4 Must-Visit Wineries in Slovenia

Visiting wineries in Slovenia is a fabulous way to experience the country. The best Slovenia wineries open their doors for visitors to sample their delicious wines, taste the unique gastronomy and savor the scenic landscapes.

After spending ample time in the country, our interest in Slovenia wine was piqued. We had tasted several Slovenian wines at restaurants in the cities and towns we visited, but we had yet to adventure onto any vineyards.

Enthralled by the country’s diverse landscapes – from towering mountains to historic sites to wide open farmland – it was only natural that we wanted to tour the picturesque Slovenia wine regions, too. We devised a plan to visit 4 exceptional wineries in Slovenia – and the day did not disappoint!

 

Wineries in Slovenia

Although Slovenia is not a big country (it roughly measures the size of the state of New Jersey), it boasts 3 distinct regions – and 9 sub-regions – where wines are produced. In fact, there are nearly 3,000 wineries in Slovenia producing more than 50 varietals.

The country’s small size coupled with ample wineries makes it possible to tour the Best Slovenia Wineries in different regions. From the capital of Ljubljana, nearly all of the vineyards can be accessed in less than 3 hours by car.

 

Slovenian Wines

The wide range of wines on offer practically ensures there is something for everyone’s palette. Bold and soft, sweet and dry, white and red, sparkling and orange, the diversity of wine from Slovenia vineyards is abundant.

Although the wine produced in Slovenia is not well-known around the world, several winemakers have been recognized at global competitions, earning a hefty number of awards and medals. In the past, Slovenia wine has been woefully underrated – but now you are in on the secret!

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An Unforgettable Tour to 4 Wineries in Slovenia

Our interest in Slovenian wine inspired a cross-country wine tasting adventure. With the help of our friends at Find Eat Local and Savor the Experience Tours, we embarked on an epic one-day, four-winery expedition. Beginning on Slovenia’s eastern border with Hungary, we traveled 185 miles to the western border with Italy – sampling plenty of delectable wine and savory bites along the route.

 

Slovenia Wine Tour Summary

We sipped, savored and taste-tested our way across the country, indulging at four of the best Slovenian wineries.

We began at Hisa Vina Cuk on the Lendava Hills in the Prekmurje region, then on to the contemporary Hisa Vina Doppler on the sloping hills of the Styria region. Next, we headed west to Hisa Vin Rondic in the small, wine-producing town of Slap. Finally, we ended our day with a wine-enhanced meal and a glass of Teran at Skerlj Farm in the Karst Region.

 

Full Day Tour of Slovenian Wineries

On a trail that we dubbed the Slovenian Wine Highway, or SLO Wine Highway for short, we set out on an overcast day for an unforgettable wine tour across the length of the country.

 

#1 Hisa Vina Cuk Slovenia Winery

It was barely past 8:00 in the morning when we stood on the lawn at Hisa Vina Cuk watching a thick fog roll in, engulfing the perfectly straight rows of vines that covered the hills. Eva was welcoming us to her family’s home, a traditional house with a thatched roof.

She casually balanced a bottle of sparkling wine in one hand, while holding a saber in the other. In one swift motion, she sliced open the wine, its bubbly contents spilling from the top. Our day in Slovenia wine country was officially underway!

The Slovenian-Hungarian family at Hisa Vina Cuk has been producing wines on the Lendava Hills in Prekmurje for several generations, but the history of the land stretches back much further. Stories of heroes, enemies and lovers from the early 1600s played out on the very land where Cuk’s grapes are grown today.

The tales of the legends are woven into the wine they currently produce. Cuk wines – Hadikova Kri, Piroskine Solze and Banffy – are named after the characters in the stories creating a deep connection between the history of the land and Cuk wine.

 

Cuk Winery Culinary Treats

While wine is the focus of the Cuk family, it’s not their only product. Homemade is their mission and nearly everything they serve – from meat to vegetables to breads and spreads – are created in-house. We were treated to homegrown ‘100-year-old’ air-dried ham, meso iz tunke (meat baked in lard) and beef sausage from Cuk-raised Scottish Highland Cattle.

Accompanying the meat was Grandma’s fresh-out-of-the-oven perec, a white bread popular in Prekmurje, that we smothered in ajvar (red pepper relish) and zaseka (minced lard), a spread I can only describe as better than butter. As the salty, calorie-laden food passed by my lips, I thought only of the freshness and how well it paired with their Piroskine Solze rose wine.

