9 hidden gems worth the trip across Slovenia, editor-ranked by Cork & Curve. All Slovenia guides.
Atelier Kramar ★ 4.4 · Brda
Barbana · Barbana 12, 5212 Dobrovo v Brdih, Slovenia
Katja and Matjaž Kramar are both trained painters who have farmed this Barbana holding organically for twenty years, fermenting spontaneously and curing their own meat and cheese alongside the wine.
Tip: The artwork can be seen Friday from 16:00, Saturday from 12:00 and Sunday between midday and 16:00. Groups over eight have to arrange a slot first.
Blažič ★ 4.4 · Brda
Plešivo · Plešivo 30, 5212 Dobrovo, Slovenia
The Blažič family work vineyards on both the Slovenian and Italian side of the line, ferment and macerate spontaneously, and put Rebula, Sauvignonasse and Malvazija at the centre of the range.
Tip: Twelve seats inside and ten outside, so a group of more than a dozen has to be arranged well ahead rather than turning up.
Emeran Reya ★ 4.3 · Brda
Kozana · Kozana 2, 5212 Dobrovo, Slovenia
Kontrabánt records the farm as certified organic since 2019, run for the last twenty-two years by Emeran, the son of Edvard de Reya. Tastings are five or ten wines with local snacks.
Tip: The view runs north from Gredič across to Šmartno. There is a two-night minimum from May to September, so book long before harvest.
Čarga ★ 4.3 · Brda
Pristavo · Pristavo 2, 5212 Dobrovo, Slovenia
The Erzetič family farm fifteen hectares of terraced marl here and date the estate's winegrowing to 1767. The Donna Regina sparkling has been made since 1994.
Tip: The range leans on the local trio of Rebula, Sauvignonasse and Malvazija rather than on the international varieties, which is the point of coming.
Kmetija Kocijančič Zanut ★ 4.3 · Brda
Neblo · Neblo 27, 5212 Dobrovo v Brdih, Slovenia
Franc and Borut Kocijančič work parcels between 75 and 160 metres above the western edge of Brda, two red and six white varieties on the same farm the family has held for generations.
Tip: The Brjač vineyard is picked last, in the final days of October, and goes into the Merlot of the same name. Kontrabánt lists the farm as opening only on the Saturday of DOK Brda.
Reja Vino ★ 4.2 · Brda
Kozana · Kozana 90, 5212 Dobrovo, Slovenia
The Reja family work marl hills just outside Kozana with minimal intervention, adding nothing to the wine beyond a small sulphite dose, and crop the vines to around a kilogram of fruit each.
Tip: Three tasting formats run from Classic up to Superior. Kontrabánt lists the cellar among the DOK Brda houses, which is the simplest weekend to catch it open.
Vinska klet Benedetič ★ 4.2 · Brda
Vipolže · Vipolže 65, 5212 Dobrovo, Slovenia
The family dates its winegrowing to 1923, when Valentin Keber and Andrej Benedetič bought the Brgolišče plot. Ten hectares are now spread across twelve separate sites above Vipolže.
Tip: Cherries and olive oil are sold alongside the wine and the tasting hall looks straight out over the hills, so it works as a lunch stop rather than a quick call.
Vina Marko Sirk ★ 4.1 · Brda
Biljana · Biljana 21, 5212 Dobrovo, Slovenia
Kontrabánt traces the family to 1888, when Ignac Sirk moved from Višnjevik to Biljana. Marko Sirk now works thirteen hectares of vineyard and orchard with his wife Nataša and their son Miha.
Tip: The traditional method sparkling is labelled Marcus and made from Chardonnay. The tasting room seats sixty indoors and thirty out, and there is a shop for buying by the bottle.
Damjan Prinčič ★ 4.0 · Brda
Kozana · Kozana 118a, 5212 Dobrovo, Slovenia
Damjan Prinčič farms a small Kozana holding where the orchard matters as much as the vineyard, bottling Rebula, Merlot and Sivi Pinot and pressing olive oil on the same farm.
Tip: A tasting here usually comes with something from the orchard. Turizem Brda also lists the farm among its olive oil producers.