What did I know about Slovenia’s wine regions before visiting? I didn’t even know they existed. But after visiting, it felt like I had been transported to a miniature Tuscany, with rolling hills covered in vines. Also a destination much less visited than the original Tuscany and truly a hidden gem. Slovenia boasts three main wine regions: Primorje, Posavje, and Podravje. Podravje is the largest and located in the northernmost part of the country, while Primorje is the smallest, situated in the southwestern region close to Italy. This guide is for all you wine enthusiasts looking for a unique wine trip to a destination that many people have yet to discover. I am here to share my experience exploring the wine regions of Slovenia, one of my favorite adventures during my road trip through this beautiful country.
What to expect out of a visit to Slovenia’s wine regions
The history of Slovenian wine is rich and fascinating yet largely unknown to most people. Did you know that Slovenia is home to the world’s oldest grape vine? Wine production in Slovenia can be traced back all the way to the 5th and 4th century BC. This means Slovenian winemaking existed long before the Romans introduced wine making to the countries more famous for their wine, like France, Spain or Germany. The reason why not a lot of people think of Slovenia as the large wine producer it actually is, is because almost all of the wine produced in Slovenia is consumed domestically. However, Slovenia ranks as a large wine producer, and visiting Slovenia’s wine regions offers a truly unique experience. You’ll not only dive into the country’s long-standing history of wine but also have the rare opportunity to taste wine that few outside Slovenia ever get to enjoy.
As mentioned, Slovenia’s three wine regions are Primorje, Posavje and Podravje. With the main purpose of experiencing the country’s rich wine history, I would acutally recommend visiting all of them. However, if you’re looking to experience more of Slovenia’s diverse attractions and beautiful landscapes, and wine tasting is just a part of your trip, I recommend visiting the smallest region Primorje.
Primorje is conveniently located along the perfect route for your Slovenia road trip, which you can read more about here. Primorje was the wine region I visited for three days during my road trip in this underrated European destination. Let me walk you through my unforgettable experience visiting a wine region, definitely one of the top things to do in Slovenia.
Day 1: The wine trip starts in Goriška Brda
Staying at a vineyard in one of Slovenia’s wine regions
We had spent the day driving and exploring the breathtaking Vršič Pass and Soča Valley (you can read about that here), and headed for Goriška Brda in the afternoon, our first introduction to the Slovenia’s renowned wine regions. Goriška Brda is the most famous wine area in Slovenia and is usually referred to as Slovenian Tuscany, due to its striking resemblance to the rolling hills of Italy’s Tuscany region. It was amazing going from towering mountains to suddenly being surrounded by vine-covered hills stretching as far as the eye could see. It only took about an hour to drive from Soča Valley to Goriška Brda. We eventually passed the quaint town of Kojsko and arrived to the charming farmstay we had booked for the night – Kmetija Štekar.
Dinner in Goriška Brda
We checked in at the farmstay in Goriška Brda, freshened up and headed out for dinner. The plan was to dine in Medana, a small town about a 15-minute drive away from Kojsko. Unfortunately the restaurant we had in mind was fully booked. In hindsight, we should have made a reservation, so that’s my top recommendation for you! Always book ahead, especially in peak seasons (June through August). We tried both Restaurant Belica and Vino@Modana, two of the top restaurants in the Goriška Brda region, but had no luck finding a table.
Since the towns in this wine region are small, there weren’t many dining options available. Getting hungrier (read: hangry), we considered picking up something from a supermarket to take back to our accommodation. However, all grocery stores had already closed. Keep in mind: supermarkets in this region close as early as 7PM, so plan accordingly!
Luckily, we came across a local pizza spot – Pizzeria pr’Andreju – which turned out to be our savior for the evening. We grabbed a pizza to go, returned to our farmstay in Kojsko, and settled on the balcony. One of the best things about this farmstay, which was also a vineyard, was the wine fridge in the common area stocked with their own locally-produced wine. You could pick out a bottle, write down in the guest book which one you took, and pay for it at checkout.