 

Wine Tasting at Cuk

From the sunlit dining room, we descended into the cellar for more sampling, but this round was Cuk’s homemade brandy they call vinac. In the cool, brick room, we swirled and sipped savoring the new warmth in our bellies.

Eva had made us feel so welcome, we could have easily stayed at Hisa Vina Cuk all day, but making only one stop is hardly a Slovenian Wine Highway. We arrived giving handshakes and left with hugs. Our last moments were spent on the terrace, overlooking the vineyards where the fog had lifted.

We couldn’t see borders, but we knew our gaze fell on two other countries – Hungary and Croatia. From the vineyards below, cheering erupted; a celebration that this year’s harvest had come to an end. Meanwhile, our day was only beginning.

 

#2 Hisa Vina Doppler in Štajerska Slovenija Wine Region

Our Slovenian wine adventure was taking us through small villages 50 miles northwest in the direction of Maribor to Hisa Vina Doppler in the Styria region. The area, less than five miles from the Austrian border, has long been known for its prosperous winemaking. 

In a place where the past is so well-preserved, however, we were visiting a winery that is breaking from tradition – both in style and in management.

 

Doppler Winery: A Modern Estate

We drove up the one-lane road through acres of vines on the Pesnica Hills 1,250 feet above sea level to the contemporary Hisa Vina Doppler. The minimalistic architecture – a simple, gray building with a sleek outdoor space – felt supremely urban amidst the green, rolling hills; the juxtaposition and a true introduction of chic design meets idyllic charm.

A single tractor puttered through the vineyard, two workers piling containers of grapes on the wagon behind it. A klopotec – an old-style wooden wind-clapper similar to a windmill, but is used to scare the birds from the vineyards – stood overlooking the modern winery. But what truly captured our attention was the 360˚ views of forest-covered hills and deep valleys dotted with church steeples.

The land at Hisa Vina Doppler was established as a vineyard estate by the Benedictines from Austria in 1815. In 1938, Ivan Doppler purchased the winery, which today is still family-run. In recent times, however, Hisa Vina Doppler has adopted a forward-thinking approach.

Not only are they progressive in their state-of-the-art facility, but also in their ownership. For the past two generations, women have been running the winery; a role traditionally held by men.

In 1992, Ivan passed the ownership to his daughter, Veronika, who subsequently passed it on to her daughter, Mihaela, the current owner. This new custom of female ownership could continue as Mihaela’s teenage daughter is currently being groomed to be her successor.

 

Doppler Wine and Gastronomy

With threatening storm clouds lingering in the distance, Mihaela greeted us on the patio with a glass of Diona. The sophisticated sparkling wine paired perfectly with the classy location and was enhanced by the extraordinary combination of parmesan cheese and fresh raspberries drizzled with honey.

The cutting-edge cellar has the air of a hip art gallery. Large, dramatic photographs hang on most walls, except for one that is covered in graffiti left by guests. Wine barrels are enclosed behind a wall of glass and bottles of fermenting wine are fashionably displayed. The high-tech wine processing equipment, essentially a small laboratory, is neatly tucked away in an adjoining room in the cellar.

At Hisa Vina Doppler, they excel at making white wine, particularly sipon. The regional varietal, which was named after a Frenchman proclaimed, “C’est si bon,” meaning “It is so good,” is known to be light and refreshing.

Doppler’s signature wine, 360˚, is aged for 18 months and is made each year in limited quantities from the finest grapes of the harvest. The bottle we were tasting was made exclusively from sipon grapes. Although our preference is for red wines, Hisa Vina Doppler’s 360˚ surprised us; full and rich with a smooth buttery taste, we couldn’t help but ask for a second glass before our departure!

 

#3 Hisa Vin Rondic in Vipava Valley Wine Region

From the Styria region, our Slovenian Wine Highway headed west 135 miles toward Vipava Valley to the town of Slap and Hisa Vin Rondic. Along the journey, the promise of rain came to fruition. But, the skies cleared as we approached Slap, a town with deep roots in wine growing and a population of less than 500 residents.

On our arrival to Hisa Vin Rondic, we were warmly welcomed and led into the 250-year-old family home by Tanja and Matej – the daughter of the current owner and her husband.

