Brda wine day is an annual event that takes place in 20 wine cellars of Brda region during the first weekend of June. Regardless the fact that for the past 3 years I have been trying to attend Brda wine day, this year the stars were on my side 🙂 Let’s take part in wine-tasting event in Brda region! Brda wine day is part of 3-cherry weeks long event in Brda.

In June fairytale landscape of Brda is colored green. At Vinoteka Brda we bought a tasting glass, got up-to-date instructions from David about free hop-on hop-off bus (it is a good idea to take a telephone number from a bus driver!) and we were ready to hit the road. And guess what, we were the only passengers on the bus at 11am. Are you surprised? 🙂

„I just came from the vineyard.“ Borut from Mužič winery in Plešivo tells us with a smile while pouring a glass with rebula wine, an autohtonous wine variety from Brda region. Rebula wine is slowly but surely getting on the world-wine stage. Most of the wine tastings started with Rebula wine. „Some of my customers drive as far as from Milano to buy my wines. They like them a lot!“ when showing us awards he gained for his wines. Na zdravje! Watch a movie Terra Magica wine region!

A father with 5 sons is running well-known winery Ščurek in Plešivo, a winery with a tradition. A symbol on their wines is a cockroach with a violin. Wine and art goes hand in hand in their winery. From 1997 they are hosting art colony. Their wine cellar is a magical gallery. Some wooden barrels are painted by artists from all around the world since 2001 while from 2014 Ščurek winery is a base of German cultural embassy. „In this place which is called „wine bank“ you can rent out a small box and store the wines.“tells Tomaz, one of 5 brothers, who is taking care of wine cellar.

Third time wine tasting in Plešivo village. 🙂 „I hope you didn’t wait long. I am a bit here and there. Lots of work this weekend.“ Radko welcomes us, shows us his wine cellar and invites us to wine tasting table. We are amazed by breathtaking vistas and green vineyards while tasting 3 Pulec wines (pinot gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, sparkling wine). „In the distance beside the white house there is already Italy.“ tells us Radko who is the only wine maker from Slovenia beside 16 Italian winemakers selling their wines in the best winery shop in Scotland.

“I know that wine tasting plays the most important role of Brda wine day but you can not miss to say wow to fairytale Brda region.”

During Brda wine day event on Saturday there was a traditional cycling marathon called Heroes of the vineyards taking place. The cyclists started the tour from Ljubljana to Brda wine cellar. Some village roads were closed around noon due to cycling marathon so free hop-on hop-off buses were not driving on schedule. Because we like hiking in Brda (even thought the landscape is quite hilly!), it was peace of cake to walk from one wine stop to another. On the way from Plešivo to Ceglo we met dozen of other walkers, with a glass whom we constantly followed or without a glass, and bikers, a cheerful lady who was selling fresh cherries (1 kilo costs from 4-6 EUR), and cherry pickers. We picked mulberries and some cherries (I have to admit I took only 10 of them from a cherry tree!).

From one wine stop to another … by walk, bus, bike!

„Please come in.“, Marko happily invited us. He was already in the action of wine explaining to a couple (we met them 2 more times 🙂 ). We tasted extremely dry DRY wines at Dolfo winery. A label on his wines is a bit unusual: a naked man. „I don’t need to hide anything in my wines.“ proudly says Marko, a cheerful wine maker who is producing one of the driest sparkling wines in the world. And a bit of herbal fritaja and salami before hitting the road to Vipolže.

Still no bus on the horizont. 🙂

Even though it was very warm, it was a great hike thought the vineyards. With a glass of wine! This time it was empty though 🙂 We met a group of ladies from Vipava valley celebrating a hen party. There are 4 wine stops in Vipolže and 6 wine makers. The signs led us to Mulit winery, a quite new winery which got its name after „nummulites“ fossil. Did you know that flysch soil or opoka called by the locals has uncovered fossils over 250 million years old which makes Brda region a special terroir in the whole world?!

Let the wine and vineyards tell their story!

Only some minutes away and we reach a courtyard of Edi Simčič winery full of wine lovers. What a pleasant summer breeze with a glass of wine under the shade of trees. The rest didn’t last long because there was a tour around family-run wine cellar which is specialized in wine from barrique oak barrels.

You can see it from the distance. A sleeping beauty with a magnificent park. This is Vila Vipolže, the most beautiful renaissance villa in Slovenia. To check 3 wineries or not to check? This is the question. Well, actually we checked 2 wineries, sample 4 wines and relaxed on comfortable chairs before visiting Fana winery. „My grandfather was among the first wine makers in Brda region selling wines all the way to Gorenjska region.“explained Peter, very proud of family wine tradition.

… waiting for a bus in Vipolže …

If you are a bus driver, especially if you are a bus driver on some wine events as Brda wine day was, you need to be very patient. It didn’t took us long when a free bus arrived and a bus driver gave us a ride to Kozana. The first wine stop was at Peršolja winery. „Pour your glass, taste some olive oil, enjoy the view and after 10 minutes I will drive to the next wine stop.“, a bus driver gently told us. None among 10 or more passengers disagreed 🙂

At Reja winery we met a couple from Prekmurje region again. After a glass or two (again I couldn’t resist to sample Rebula wine but this time from an oak barrel) we both decided to walk to Radikon winery. What a looooong walk! Now I remember why a bus driver suggested: „Wait here and I will take you to the 3rd winery in Kozana!“ But it was worth walking there. „Haven’t you already tasted all of the wines previous year?!“, Davorin greeted us while on the same time invited us to sit beside a huge stone table. Of course with a glass of locally-produced wine.

It was already 7pm. The sun was still shining and I have to admit that I had the most perfect view on Brda region … before I heard bus coming 🙂

Tips from the local:

Brda wine day ticket is valid for 2 days! Yupee! Plan your Brda wine day route carefully. Wine cellars are opened from 11am till 7pm. This is a great news so you can visit wine-makers on the southern part of Brda firstly. And the day after you continue exploring the wines on the northern part of Brda region. If you need any kind of help regarding Goriska brda, send me an email at vesna@slocally.com.

Don’t drink and drive!
This year 2 hop-on hop-off buses were organized. And drivers were very relaxed and great company. I hope we behaved well for them as well 🙂

Plan your accommodation in Brda well in advance!
There are around 500 accommodation options in Brda. When the region hosts Brda wine day, most of the accommodations fill up fast. Check accommodation option in Brda here for your next visit. We even met some people on the way who stayed in Trnovo plateau (some 35 kilometers away!) and the owner of the place where they stayed, offered them a free pick up from Brda to Trnovo plateau. Great gesture! I would do the same for my guests staying at Herbal Rooms Homestay.

Last but not least, in total we checked 8 wine stops where 13 wine-makers presented their wines from Brda region and we didn’t count how many glasses of wines we tasted! So for the next year you know what to plan for the first weekend of June, don’t you 😉