Varietal wines or wines made from a single variety of grape are considered superior in Slovenia. There is no specific reason for this attitude as Slovenia produces some excellent blended wines, some of them in the Vrhunsko vino quality range.
Apart from the unfounded belief that blended wines are inherently inferior, two misconceptions about the production of blended wines are also popular. Many people believe that blended wines are produced only from blended must, that is, that various types of grapes are simply mixed together before the berries are crushed and pressed. Although some local viticultural traditions are based on this method of production (primarily in the Posavje region), many wine blends are blended only after the second racking when fermentation is complete and the individual wines have become quiet and settled.
The second popular misconception is that blended wines are prepared in accordance with a (preferably ancient) recipe defining fixed proportions. Nothing could be further from the truth. The very art of blending is in finding the proportions for each particular vintage. The blender attempts to achieve a certain characteristic bouquet, colour, and taste that are in some way a trademark of the particular winegrowing area, adjusting the proportions of individual components to keep the character of the blend as constant as possible. It is a method that requires many trials as small quantities of individual wines (or must) are blended and evaluated - a keen sense of smell, a discerning palate, and an excellent memory are essential. The resident oenologist makes (and keeps) or breaks the reputation of a producer, so it is no wonder the oenologist's office is often larger and more luxurious than the general manager's. Blended wines must go through a maturation process first in casks and then in bottles (with the exception of "Premiere" wines) for the components to "mate" properly.
The most popular blended wine in Slovenia is probably the humble Cvi~ek produced in the Posavje region, particularly in the Dolenjska area. The blending of Cvi~ek varies - it is supposed to be blended from fourteen different types of must (which is an exaggeration) including Modra Frankinja, @ametna ^rnina , and even some white wines such as La{ki Rizling; the "recipe" varies from site to site. Cvi~ek is a fresh, lively wine, low in alcohol (7.5 - 8.5 %), with a subdued bouquet and rich in gentle acids; it is a good table wine that does not age well. The same region is also noted for another high-quality blended wine, Metli{ka ^rnina. This wine is a blend of specially bred varieties of Modra Frankinja, Modra Portugalka, @ametna ^rnina , and [entlovrenka. Unlike Cvi~ek, Metli{ka ^rnina does age well.
Another rather famous blended wine is Maribor~an, which comes, as its name suggests, from the winegrowing area around Maribor. This white wine is a blend of the best the Podravje region can offer: Renski Rizling, Sauvignon, Traminec, and Beli Pinot. Maribor~an is rated as high-quality wine, exhibits a noble and overpowering bouquet, and is moderately rich in alcohol; its acids are rather rich, and the wine is usually semi-dry with a mature blend of the incomparable aromas of the wines of this area. Other well-known blended wines of the Podravje region are Halo`an, Ljutomer~an, and Ritoznoj~an.
One of the more widely recognized blended wines from Primorje is Vrtov~an from the Vipava area. It is a characteristic white blend of the area, fresh and dry with a fruity bouquet. It is very popular for large parties: apart from the standard one liter (35.2 fl. oz.) bottle, Vrtov~an also comes in huge 12 liter (3.17 gallons) bottles. Rde~i Capris is a high-quality blend from the Koper area, a heavy wine frequently compared to the great Bordeaux wines.
Another type of blended wine that is popular in all winegrowing regions of Slovenia is "Predstavitev" ("Premiere") or young wine. These red and white blends are the Slovene equivalents of the Beaujolais Nouveau: they are usually blended to exhibit both the characteristics of the area and a particular vintage. They are bottled in early November (as soon as the wines settle) and should be consumed immediately.
