Zelen

Zelen, meaning literally ‘green’, is an indigenous variety named for the bright green of its leaves and saplings. It was first mentioned in 1844 by the priest and teacher Matija Vertovec in his book Winegrowing, where he attributes the variety an especially noble character. Since the aromas of Zelen are not very stable, the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia explored ways of preserving them effectively. In their research they established that Zelen wine contains large amounts of hydroxycinnamic acids, which have healthful antioxidant properties. It appears that Zelen is an entirely indigenous variety of the Vipava Valley, thriving here and nowhere else on the planet. At a point in the past it had nearly died out, but the local winemakers stepped together to ensure its preservation and development. Today, Zelen covers some 60 hectares of the valley’s surfaces, which amounts to a good 2% of its vineyards.

Pinela

The variety Pinela was recorded already by Otokar, historian of the Vienna court, around 1280 in his Rhymed Chronicles. In Friuli it was cultivated in the 14th century, while in the late 19th, it is mentioned as a grape grown around Padova. In 1932 it was described in a publication of the Agricultural Institute of Gorica as a local variety planted mostly across the hills of the Vipava Valley. This is supported by wine authority Matija Vertovec in his book Winegrowing from 1844. In it, he ranks Pinela among the “more precious varieties” of the land and praises it thus: “In Goče above Vipava, a fellow named Orel planted it amply, and made from it in time a most famous wine.” In Slovenia it is now cultivated only in the Vipava Valley and the winegrowing sub-district Vrhe, part of the winegrowing region Kras. Four decades ago, Pinela was the third most abundant variety in the valley, though disease forced many winegrowers to abandon it over the years. A resurgence was started not long ago, and now Pinela graces some 50 hectares of Vipava Valley soil, making for about 2 % of its vineyards.

Sauvignon Blanc

The variety Sauvignon Blanc originates in the French Bordeaux. Its name derives from the French word sauvage (wild). Today, this aromatic grape is found across numerous wine regions of both hemispheres. Winemakers often make it as a fresh young aromatic dry wine, while it also features in famous sweet Bordeaux wines from the regions Sauternes and Barsac. Depending on the climate and maturity, Sauvignon Blanc wines on the palate display a range between potent grassy flavours and tropical fruity ones.

Premium belo (Premium White)

White blend of the indigenous variety Zelen and the global staple Chardonnay. Grapes for this wine were dried on the vines in 2015, giving highly concentrated grape juice. After 24 hours of cold maceration, the wine ages in oak barriques for two years.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Many consider Cabernet Sauvignon the paramount red grape variety. Next to Merlot and in smaller measure Cabernet Franc, it is an essential variety of most of the legendary red Bordeaux blends. Granting longevity to the wine, it is also a vital component of countless other excellent red blends across the world. Contemporary analyses revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon began as a crossbreed between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Today, it grows in all the major world wine regions.

Premium rdeče (Premium Red)

This red blend is made with the local variety Refosco and the global staple Merlot. Grapes of the latter were dried on the vines in 2015, giving highly concentrated grape juice. After 8 days of maceration, the wine ages in oak barriques for two years.

Sparkling Wines

Sparkling wine is made by adding sugar and yeast to the base still wine for the secondary fermentation to take place. Unlike in primary fermentation, the carbon dioxide created by this process stays in the wine, releasing itself in the form of pleasantly refreshing bubbles. The secondary fermentation was done in large sealed vats, in contrast to the so-called traditional method where it occurs in individual bottles.

Our Sparkling Muscat is sec in style and made from the pleasantly aromatic Yellow Muscat variety.

The Pinela sparkling wine is bone-dry and fresh, with a gentle varietal aroma.