruent pairs, balance by augmenting shared flavor elements.

To conclude – know all the basics first. About food, tastes, flavors, and intensity. These suggestions are to ease your food and wine pairing. Sticking to it is not mandatory. You can match whatever you feel is appropriate and best for your dining. Do you love to eat? Are you a wine connoisseur? Do let us know your best wine and food pair to date!

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Author Bio:

Rebecca Siggers, is a Teacher and passionate writer. She enjoys writing about liquor and healthy housing all around the globe. She has been working as a freelance writer for quite some time now. Through her writing, she hopes to influence as many people as possible to improve their lives and live happily.

So you’ve chosen Ljubljana as your base to do some wine tasting? Are you a lover of organic, biodynamic, or natural wines? You’ve come to the right city.

Even though you might wonder “How could I find some good organic wines in a city?”, Ljubljana is a hot spot for tasting Slovenia’s best wines, including organic, biodynamic, and natural ones.

Before we discover where in Ljubljana you can try these fantastic sustainable wines, let’s briefly look into the Ljubljana wine scene and the city’s sustainable charm.

Ljubljana’s Only Vineyard

This may or may not come as a surprise to you: Ljubljana, although not recognized as a wine-growing area, is home to a beautiful vineyard. It’s called the Castle Vineyard and is situated on a slope in the Ljubljana Castle grounds. So yes! Ljubljana does have its own vineyard. 

The Castle Vineyard was established the same year Ljubljana held the title of European Green Capital in 2016. It’s home to the white grape variety Belpin and the red variety Rdečegrajc, and the first harvest took place only last year (2018). Apart from the vineyard, the Ljubljana Castle courtyard very conveniently houses the offspring of the oldest grapevine that’s found in Maribor. Isn’t that remarkable?

Ljubljana: International City of Vine and Wine

Because of Ljubljana’s role as a commercial hub for Slovenia’s wine regions, it boasts the title of International City of Vine and Wine. As previously mentioned, Ljubljana houses its own vineyard and the Castle Vine, the history of which goes back a while to 1990. It was planted that year to symbolize the friendship between Maribor and Ljubljana.

Ljubljana: Slovenia’s Green Capital

With Ljubljana having made an enormous number of changes in just a short time, it’s no wonder that the European Commission awarded it the European Green Capital 2016. But Ljubljana’s sustainable initiative doesn’t end there. It’s continued to take steps towards reducing the impact of urban development and has also started to offer tourist tours with a green focus. Such are the Bee Route Tour, Treasures of Tivoli Park tour, and guided active tours like the Nordic walking and Bike tour of Ljubljana.

Having earned such a sustainable reputation, Ljubljana is also drawing the attention of tourist organizations and agencies abroad that focus on eco-friendly and active family holidays. One example is Green World holidays, which supports sustainable tourism and offers family-friendly adventure holidays in Slovenia and Croatia. They are known for carefully selecting destinations that are stunning due to their natural beauty while avoiding mass tourism.

Where Can You Taste Organic Wines in Ljubljana?

Apart from tasting organic wines at Ljubljana’s wine festivals, you can also do so in the many cozy wine bars that you’ll find all over the city. They offer some of the best sustainable Slovenian wines made by the most respected Slovenian winemakers. You should definitely pay a visit to Dvorni Bar, Movia Wine Bar, Evino, Wine Bar Šuklje, and TaBar, a Slovenian tapas and wine bar.

Some restaurants in Ljubljana also offer a wide selection of ecological wines, such as the small cozy Luda on Poljanska Cesta. Or you could buy bottles of organic, biodynamic, or natural wines from Ljubljana wine shops like WeVino and Vinoteka Štorija, which specializes in orange, natural, and biodynamic wines. A great aspect of these wine shops is that they organize wine tastings, and you can even try the wines that you’re interested in before you buy.

Ljubljana Castle Winebar: Grajska Vinoteka Strelec

To add to Ljubljana Castle’s wine offering, the castle now houses the recently opened Strelec Wine Bar and Shop. This stylish wine lover’s paradise packs more than 200 Slovenian wines from all three wine-growing regions in Slovenia. And the good news for enthusiasts of organic wines: They stock natural wines by some of Slovenia’s greatest names like Batič, Rodica, Rojac, Guerila, Korenika & Moškon, Šuman by Demeter, Mlečnik, Čotar, Ducal, Kobal, and Mansus.

