VITeff Veille

Slovenia

• The vine-growing area is relatively small, with only24 000 hectares
  
  
• Production totals about 90 000 000 litres on average
  
  
• 34 grape varieties are grown in 14 areas 3 wine-growing regions.
  
  
• 22 000 wine growers, many of whom have other activities.
  
  
• Most vineyards are family-run business.
  
  
• The average surface area of vineyards is 1.1 hectare per farm.
  
  Wine growing regions
  
• Posavje (Save and Bela Krajine river valley). Large variety of red and white wines.
• Podravje (Drave valley). Best white wines.
• Primorska (coastal area). Produces red wines.
  
  Sparkling wines
  
  
• No specific statistics are available on sparkling wine production.
  
• Exports totalled 117 936 litres in 2005
  
  In partnership with UBIFRANCE
  In Slovenia, sparkling wine is mostly produced in the Save valley (in the southeast), in the Drave valley (northeast) and Primorska (west). The grape varieties used are mostly chardonnay, sauvignon, Welsh riesling and pinot blanc.
  
  Wine growers may decide each year how many acres of vines will be devoted to producing sparkling wines. The surface area for production is thus not set.
  
  In Gorna Radgona, pinot blanc is sometimes used to make sparkling wine using the traditional method. For almost 140 years this area has produced a reputable sparkling wine using the traditional champagne method (Zlata Penina).
  
  Since 1991, when the country became independent, wine quality has improved and there are more and more independent wine growers.
  
  Sparkling wines are drunk at celebrations. Consumption, especially of “flavoured” wines (sparkling wines made from Muscat or Traminer grapes) is tending to rise.
  
  Development potential:
  
  Producers are increasingly aware of the need for quality in the production of sparkling wines. They plan to increase production to meet an increasing demand from consumers.
  
  Languages used for correspondence: English, German, Italian.
  
  Source: Economic mission to Ljubljana - February 2006