Vinarija Marof: Hidden Wine World of Moravske Toplice
Prekmurje in Slovenia, about 50 kilometers from Čakovec, is the land of contrasts! In this part of Slovenia, the Pannonian Plain meets the first hills and the lowland landscape changes almost imperceptibly. The wide horizon disappears, the hills appear, and the vineyards on the slopes. It is precisely in this transition between the flat and the hilly, between thermal Slovenia and its wine story, that the Marof Winery is located. You don't come here just for a glass of wine. You come to see what a vineyard looks like when quantity is not the most important thing, why only as many grapes are left on the vine as can yield quality, and how a dozen kilometers of distance can make a difference in taste. Dejan Lutar takes us through the story of Marof, and what the story of the cellar actually begins much earlier - among the vines, in the soil and location of the vineyard.
The Marof brand, originally known as Toko, was founded in 2007. The first two harvests were done in the old facilities, and since 2009, production has been located in the current cellar. At first glance, the numbers don't sound spectacular. About 22 hectares of their own vineyards and approximately 70,000 liters of wine per year. But when you look at these numbers a little closer, it becomes clear that the goal here is not to produce as much as possible. Quite the opposite! Marof is dedicated to producing high-quality wine, and the average goal is about one kilogram of grapes per vine for one liter of wine. This means that the quantity is not left to chance. The vineyard is monitored throughout the year, and the excess is removed so that the vines can focus their energy on what remains. In other words, here they don't wait for the harvest to decide what kind of wine they will make.
One of the most interesting parts of the Marof story is the fact that the vineyards do not behave the same. In addition to the main location, the grapes also come from the locations of Vodonci and Kramarovci, each of which has a different soil composition and microclimate. Kramarovci is only ten kilometers away, but the difference is felt in the wine. There is volcanic tuff there, and wines from that location can show a more pronounced minerality and salty character. There is also slightly more rain there, which also affects the acid profile of the wine.
In Marof, the Franconian, or Blue Franconian, variety with a long tradition in this region stands out. The newer plantations of Franconian, Zweigelt and Merlot were planted after the winery was founded, while some of the white varieties come from older plantations. Some vines are between 30 and 40 years old, and some reach 45 years old. Among the red varieties, there are also Zweigelt and Merlot, while among the whites there are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Zelen, Rhine Riesling, Pinot Gris and Lasch Riesling. Zelen is particularly interesting, a local variety that is worth tasting if you find yourself in Marof. There is another thing that distinguishes Marof from the story of fast and young wine. This is where the wines age. Most white and red wines spend between 20 and 24 months aging, while some wines spend several years in oak barrels. French barrels are used, but also large Slavonian oak barrels with a capacity of 500 liters.
Marof is also interesting because its market has long been wider than Slovenia. Exports make up a large part of its business, and over the years the wines have traveled to various European and world markets - from the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Italy to Japan, South Korea and other markets. It is especially interesting that in the international world of wine, the label is often not as crucial as we might imagine. The category of "quality" or "top" wine may be important within a particular national system, but in large world markets what is crucial is what is in the glass, explained Lutar, adding that the wine must pass the test of experts, sommeliers, restaurants and customers.
Before you taste the first wine, Marof will win you over with a look. The winery is not a building that tries to compete with the landscape - quite the opposite, as if it was made to "sail" into it as naturally as possible. The long, horizontal line of the building follows the slope and topography of the terrain, while a large part of the winery is hidden underground. It was designed by architect Andrej Kalamar from Studio Kalamar, and the new winery opened in 2009, next to the renovated historical Marof complex. The architecture is very thoughtfully connected to the environment: the red-tiled roof continues the tradition of former farm buildings, and the facade, with its vertical elements, discreetly resembles rows of vines. But when you see it in person, it's hard not to think of a ship. It's as if the winery is anchored in the middle of the vineyards, with a view that opens up to the hills of Goričko. And in front of it are fish, the work of local artist Robert Jurak. An unusual detail that gives the whole story an almost cinematic scenography: vineyards on the hills, a winery that resembles a ship, and fish from the Pannonian Sea that seem to have just swam up to its entrance.
foto: Nikola Zoko
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