Organic Wines at Ljubljana’s Wine Festivals

You can also taste organic wines at Slovenia’s largest wine events that fortunately enough take place right here in Ljubljana every year: the Slovenian Wine Festival, and the Ljubljana Wine Route. The Slovenian Wine Festival is an indoor event held in Cankarjev Dome and features as many as 150 winemakers and more than 500 wines, while the wine route is an outdoor event that spans Ljubljana’s old town center from Prešeren Square to the Town Square. The Ljubljana Wine Route is held twice a year (in June and November), and visitors can taste more than 450 wine samples from around 90 winemakers.

At this year’s Slovenian Wine Festival (November 14-15), you’ll be able to enjoy sustainable wines from the following wineries: Vina Zaro, Rodica, Vina Gordia, Vino Reia, and Vina Rojac.

The Salon of Sparkling Wines, which is held every year on Valentine’s day in Hotel Slon, also features naturally sparkling wines, known as pét-nat wines. These are made using little to no chemical intervention.

Pétillant Naturel: Naturally Sparkling

Pétillant Naturel wines (pét-nat in short) are naturally sparkling wines produced via the old method for making sparkling wines known as ‘Méthode Ancestrale’. The natural method begins in vineyards where no chemicals are used. It’s then continued during the wine-making process where the wine is bottled before the first fermentation is finished so that a second fermentation can happen naturally in the bottle by means of the residual sugars.

Some famous Slovenian naturally sparkling wines that you should look out for are Štoka’s “Penece” Teran Pétillant-Natural and Bela Peneče Pétillant-Naturel made from Vitovska grapes, Fedora’s Pet-Nat made from 50% Riesling Italico and 50% Refosco, and Movia’s Puro and Puro Rosé.

Now that you know where to find sustainable wines in Ljubljana, head out and enjoy them. While on your organic wine hunt around Ljubljana’s wine bars and wine shops, look out for Slovenian winemaker names like Vina Zaro, Rodica, Vina Gordia, Vino Reia, Vina Rojac, Batič, Guerila Biodynamic Winery, Korenika & Moškon Winery, Valentan, and Šuman.

Don’t forget, organic doesn’t mean non-alcoholic. Drink responsibly, and have a good time tasting sustainable wines in green Ljubljana!

You know that you are in the land of wine lovers when you discover that the Slovenian national anthem is actually a toast. A nation that is so enthusiastic about its wine must be educated in this direction and as much as possible know about good wine.

You will taste seven excellent Slovene wines from different regions and you will find many interesting wine facts along the way. They will offer you delicious appetizers, and our wine expert will tell you everything you can know about Slovenian wine from different wine regions, along with interesting wine stories and facts.

Among the wines that are presented at the tasting are also served orange wine.

Although this is not a new invention, orange wine is becoming very popular among wine lovers. In fact, it is a white wine that is produced by the procedure for red wine. It has a special and unexpected taste and is perfect with delicious appetizers served as “food pairing”. Again, wine lovers want to try something new, different, and more different from orange!

With this interactive tasting, we will make sure that you have fun playing and challenging. In the end, you will receive a certificate for the Ambassador of Slovene Wines, which will officially entitle you to a glass of wine per day, without guilt. Cheers!

Where will you be spoiled:

I took a train from Bled (thank you Wine Tasting Ljubljana & Bled to connecting me with Vesna!) and was welcomed by Vesna at the train stop in Plave village. Vesna is a true ambassador of Soča valley and its neighboring regions and promotes the regions through blog posts. Lots of interesting local information for your trip to Soča valley, Goriška Brda, and Vipava valley.
Vesna, a foodie, wine lover, and herbalist, opened Herbal Rooms Homestay in 2014 and since then she and her family have hosted people from around the world. The smell of dried herbs (linden, hops, wild thyme, yarrow, geranium) which can be found in the herbal pillows and potpourri (natural air freshener) can take you to another world. The whole family house smells so nice and natural.
Vesna is also a local guide, providing various local experiences and hands-on activities. She specializes in guided walks along the Soca river in Soca valley or through the vineyards in Goriska Brda region, foraging medicinal plants and tasting local cuisine.
What differentiates Vesna from other local guides is that she has a sense of serendipity and magical moments. I joined her Bee Happy Experience where I learned so much about Slovenia’s rich beekeeping heritage. It was not planned in advance but Vesna managed to combine bee experience with cheese experience because one of the beekeepers got ill. I was really grateful for this extra activity.

