Mlecnik

For more than two centuries the Mlečnik family has been growing vines in Slovenia, in the hilly area at the beginning of Vipavska dolina. Wine production began around 1820. In the early 1900s, Angel Mlečnik sold the farm located near the village of Dornberk and bought a larger one in Bukovica, where the family still lives today. It is a historic farm, dating back to 1658, which has preserved the charm of the past. The first bottlings date back to the early 1940s, when some of the production was sold within the family tavern. Today at the helm of the estate is Valter Mlečnik, carrying out the old traditions, staying true to the craftsmanship handed down from generation to generation.

The real renewal came in the late 1980s, with the gradual abandonment of bulk wine sales. In 1989 half of the production was bottled and the following year all of it. The vineyards are located in the Vipava Valley, on the hills near Bilje and Bukovica, at an altitude of 50 to 100 meters above sea level. The most cultivated varieties are Chardonnay, Ribolla Gialla, Sauvignonasse and Merlot. Within the property there is also an old Sauvignonasse vineyard planted in 1947, which was used to make mass selections for the new vines. The estate is managed with attention to the natural environment, with grassed rows and vines planted with high density of vines per hectare (6500-8000) so as to have low natural yields and high quality grapes. In the vineyard all work is done by hand from pruning to harvesting.

Since 2005 the entire estate has been certified organic. Only sulfur, copper and organic fertilizers are used in the vineyards. Harvesting takes place when the grapes are fully ripe, so as to have rich and intense aromas. All vinification, of both whites and reds takes place with maceration on the skins, according to the most ancient traditions. Fermentations take place spontaneously with indigenous yeasts and without temperature control. No oenological additives are used in the winery and all processing is done with minimal intervention. The wines mature in large wooden barrels and are bottled after two or three years, depending on the cuvée and the characteristics of the vintage.