Tip for the weekend

Slovenia’s wine route: a visit to the Brda

Olive groves, vineyards, cherry trees in between - this is the landscape of the Goriška Brda.

(Bild: Clara Milena Steiner)

"I liaßat Kirsch'n fia di wachs'n", wrote Karl Hodina and Walter Pissecker, probably not thinking of the Slovenian Goriška Brda. Nevertheless, a trip to our neighbors pays off - especially at the moment!

Close your eyes and imagine the following:

You are sitting in front of the steering wheel, Carinthia is behind you, the sun is shining and the mood is good. In less than three hours by car from Klagenfurt or Villach, you can reach a region that is known among connoisseurs for its juicy cherries, delicious cuisine and high-quality wine.

In Slovenia it is called Goriška Brda, in Italy Collio - the green border runs invisibly through its vineyards and olive groves, the country road is in one bend in one country, in the other bend in the other. 

At the latest when you see the first red spots next to the road - they are poppies! -you should switch off the car radio and roll down the windows. Breathe in the early summer air, feel the warm summer rays on your skin. Listen to the cicadas and songbirds, let the alternating olive trees, vines and cherry trees pass by. The hilly landscape welcomes you - let's drink to that!

Asparagus, cherries and a sip of Sauvignon
The local wine is called Rebula and tastes fresh, clear and fruity. For those who prefer a non-alcoholic toast, I recommend the aromatic grape juice (red and white) from "Klet Brda", the wine cooperative's shared wine cellar.

There you will also find Sauvignon, which, with its herbal and floral notes, goes best with green asparagus. This is because it grows wild in the Brda, just like many other herbs - if you are lucky and find a lonely asparagus while out walking, you can taste it straight from the meadow.

Otherwise, have it served to you - now is the best time for that. In combination with the cherries that have been harvested here for two weeks, the result is a wonderful feast of flavors: "The cherry is sour and sweet - a provocative combination offered by nature. The nutty asparagus goes perfectly with it," says Ivan Peršolja, a passionate sommelier. He also says: "Wine is a living being that needs to be treated as such!"

The taste of love

Tasting menus with cherries and asparagus will be offered at selected Goriška Brda inns until mid-June under the motto "Taste of Love".

For those who prefer to enjoy at home - wine, cherries and ham from the region are available:

• on May 25: Hans-Gasser-Platz in Villach (from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
• on June 2: village community center Jaunstein, municipality Globasnitz (at 1 pm)

The surprising duo of crunchy asparagus and juicy cherry was presented by the hosts of the Brda in every form: hearty with meat or prawns, chilled as gazpacho (my recommendation!), sweet with a caramel undertone. Soak up the flavors, experience the tone-on-tone of the medieval villages, the dark yellow of the autochthonous Rebula, the red that flashes out of the lush green.

And now: open your eyes. The next long weekend is already waiting.