P&F Wineries – Quality-driven wines from Slovenia
Despite a long history of winemaking spanning back to pre-Roman times, you’ve probably not heard much about Slovenian wine. Which is a shame. Because a drive towards quality in the last couple of decades has resulted in some exceptional winemaking, available at a fraction of the cost of the country’s better-known wine-producing neighbours.
Landscape and heritage
Bordered by Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia, Slovenia’s stunning landscape is characterised by the foothills of the Italian Alps, which smooth out into gentle hillsides with wide valleys and rivers. The coastal area has a Mediterranean climate, while inland, continental conditions mean warm summers and cold winters.
This exceptional landscape and climate have not only made Slovenia a popular tourist destination in recent years, but provide ideal winegrowing conditions. Viticulture has been an intrinsic part of Slovenian heritage and culture since long before the Romans planted vines in Spain and Germany, with wines from the area particularly prized during the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
A new era of winemaking
But this illustrious winemaking tradition was brought to an abrupt halt after the Second World War, when Slovenia became part of communist Yugoslavia. The region’s vineyards were taken over by the state and combined into huge cooperatives focussed on producing low-quality bulk wine. With the country’s independence in 1991, winegrowers and winemakers began to make up for lost time, buying back their land and working tirelessly to restore the reputation of Slovenia as a quality winemaking region.
P&F Winery – Podravje
One such winery is P&F in Slovenia’s inland Podravje region. The Puklavec family (the ‘P’ in P&F) have long been associated with winemaking excellence in the area. Even during communist times, Martin Puklavec continued to strive towards quality despite the constraints of the regime. He remained a respected figure in the local community, dedicated to taking care of the vineyard and his fellow workers, until his death in 1969.
Woefully neglected during the remaining years of the regime and early years of independence, the vineyard and cellar were re-discovered by Martin’s son Vladimir in the early 2000s. Having spent most of his working life in Germany, Vladimir was reaching retirement when he returned to his native Slovenia and fell in love with his father’s vineyards.
The next generation
Despite its need for significant investment, Vladimir bought the property in 2009, restoring it to the Puklavec family and vowing to continue his father’s mission. Today his daughter Tatiana manages the estate with the same passion and dedication as her father and grandfather.
As well as growing grapes on their own land, the Puklavec family work with cooperatives in the local area. They work with 400 local farmers and employ 140 on their own farm and cellar, making a significant contribution to employment in this relatively poor region.
Typical of the inland Podravaje region, P&F winery has a temperate climate with hot summers and cold winters. The vineyards are at the same latitude as Bordeaux and Burgundy, and the steep slopes benefit from over 2,000 sunshine hours per year. With a holistic approach in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the cellar, P&F focuses on refreshing whites featuring Furmint and Sauvignon Blanc.
Gomila Sauvignon Blanc-Furmint – 10% Off in our Summer Promotions
The perfect introduction to Slovenian wine, this blend offers enticing aromatics on the nose combined with bracing acidity on the palate. It represents outstanding value for money for a wine of this complexity and is an intriguing alternative to a classic Sauvignon Blanc.
Gomila Furmint-Pinot Blanc – 10% Off in our Summer Promotions
This juicy blend of Pinot Blanc and Furmint is a fruity, accessible wine, with a crisp acidity and wonderful aromas of citrus, apple, peach and pear. A wine to be drunk on its own or with summer salads and seafood dishes.
P&F also produces a Cabernet Merlot from the Republic of Macedonia, which is available in our summer promotions at 10% off.