Slovenia has great potential as a wine-exporting country, and it's a great place to visit, too, writes Jane Boyce.
Westport wine merchant Liam Cabot brought his first shipment of Slovenian wine into Ireland last autumn and he hopes it will be the first of many. He is passionate about Slovenia. In fact it was he who persuaded me to go, when the offer of a trip to the vineyards of eastern Slovenia recently arose. Prior to my visit, I couldn't have pinpointed the country on a map or named the capital, and I think many of you will empathise with that. Yet on the first of January they took over the presidency of the EU. Time to fill in a few gaps.
Last year the Cabot family took the big step of purchasing a second home in the Jeruzalem/Kog area of eastern Slovenia. Jeruzalem was so named (so the legend goes) by the Christian soldiers on their way to fight the crusades. The hills and villages are said to resemble their more famous namesake. Indeed Slovenia's location means it has, for centuries, been a pivotal crossroads, between eastern and western Europe and between Muslim and Christian cultures. Currently it forms the south eastern frontier of the EU with its neighbours Italy and Austria "in" while its other neighbour, Croatia, for now, remains "out".
Slovenia gained its independence in 1991 after a brief period of conflict. It was formerly the northern part of Yugoslavia, but if you trace its history back further, it was originally part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, breeding the famous Lipizzaner horses for the Spanish Riding school of Vienna and supplying wine to Vienna's royal palaces.
Slovenia entered the EU in 2004 and adopted the euro as its currency. Although it has a population of only two million, this tiny country lacks little when it comes to natural resources. It is blessed with the most glorious scenery: mountains and valleys punctuated by rivers and fairytale castles, unsullied by the mark of mass tourism.
Cabot's interest in Slovenia was ignited back in the 1990s when he and wife, Sinead, went out to visit Liam's dad who was working in Ljubljana with an environmental consultancy preparing the country for accession to the EU.
The couple immediately fell for the the ambience of the capital city, Ljubljana, and also the fact that the unspoilt scenery was matched by a very high standard of infrastructure. Roads and telecommunications were at least as good, if not better, than what we had in Ireland at the time. A place perceived, by some, as a former Eastern Bloc country had turned out to be a cosmopolitan blend of Italy, Austria and Croatia. They were also struck by the Slovenians' pride in their country and their enthusiasm to show it off to visitors.
For the next 10 years the couple were busy with their family and expanding their successful wine importing business, so Slovenia remained on the back burner. They dreamed of owning a house with a small vineyard, as it seemed like a logical extension of their lifestyle. And they mused with the idea of buying somewhere in Burgundy or Italy, but both were ruled out for various reasons. Then at the end of 2006 an article on Slovenia rekindled fond memories, and Liam invited his dad to go back there with him.
They found the house they were looking for in the village of Kog, and as it came complete with its 800 vines, they couldn't believe their luck. When Sinead accompanied her husband on his next trip, the deal had already been done.
"It's not that we want to make wine on a commercial basis out there," Cabot explained, "but more to gain an understanding of the whole process and to allow us to experiment a bit. My ambition is ultimately to plant some Pinot Noir there." At the moment the vineyard is planted in two white varieties, Sipon and Laski Rizling.
Anyone who drank wine back in the early 1980s may remember Laski Rizling (Lutomer ring any bells?), and Sipon is eastern Slovenia's indigenous white grape variety, and one that Cabot and I feel offers great potential for success on the export market. Known as Furmint in Hungary, Sipon offers fresh, citrus acidity combined with an aromatic bouquet. When well made, it can be a great alternative to the ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc.
Cabot's first shipment includes a Sipon from Miro Mundo. The pair met at the village fete in August, when the Cabot family were spending their first summer in Slovenia. Each village hosts a "wine day" such as this throughout the summer. A marquee is erected, with long tables set up to feed 200 people, and there is live music.
Samples of all sorts of local produce are on offer, including honey, herbs, cheeses, apples and of course wine. Cabot tasted Miro's wines and admired their clean, dry style. So they visited, tasted again and now this wine from Jeruzalem is being enjoyed in places from Westport through to Dalkey.
