The Thirteenth Selection for the Mayor’s Wine: Promoting Quality and Excellence in Local Winemaking

The Thirteenth Selection for the Mayor’s Wine: Promoting Quality and Excellence in Local Winemaking

The thirteenth selection for the Mayor’s Wine, organized by the Institute for Entrepreneurship, Tourism and Youth Brežice, is dedicated to promoting high-quality local wines and encouraging excellence in viticulture. This year, all six winegrowers’ associations from the Municipality of Brežice supported the project once again by submitting wines that had received the highest scores in their respective society tastings.

The evaluation took place on March 26 in the premises of the Institute for Entrepreneurship, Tourism and Youth Brežice. The tasting was conducted by a committee composed of Milena Rožman (chair), Roman Baškovč, Mihael Balon, Adi Brod, and Jože Prah. A total of 53 wine samples were evaluated: 22 samples of Cviček PTP, 18 of White Bizeljčan PTP, and 13 of Laški Rizling.

The event was opened by the director of the Institute, Katja Čanžar, who emphasized that the region has all the conditions necessary for the continued, sustainable development of its winegrowing areas. She noted that these areas will become increasingly attractive to more discerning visitors in the years to come. The Mayor of the Municipality of Brežice, Ivan Molan, also addressed the winegrowers, thanking them for submitting their wines for evaluation, as the selection contributes to better promotion of high-quality wines as well as the tourist destination itself.

The wines that received the highest scores and earned the honorary title of Mayor’s Wine were:

Cviček PTP by winemaker Zdenka Mirtek from the Gadova Peč Wine, Tourism and Cultural Society, with a score of 16.33.

White Bizeljčan PTP by winemaker Branko Varlec from the Pišece Winegrowers’ Association, with a score of 17.40.

The title of Mayor’s Selected Wine for Laški Rizling also went to Branko Varlec, with a score of 18.13.

An interesting fact about this year’s evaluation is that, for the first time, the same winemaker won in two different categories, and no samples were disqualified.

Milena Rožman, chair of the tasting committee, stated that the task of evaluating wines becomes more challenging each year, as the wines are increasingly consistent in quality. Although the vintage was demanding, with winegrowers facing spring frost and disease, the Cvičeks were well-balanced, with a characteristic ruby color, fresh taste, and moderate acidity. The White Bizeljčan PTP wines were fruity, fresh, and harmonious, with most receiving high-quality ratings. This year’s selected Mayor’s Wine, Laški Rizling, is only the third time this variety has been included in the selection. While not demanding in the vineyard, Laški Rizling requires a great deal of knowledge and advanced winemaking technology in the cellar. The winning wine is fruity, with a pleasant varietal aroma, freshness, and a rich, balanced mouthfeel.

The event was hosted by Anja Urek, and the atmosphere was further enriched by Slak's selected melodies, performed by the Brežice Music School. After the official part, guests enjoyed a tasting of the award-winning wines and a feast prepared by Tourist Farm Pri Martinovih, which operates under the Brežice Selected collective brand.

The trophy award ceremony for the winning wines will take place on Saturday, June 14, as part of the traditional Bread, Wine, and Salami Day celebration.