 

Rondic Wine House and Vineyards

As we stepped through the door, we were greeted with the pungent scent of fermenting grapes. In the entryway were seven vats filled to the brim with a bounty of the season’s Cabernet harvest. Adhering to traditional red winemaking methods, the concoction is stirred several times a day for ten days before being transferred to tanks and barrels. We offered our help in the stirring process, but quickly realized it was much more difficult a task than it appeared.

Since the rain had eased, we set off for a stroll in Hisa Vin Rondic’s 27 acres of vineyards where they primarily grow white varietals, including malvazija and pinela, a rare and indigenous grape. Pinela grapes are used to make a fresh wine with a slight copper taste and, at Hisa Vin Rondic, it is bottled unfiltered.

The vineyards, which stretch across the hills, are subjected to the Burja wind, both a blessing and curse to winemakers in the region. While the wind excels in keeping insects at bay, its fierce force, which can exceed 125 miles per hour, can also wreak havoc on the tender grapes. On our visit, the wind was still – and the sun peeked out from behind the clouds just in time for sunset when we sipped our first glass of pinela wine.

 

A Traditional Experience at Rondic Winery

Back inside the family’s home, we settled into the newly renovated tasting room. Glasses of malvazija were poured as we feasted on homemade specialties of jota (soup of cabbage, pork and beans), frtalja (baked egg with sage), local sausage and bread. As food flowed from Grandma’s kitchen to the table, they indulged us with the history of the house and wine.

With gloved hands, Matej presented an original copy of Vinoreja, a winemaking book written in 1844 by Slovenian Matija Vertovec that was discovered in the home and includes the author’s personal inscription.

In the dimly lit, rustic cellar, we gathered around old wooden barrels to taste a special wine that Matej retrieved from behind an iron gate. The dusty bottle contained a nine-year-old cabernet, which was decanted and swirled – and can best be described as tasting like Christmas in a bottle. As much as we didn’t want our time at Hisa Vin Rondic to end, we had one final glass of label-less, homemade vinac and then, with promises of a return trip, said our goodbyes.

 

#4 Skerlj Tourist Farm Winery and Restaurant in Karst Wine Region

We were slightly buzzed and already quite full, but we weren’t done with our tour of Slovenian wineries just yet. We had one more stop to make before calling it a night: Skerlj Tourist Farm and Restaurant.

Our designated driver routed us along a curving road through tiny villages, making our way to Tomaj in the heart of Slovenia’s karst region just three miles short of the Italian border. The history of the Skerlj family-run farm can be traced to the 17th century, but it was in 1995 that they opened their doors to the public.

 

Dinner at Skerlj Winery Restaurant

Using their fresh, quality ingredients, Skerlj creates full-flavored seasonal dishes – like pumpkin strudel and eggplant lasagna – which are complimented by their homemade Teran wine. The heavy red wine full of berry flavors was also the featured component of the sauce served with our roasted veal and prosciutto entree.

Homemade honey ice cream was the final course, balancing the richness of the meal. To be sure we concluded our day of Slovenian wine on the right note, we relished a glass of Skerlj’s Teran liqueur, one of the signature wines of Slovenia. The sweet and robust drink was a perfect ending to our day across Slovenia tasting wine!

Watch the video of our epic wine adventure here!

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Slovenian Wine Tour Map

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Wine Tasting in Slovenia

We think the best way to taste wine in Slovenia is to tour the actual vinyards. With a strong presence of wine tourism and companies that provide personalized tour services, guests are able to visit multiple wineries in a single day. 

 

Ljubljana Wine Tasting

Travelers interested in sampling wine but are limited on time can instead partake in a wine tasting in Ljubljana. Join a wine tasting experience in Ljubljana that features sampling 7 Slovenian wines in a 300-year-old wine bar. 

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Planning a Trip to Slovenia

Slovenia is a dazzling destination! We have spent months getting to know the country and have created helpful travel guides that make trip planning a breeze.

• Best Things To Do in Ljubljana
• Top Day Trips from Ljubljana and a One Day Ljubljana Itinerary
• What To Do at Lovely Lake Bled  and Beautiful Lake Bohinj
• The Best of Seaside Piran
• Tips for Visiting Postojna Cave and Skocjan Cave
• Travel to Quaint Kranj, Marvelous Maribor, Historic Skofja Loka and Rustic Bela Krajina

Find all of our Slovenia Trip Advice in our other Slovenia Travel Guides.

As you make your plans, organization is key. Stay on top of the details of your trip with our Printable Travel Planner!

 

 

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