Spring of flavours
In the valley of vineyards and orchards
Grape vines have been grown in the Vipava Valley for at least a millennium and a half; enough sun and not too much rainfall during vine's growth and ripening make for excellent wine. Wines from Vipava, matured in carefully built cellars (called “hrami”), were drunk in Gorizia, Trieste, Ljubljana, Vienna and Prague. In 1894, the first viticulture cooperative on Slovene territory was established in Vipava. In the village of Slap, the first Slovene school of agriculture functioned between 1873 and 1886.
The vineyards of the Vipava Valley were described by Janez Vajkard Valvasor in Slava vojvodine Kranjske in 1689, and Matija Vertovec, born in Šmarje na Vipavskem, described the Upper Vipava Valley as the best viticulture region in his book Vinoreja za Slovence in 1844. Ancient knowledge and modern approaches place the winegrowers of Vipava among the most excellent wine producers. In private cellars and in one of the largest Slovene cooperative wine cellars in Vipava, wines such as Ribolla, Sauvignon, Malvasia, Welschriesling, Chardonnay, Yellow Muscat and Pinot Blanc, accompanied by excellent red wines such as Merlot, Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, are matured. Especially popular is the white wine, made mostly of local grape varieties, and locally called »Vipavec«.
Yet, what would Vipava Valley be without Pinela andZelen,Klarnica andPikolit, the native wine grape varieties, the main proof of the quality and peculiarity of Vipava wines. Vintage time is one of the main events during the year, and the celebrations to accompany the wealth of tastes lasts from St. Martin's day until Christmas, when winegrowers open the doors of their cellars and invite wine lovers from far and near.
Rich simplicity of local dishes
The cuisine in the region is simple but interesting, diverse and delicious. Visitors are offered everything that the soil and hardworking hands of farmers have created.
The caring housewives prepare the time-honoured, almost forgotten Vipava dishes, with pleasure, which used to be made by their mothers and grandmothers. The masters of the house provide for home-made sausages, salami, prosciutto and other delicious meat products which must be air-dried by the Vipava burja.
The table is usually laid-out with the »vipavska jota« (bean-sauerkraut soup), which taste best made of cabbage or turnip, soured on grapes skins. Lovers of »spoon food« will be keen on the bean minestrone, while »šelinka«, minestrone made of celery, is really something special, poured over the »polenta« (corn meal mush) by housewives. Each of these minestrones tastes best if a piece of pork boils in it. The final touch is a portion of »Vipava štruklji« (boiled dumplings), filled with walnuts, curd, raisins and sugar, that will be a nice surprise also for the most demanding gourmets.
When the master of the house invites to the winery, you cannot go out without tasting the best Vipavec and, of course, the Nanos cheese and theVipava prosciutto are a must.
