Winemakers from Kog to host their first wine festival
Ormož, 8 April - Thirteen winemakers from Kog, a village in the northeast, well known for its excellent wines, have joined forces and launched a joint promotion project. The main event will be KOG VIN, a three-day wine festival in mid-May, where special focus will be put on the furmint wine.
Manče
Grape harvesting.
Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA
File photo
Kog has one of the most beautiful and best orientations in Slovenia to produce high-quality grapes and wines. "We know we have something to show for and we want to present this to our guests," said Miro Munda, who is heading the project.
"The main goal is to do this exactly where the grapes grew and originate from, that is in Kog," said Munda, adding that visitors would not only be able to take part in wine tastings but also get a feel for the wine's heritage.
Winemakers from Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia and Austria, have been invited to the festival. Wine critic Tamlyn Currin, a writer for the Financial Times, has also been invited and will lead a workshop on the wine varieties in the region and different winemaking methods.
This is the first large wine festival in Kog. "I am happy that winemakers who strive for the promotion of winemaking in Slovenia and its neighbouring countries have joined us," said Jakob Lukman from the family-owned winery Vinogradništvo Lukman, who is Kog's very own Wine King.
The other wineries taking part in the event include Vina Munda, Hlebec, Vina Roka by Liam & Sinead Cabot, Vino Plemenič, Vinska klet Miklin, Vinogradništvo Zadravec, Svet Penin, Pra-VINO, Püklavec, Vinogradništvo Lukman, Herga, Verus and Puklavec Family Wines.
The local office for tourism, culture and sport in Ormož has also welcomed the project, saying that such cooperation helps the entire Jeruzalem wine-growing region. "Cooperation and gaining more knowledge is the key to success and helps raise the quality of the services the destination has to offer," said destination manager Anita Bolčevič.
KOG VIN will take place between 13 and 15 May, kicking off with wine and food tastings. The organizers have also invited winemakers from Croatia's Štrigova, who are hosting the Urbanovo Fest wine festival at the same time. The following day winemakers will welcome visitors to their estates and organize wine cellar tours. Food providers and tourist farmhouses will offer local culinary delicacies.
Another important aspect of the event is restoring the glory of furmint, the oldest typical wine variety of the region. A furmint masterclass for those working in the hospitality and tourism sectors will be led by oenologist Mitja Herga to help boost furmint's recognizability, which is still subpar, according to the organizers.