This self-confident statement was given by the self-confident vintner Stojan Ščurek, one of the three largest vintners from Goriška brda, in the trailer for Terra Magica, the documentary on vintners from Brda who carried the name of Slovenia and its wine into the world.
The tradition of winemaking in this particular part of Slovenia, strongly connected with Italy, is very long. Yet the times for vintners have not always been optimal. The situation started to improve in the 80s, when a group of vintners from the region – friends, not rivals, they like to say – joined and started creating the successful story of wines from Brda.
"Some time ago at wine fairs nobody knew the location of Slovenia," says Aleks Klinec, who made his place in Medana with his orange wines. Today Klinec exports 60 percent of his wines; the explanation of where it comes from, i.e. where is Slovenia, is no more necessary! His nearby neighbour Aleš Kristančič is even more successful and has made a name for himself on the markets across the ocean; he is one of the mentioned trio of the largest vintners from Brda, together with Ščurek and Marjan Simčič.
Kristančič exports to America even 98 percent of his produce at his vinery Movia. He is proud that today in the best New York restaurants everybody knows Slovenia as the country producing high quality wines.
Over the hill, across the border
So it is only logical that a decade ago Brda got their wine holiday, named simply Brda in vino (Brda and wine). The two-day festival is traditionally organized in the picturesque medieval village Šmartno, and it brings together local vintners, oil manufacturers, fruit farmers, and caterers. This year approximately 30 vintners participated (only one half of all the vintners from this hyper-productive region as far as wine-growing is concerned), and half as much of caterers.
A number of Slovenians from the neighbouring country participated as well. They say they want for nothing in Italy, but that at such occasions they like to cross the border and join their colleagues from the other side. Joško Sirk is most certainly one of the most famous names; his La Subida in Krmin even won a Michelin star. He is not a vintner, but he does make very valued vinegar from his rebula wine. At the festival his head chef made vlivanci (noodles) with meadow herbs.
Also the assortment of salamis from Bernardis, Gorizia, was brought to the festival: all kinds, from venison to donkey, from spicy kinds to such with black wine and truffles. Koršič’s from San Florian fried elderflowers, Marica House cooked traditional dishes from Brda in a traditional furnace, Batištuta from Hum offered their honey. Belica sliced mortadella and prosciutto, Fonda from Piran offered sashimi made from sea bass, San Martin Hotel fried lamb meatballs, and Kozana Hotel cooked traditional corn stew “bobiči”.
From Bratovž to Štekar
Some of the top restaurants presented themselves as well – Dam, Pikol and the guest from Ljubljana, JB, connected with Brda through love: Bratovž’s daughter Nina and the young vintner from Brda, the star of the reality show Love in the country Jure Štekar. Needless to say that the demand for Štekar wines has grown rapidly after the show… People from Brda know how to sell, which is a very important part of the business.
