In this post, I am presenting You, the wine district of Štajerska Slovenia, which is a part of the Podravje wine region.
Štajerska Slovenia presents itself as the biggest wine district in Slovenia. Producing almost 40% of all the Slovenian wine.
Štajerska Slovenia is in the northeastern part of Slovenia. It borders Austria and Croatia. To get an idea of the size of the region, sometimes it is compared with Alsace in France.
Soil:
The region lies on the bottom of the ancient Pannonian Sea, which makes marine sediments appearing in the subsoil. On the hilltops, the soil is sandy, with sandstones getting loamier and heavier at the bottom of the vineyards.
- Halože has marl and limestone soil.
- Pohorje has granite and tonalities.
- Maribor has slate and gneiss with different proportions of clay. The topsoil is well ventilated and well-drained.
Climate:
It is continental with hot summers and cool winters. And it changes to warmer when you move from the Pohorje mountains towards the Pannonian Basin. Rainfall is more than usual for a wine-growing region. Frost is possible to happen, but not every year. Hail occurs often but does not present too big of a problem.
September and October offer foggy mornings, which are perfect for the noble rot development. Since the temperatures can get also below 0, the conditions are perfect for producing icewine in late October and November.
Most of the vineyards can be found from 250 to 400 m altitude.
Due to the climate and the microclimates, grapes are very aromatic and give complex wines.
Viticulture:
All vineyards are planted on slopes. The vines are trained in single and double Guyot. Grapes are dry-framed and harvested manually.
The village of Jeruzalem has a characteristical specialty called terraces. They include beautifully in the landscape.
GRAPE VARIETIES:
Welschriesling: is the most planted grape, but as a varietal wine is not popular. It works well in white blends on entry-level and in sweet wines.
Sauvignon Blanc: is fruity, crisp, aromatic, and herbaceous. In Slovenia is called only Sauvignon, and every wine house was some examples of it.
Furmint: is delicate and aromatic with some crispiness. It is the signature wine and wines with a local fingerprint. The wines from Furmint are also famous abroad. The best examples are from the Ljutomer-Omrož area. Halože produces wines with leaner and more mineral style. In general, Furmints from Štajerska Slovenia are fresh, light in body, vibrant, and gentler when compared to the same wines from Hungary. (in the post about Slovenian white grape varieties, you can read about how Furmit is also called Šipon in Slovenia).
Riesling: when compared to German Riesling, the Rieslings from here have less acidity, less RS, and have some floral notes. They can be dry, medium-sweet, and sweet. Some examples have great potential for aging.
Chardonnay: All wine producers have some examples of it. Most of the wines are produced in stainless steel tanks. Some are aged in oak barrels, both in big and small, which shows great potential for the cool climate Chardonnays from this region.
Sivi Pinot: presents itself with the fruitiness of Pinot Gris from Alsace and the freshness of Pinot Grigio of Veneto.
Traminer and Muscat: are aromatic grape varieties and are very popular. Both have amazing aromatic profiles and are produced in medium-sweet styles.
Pinot Noir: has become more popular in the recent decade. Vino Kupljen Jeruzames has been producing it for over 30 years.
Štajerska Slovenia in a nutshell:
Source: Slovenia Winemaking country, by Robert Gorjak. Page 58-93.