VIPAVA SPARKLING

Gaining on popularity worldwide, sparkling wine is no exception also in Vipava valley. About 10 years ago there may only be one or two sparkling wine producers in entire Vipava valley. There is no tradition of making sparkling wine in Vipava valley, many winemakers decided to try it recently anyway. What drives them to this decision? They stressed the personal challenge of making something new, but other momentum is certainly of financial nature, there is demand on sparkling wines in Slovenia. 
Recently Tourist information center in Vipava organized a nice tasting of sparkling wines from Vipava valley, upper part mostly. It wasn't just a tasting. The art of sparkling wine production was explained along with tasting samples starting with base for sparkling wine and further process stages before it is ready for drinking. Afterwards five different sparkling wines were to taste. From white to rose, from dry to sweet. Seems there is no limit in sparkling wine range.         
Will any winemaker in Vipava valley reach the quality to have guts and make only sparkling wine ?

small globules as yeast carrier still in bottle

opening sparkling wine shouldn't end with loud cork explosion

    

VIENNA CALLING-ORANGE

For the first time on this scale in Austria so called orange wine producers had their wine presentation in Radisson Blu Palais Hotel in Vienna. About 30 producers from Slovenia, Italy, Croatia and Austria together. Stylish historic hotel in the heart of Vienna. From the street nothing pointed on this event, but immediately on entrance signs marked the way to the second floor and great hall buzzing with people. Event was well organized, those who came showed genuine interest. Estimated 500 people visited this one afternoon event. Is it a lot or not, hard to tell. With about 1,7 million inhabitants Vienna is almost as populated as whole Slovenia with it's 2,0 million people. 
Most of Austrian wine is very different from wine presented on this event. Their wine is intended to be drunk in one or two years, not kept longer. Austrian wine market is doing well, from this point of view they don't have to change. Even if Austria is one of the countries in the EU with largest number of ECO or organic products, wine isn't one of them. Maybe there is the chance for Slovenian wine makers who are making s.c. orange wine, many of them are organic producers starting in vineyard and continuing in the cellar, sincerely believing in their product. 
In almost one week time after, I didn't notice much attention of Austrian media about this event. A lot more in Slovenia, though. 

Just recently I talked to a young winemaker near Vipava on occasion of opening their cellar to visitors. His wine is very conventional style as what majority of winemakers in Vipava valley are doing. Cold fermentation, selected yeasts, filtration etc. He heard of this great orange wine event in Vienna and would like to make some orange wine himself. 
Piece of cake, here is the recipe: How to make Orange Wine