What started as a stressful evening turned into a really lovely one, relaxing with pizza and wine under the stars – something we definitely wouldn’t have imagined just an hour earlier when we were worried about dinner plans falling through.
Day 2: Still exploring Goriška Brda but with a change of location
Waking up with a view of one of Slovenia’s wine regions
After waking up, we headed down from our room to have breakfast, which was served in a charming outdoor area on a small gravel field, overlooking the rolling hills of the Slovenian countryside. We were even joined by the hosts’ friendly dog. After enjoying our morning cup of coffee and some breakfast, we relaxed for a bit before checking out and heading off. A trip to Slovenia’s wine regions wouldn’t be complete without staying at a vineyard, so thank you, Kmetija Štekar!
Visiting the picturesque town Šmartno
We drove to the nearby town of Šmartno, which I would say is the most picturesque town in the entire Goriška Brda region. We strolled along the cobblestone streets and narrow alleys, snapping lots of pictures, and then had lunch at the best spot in town – Hiša Marica.
Pool day, Bambus and dinner at a mansion
After lunch, it was time to head to our new accommodation – Valentina Guest House at Pintar Wine Estate. We basically had the entire place to ourselves, and the host was incredibly kind. We spent the afternoon by the pool, and while we were relaxing, she brought us two large glasses of Bambus, a Slovenian drink made from 50% red wine and 50% Coca-Cola (similar to Kalimotxo in Spain). Our plan was to drive to dinner later, and luckily for me, I wasn’t the one driving, so I ended up drinking both!
After our relaxing poolside afternoon, we got ready and headed out for dinner at a restaurant called Kruh in Vino. Once again, we had the place completely to ourselves, which felt like a luxurious experience since the restaurant was set in a building that resembled a mansion.
Sleeping in a cottage in the middle of a vineyard
When we came back from dinner, the hostess introduced us to more drinks. This time it was Slovenian wine, with vines growing in soil with a lot of minerals, making the wine feel a bit tingly on the tongue. We got to bring some glasses and two small bottles of wine – one red and one white – to our cottage. This was the best part of the stay; I had booked a small cottage with no electricity, only a bed, located in the middle of the vineyards. We sat on the porch and had our wine before going to bed.
Day 3: Driving to Vipava Valley
Visiting the town of Vipava
After waking up in our cottage and having breakfast, it was time to say goodbye to Goriška Brda and head to the Vipava Valley, another one of Slovenia’s wine regions. This area truly lives up to its name, with vineyards nestled in a valley surrounded by large mountains. The largest town in the region is Vipava, where we stopped to have lunch, enjoy some ice cream, and explore the town on foot. I highly recommend having lunch at Krhne, one of the best restaurants in Vipava.
A wine tasting afternoon
Vipava Valley is home to numerous vineyards offering wine tours and tastings, so our next stop was to visit one of these for just that. The vineyard we chose gave us a tour of their wine cellars, where we learned about the local wine production process and got to sample some of their finest wines. For just €25 per person, you can taste 5 different wines and enjoy some homemade snacks – an experience I’d highly recommend for any wine lover visiting this region.
Dinner and overnight stay in Slap
Although Vipava is the most famous town in Vipava Valley, we chose to stay overnight in a smaller town just a 10-minute drive away, called Slap. I am not exaggerating when I say you can drive through this charming town in just one minute, which is something I personally love.
This time, when heading out for dinner, we decided to leave the car at our accommodation and walk, since the restaurant we planned to visit was only a 15-minute walk away. A great decision, because the walk took us along a gravel road through the vineyards with the sun setting and Slap beautifully framed in the distance with its church steeple. Eventually, we arrived to Majerija, where we had an amazing outdoor dinner.
As we headed back to our accommodation at nightfall, we felt completely satisfied with our 3 days of exploring stunning Primorje wine region. This is a must-do experience if you are visiting Slovenia.
