Zelen, Pinela, Klarnica, Vitovska grganja, Rebula are considered indigenous and domesticated to Vipava valley. Zelen is the only indigenous vine of importance (in Vipava valley) as far as I know there are no written records or other sources it was brought from
somewhere else. To determine it's origin and affiliation, genetic analysis has to be done. To my knowledge it hasn't been done yet.
To achieve it's wider recognition first Zelen wine festival was organized in Vipava on Saturday 9th of June. 25 winemakers from Vipava valley offered Zelen samples to taste, from vintage 2011 to 1996. Zelen is a wine considered to be the best consumed about a year old for it's characteristic fragrance which diminishes quite rapidly with age. Tasting available samples surprised me; some wines up to four years old were still not far from what is recognized as typical Zelen. It's aroma is distinctive, complex, unlike any other wine, reminds a bit of fruity-with slight herbal note mix. Apparently the quality of Zelen depends even more than majority other wines from soil and weather conditions. Because of relatively low yield it wasn't popular vine to grow, till recently. In fact in the 80s it was on a brink of extinction with less than 2 hectares planted. In the year 2003 viticulturists who grow Zelen founded co-operative Zelen, which now has 20 members. To design special bottle for Zelen seems to be one of first priorities at that time. Currently there are about 60 hectares vineyards of Zelen in Vipava valley. With tradition and identity gaining importance also Zelen wine is more popular. To produce overall better Zelen wine more field research has to be done along with promotion here and abroad.
To achieve it's wider recognition first Zelen wine festival was organized in Vipava on Saturday 9th of June. 25 winemakers from Vipava valley offered Zelen samples to taste, from vintage 2011 to 1996. Zelen is a wine considered to be the best consumed about a year old for it's characteristic fragrance which diminishes quite rapidly with age. Tasting available samples surprised me; some wines up to four years old were still not far from what is recognized as typical Zelen. It's aroma is distinctive, complex, unlike any other wine, reminds a bit of fruity-with slight herbal note mix. Apparently the quality of Zelen depends even more than majority other wines from soil and weather conditions. Because of relatively low yield it wasn't popular vine to grow, till recently. In fact in the 80s it was on a brink of extinction with less than 2 hectares planted. In the year 2003 viticulturists who grow Zelen founded co-operative Zelen, which now has 20 members. To design special bottle for Zelen seems to be one of first priorities at that time. Currently there are about 60 hectares vineyards of Zelen in Vipava valley. With tradition and identity gaining importance also Zelen wine is more popular. To produce overall better Zelen wine more field research has to be done along with promotion here and abroad.
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| listening to opening speech |
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| guided tasting in wine shop Vipava |
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| in the year 1969 Mr.Potočnik was issued a reprimand by court for planting Zelen |
a lonely bottle waiting for a good friend
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