Spending 3 nights at Herbal Rooms Homestay was not enough. There are so many things to do in the area (contact Vesna for a 5-day itinerary here and I am already planning to come back next year. Keep in mind that Herbal Rooms Homestay can get busy in the summertime so book well in advance.

Booking unique herbal accommodation in a local home in Soca valley was a perfect combo to end my 14 days of exploring Slovenia. I was just 2 train rides away from Venice airport.

Herbal Rooms Homestay highlights:

• family is living at the property,
• knowledgeable locals, providing off-the-beaten-path tips,
• U-pick vegetable and herbal garden,
• homestay is linked with public transportation (bus, train) to/from Koper, Piran, Bled, Kobarid, Bovec, Bohinj lake, Ljubljana, Postojna caves, Škocjan caves, Gorizia, Trieste, and Venice,
• perfect location to visit wine regions (Goriska Brda, Vipava valley, Karst).

Orange wine is not a rosé or wine made of oranges, as someone may think. It is, in fact, a white wine made with a process for red wines. Around the world, and even in Slovenia, this is actually an old process of producing white wines, although its global popularity among gourmets and wine experts has only flashed in the ’90s. Apparently, it was named orange by an English sommelier, and in some parts of the world, it is also called amber wine because of its color. You can taste it at the Wine Tasting in Ljubljana.

Tradition or trend?

In Slovenia, orange wines were started to be produced in the Primorska region, but today many winemakers produce orange wines in all three of our wine-growing regions. It is a mistake to believe that orange wines are a trend in recent years since the cultivation of orange wines in Slovenia is a tradition and not just a trend. For true connoisseurs, a glass of orange wine has been popular for a long time, although the orange trend has only been around in recent years. The regions where orange wines are a tradition are Slovenia, Croatia, Istria, and Italy, and are a trend in Austria, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Australia, the United States, and New Zealand. If you choose Wine Tasting Ljubljana, you will taste also our orange wine and other six Slovenian wines.

Origins

The history of orange wines takes place in the times of our grandfathers, especially in the Primorska region where mostly white wines were produced while the modern winemakers started to professionally produce them in the 90s. The first orange wines were drunk 6,000 years ago in the Caucasus, in the area of today’s Georgia, in Asia Minor, and in the Balkans. The revival of this ancient process of orange wine production has occurred in the last twenty years. Many modern ‘orange’ vine growers in the area of today’s Georgia ferment wine in large underground vessels, called Qvevri, which were originally sealed with stones and beeswax.

White maceration

Orange wine is a white macerated wine, which may not tell a lot, so it was named the orange wine. Orange wines are made of white grapes with maceration, a process for red wines. Maceration implies that during wine production the grape skin gets in contact with the must. So if white wine is produced in this way, we get an orange wine.

Flavour

Orange wines are characterized as robust and bold with honey flavors of tropical berry, hazelnut, Brazilian nuts, mature apples, linseed oil, juniper, sourdough, and dried orange peel. On the palate, it is perceived as a dry wine as you can taste the tannins typical for red wines and the acidity of a fruit beer. Orange wine is often so intense that it is advisable to sit down when tasting your first sip.

Food pairing

Because of their boldness, orange wines pair excellently well with equally bold foods, including curry dishes, Moroccan cuisine, Ethiopian cuisine, Korean dishes with fermented food, and traditional Japanese cuisine, including fermented soybeans. Due to the high phenolic content (tannin and bitterness) and the nutty tartness they exhibit, orange wines pair with a wide variety of meats, ranging from beef to fish.

Right temperature

The sommeliers serve orange wines slightly warmer than a classic white, and slightly cooler than a red. The best temperature is around 12ºC. It’s also perfectly acceptable to drink them slightly cooler, around 10ºC degrees, if it’s hot outside and you want them to be very refreshing.

An experienced sommelier will carry out a fun New Year’s program and teach you the most important facts you need to know about wine. You will hear some fun stories, learn about the attractions and facts about Slovenian wines and participate in games and challenges. In the company of people from all over the world, you will taste 7 Slovenian premium wines, including a special red sparkling wine. Along with the fun and interactive wine tasting, we will offer your traditional Slovenian dishes such as prosciutto, delicious appetizers with olives, cheese, walnuts, dried plums and a bar of special chocolate, which goes very well with excellent wine.

The cost of the festive Wine Tasting is 60 Euro per person and will be conducted in the English language.

For private groups for more than 5 persons contact us on email [email protected].

Make sure to get your glass of wine and apply as soon as possible on wine tasting ljubljana.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!