Vila Planinka's gastronomic experience - discover Slovenia on a plate and in a glass

Wine tastings can sometimes be boring and simple! But not at the eco-hotel Vila Planinka, located in the picturesque town of Zgornje Jezersko, where wine tasting workshops are a must. Led by the charming duo Vanesa Centrih and Marko Koren, their knowledge enables a deep and interactive exploration of the world of wine, flavors, sensory experiences, and Slovenian wine tradition.

We love our job and our workshops are full of lively and fun moments, during which we learn, explore, and experience the world of wine through different aspects. Each workshop is unique and provides an opportunity to discover new flavors and gain a deeper understanding of how and why food and Slovenian wines are so special, says young sommelier Vanesa, revealing that Vila Planinka offers seven carefully crafted workshops that combine excellent gastronomy with the signature of chef Blaž Derlink with classic wine themes (Sparkling wines and Slovenian indigenous varieties) to creative ones such as Biodynamics - the world into the future, Orange Revolution, Food and Wine Pairing, Blue Pinot in Slovenia.

Finally, there is the workshop Slovenia – the land of great wines, which teaches both the specifics of wine and the geographical characteristics of Slovenia. If you are staying at Vila Planinka, which is located in the green oasis of unexplored Slovenia, the story of an eno-gastronomic journey through the regions and learning about wine varieties is actually a great way to spend an afternoon or evening in good company. All you have to do is call the hotel, make a reservation, and experience an incredible wine story and excellent food.

The Slovenian Autochthonous Varieties Workshop is our most popular workshop because, during its duration, we delve deeper into the Slovenian wine heritage and discover why Slovenian varieties are so unique. This workshop is not just a wine tasting, but a real journey through the wine-growing regions of Slovenia. Participants are introduced to the different climates, soil composition, and microclimatic conditions of Slovenian vineyards that enable the production of these exceptional wines. We explore how these natural factors influenced the development of Slovenian autochthonous varieties and how these varieties manifest themselves in wines that truly reflect our terroir, explained the in-house sommeliers of Vila Planinka.

Slovenia boasts an exceptionally rich winemaking tradition, with vineyards dating back over 2,000 years. Its geographical location, at the intersection of three different climatic influences—Alpine, Pannonian, and Mediterranean—allows for the growth of a wide variety of wine varieties. Slovenia has three main wine-growing regions and nine environments that differ significantly from each other, giving Slovenian winemaking its diversity and uniqueness.

These regions are Podravje (Prekmurje, Štajerska Slovenia), Posavje (Bizeljsko-Sremič, Dolenjska, Bela krajina) and Primorska (Goriška Brda, Vipavska dolina, Karst, Slovenian Istria). These regions enable the production of the most important autochthonous and traditional varieties, such as Zelen, Ranina, Ranfol, Klarnica, Pinela, Rebula, Vitovska grganja, Modra frankinja, Pokalca, Žametna črnina and Refošk.

Each of these varieties bears the unique stamp of Slovenian terroir, which reflects the land, climate, and wine tradition still alive in our vineyards. Each of these varieties carries its own story and reflects the Slovenian terroir that develops into wine specialties over time and space. At a workshop like this, which is also an eno-gastro hit of Vila Planinka, you will not only taste these wines but also discover how these varieties express the history, land, and climate in which they grow.

At the end of the workshop, you will have the opportunity to deepen your knowledge of Slovenian wines, recognize the characteristics of different indigenous varieties, and understand why Slovenian wines have gained worldwide recognition in recent years. Through the experience of tasting and research, you will forever remember how unique and diverse the wine landscape of our country is, Vanesa and Marko conclude at the end, and we reveal to you which wines can easily be used to embark on an eno-gastro tour through Slovenia with a view of Zgornje Jezersko.

foto: Nikola Zoko