The Cabot family found it very easy to integrate with the local community and meet their neighbours in this simple rural landscape. The man who sold them their house was there to personally hand it over to them. It had been left in pristine condition, with a full set of crockery and bedclothes. Within a matter of days, neighbours were inviting them on mushroom hunts, and lavishing them with free-range eggs and ducks from their small homesteads.
Slovenia views its recently acquired presidency of the EU as an opportunity to introduce itself to their European cousins. Already Slovenia's popularity as a tourist destination is on the up, and for activity holidays (skiing in winter, mountain biking, rafting and hiking in summer) it must rank as one of the top choices in Europe.
Ljubljana's cosmopolitan ambience and delightful riverside market, winebars and restaurants make it ideal for a short, relaxing, city break, or a base from which to explore the nearby mountains and lakes. The famous spas or wellness centres are not the exclusive, elitist type seen in glossy magazines, but are based on original thermal springs and are "natural water parks", where three generations of families come for the day, with their picnics. A favourite of Liam Cabot's is the Terme 3000 in Moravske Toplice - about 40 minutes from Maribor, where you can go for a day with the whole family, enjoy the waterslides and thermal water and have lunch as well; all for about €50.
Don't go to Slovenia if you expect five-star international luxury, gourmet food and service to match. Do go for the hospitality, the wines, and for simple, well prepared local food. You will meet enterprising people who enthuse openly about their country, its produce and its scenery.
Jane Boyce is one of four Masters of Wine in Ireland
THE CABOT FAMILY'S SLOVENIA TIPS
Consider flying directly to Venice or Treviso (Aer Lingus or Ryanair from Dublin, Easyjet from Belfast) and then taking the Inter-City express train to Ljubljana.
Local car hire: Atet ( www.atet.si) has offices in Ljubljana and Maribor. This works out cheaper than using international companies. They speak English and offer great service.
Visit Terme 3000 Spa ( www.terme3000.si), a complex of five spas with a five-star hotel.
Close to Maribor, the Pohorje mountain has skiing in winter and great hiking in summer ( www.pohorje.si). If you want to pamper yourself try the five-star hotel Habakuk, at the bottom of the ski run ( www.termemb.si).
Drive across the Croatian border to visit a great market in the picturesque town of Varazdin.
GETTING THERE
The national airline, Adria, has direct flights from Dublin to Ljubljana, on Saturdays only, from the end of May to the end of September ( www.adria.si). Ryanair flights via Stansted to Maribor are a good choice for visiting the east of Slovenia, while Ryanair flights via Stansted to Trieste offer good access to western Slovenia.
WHERE TO EAT
Cubo restaurant, 55 Smartinska ( www.cubo-ljubljana.com); PEN restaurant, Tomsiceva 12 (00-386-12514160), and Gostilna Krpan ( www.gostilna-krpan.si). Ljubljana winebars include Dvorni Winebar, Dvorni Trg ( www.dvornibar.net); Vinoteka Movia, Mestni trg 4 (00-386-1-4253094); Enoteka ( www.enoteka.si). Maribor - Rozmarin restaurant and wine bar ( www.rozmarin.si).
WHERE TO STAY
Park Hotel ( www.hotelpark.si). Antiq Hotel ( www.antiqhotel.si). Western Slovenia - Hisa Franko ( www.hisafranko.com). Nebesa ( www.nebesa.si). Eastern Slovenia - In the Jeruzalem area try Hlebec, in the village of Kog (00-386-27137060), or Brenholc ( www.brenholc.com). In Maribor check out Joannes ( www.joannes.si).
WINES TO LOOK OUT FOR
Miro Mundo's Sipon and Kog 3, available from Liam Cabot (right), of Cabot and Co, www.cabotandco.com, and On the Grapevine, Dalkey, Co Dublin; Dveri Pax; Movia Estate; Pra Vino; Edi Simcic; Maryan Simcic; Tilia Estate; Rojac Estate (biodynamic); Istenic (sparkling wines).
THINGS TO DO
Skiing is the country's national sport. Kranjska Gora in the west is the top resort. Nomad 2000 ( www.nomad2000.si) offers skiing, snowshoeing, sleighing and snow rafting. In summer they have rafting, hydrospeed, mountain biking and hiking. : Mainly around Lake Bled, see www.golfslovenia.net. : Lipica Stud ( www.lipica.org). See: www.slovenia.info