Travel Europe – Page 13 – Aplins in the Alps

"Wine red. Not barn red, or one that's too pink. I want the robust color of wine swirling in a wine glass." That's what I said eight years ago when we were picking out paint colors for our kitchen, back when our love of wine was just budding. We picked the perfect paint chip (which was ironically named barn red) and coated the walls in the ideal shade of vino rosso. That home project happened during our early interest in grapes and vines. Since then we have tasted wine in a handful of countries. Our favorite winery in Italy set some pretty high standards for a wine tasting experience complete with multiple appetizers and rounds of samples. Our recent tasting at Lepa Vida Boutique Winery in Slovenia was a fair rival. Here's why. Making reservations It was easy to browse the Lepa Vida website and discover how to arrange a tasting: a quick phone call or text message to Irena, the owner. She kindly requests at least one hour of notice, and we were able to communicate in the morning for a 2:00pm same-day appointment. At the time of our visit, the tasting cost 20 euro per person, which included at least six wines (we tasted eight) and a large board of appetizer snacks. That's approximately the cost of drinks and appetizers at a standard American restaurant, although this was way better! The winery Plug their address into Google Maps and you won't get lost along the way. Lepa Vida is located in a beautiful valley on the western edge of Slovenia, near the Italian border, only about one hour away from Ljubljana. We drove up to the property, passing their vines and a spacious RV parking area. It was easy to park our car because we immediately noticed the glass-walled tasting room. (Yep, my jaw dropped as soon as it came into view!)Irena kindly welcomed us at the door and allowed us to pick a table. We happened to be the only appointment at the time, so we selected a spot right beside the window overlooking the vines. There were six or eight tables total, and each one had a view of the vineyards and of the impressive wine bottle display at the front of the room. We snapped a few photos and sat down. Then Irena delivered a beautiful charcuterie board of mouth-watering snacks. "So where are you from?" she asked us in fluent English as she carried a few bottles to our table. We spoke for a few minutes about travel, then she launched into a thorough and fascinating presentation about Lepa Vida wines. History of the Lepa Vida family and vineyard As we sipped on our first white wine, Irena explained how their family-owned winery has flourished over the generations. When Slovenia was a part of Yugoslavia, her father attended a state-sponsored agriculture class. After the lessons, her father was the third man to receive official permission to be an independent winemaker in post-Yugoslavia Slovenia. Since then, their family has tenderly raised vines and produced tasteful wines which are mainly sold within Slovenia. Lepa Vida also has exclusive rights to a particularly shaped wine bottle, which is tall and curvy, resembling a woman's body. It dates back to the region's interesting history with Egypt...but you will have to take a tour to get the full explanation!Â They grow one particular type of grape that is only grown in this region of the country and nowhere else in the world! (It survived the disease that killed most of Europe's vines back in the 1800s.) Every visitor also gets to pose for a fun Polaroid picture at the end of their tour. This is such a thoughtful touch and neat momento to take home with you! This is what our polaroid picture looks like! Wines and Snacks You know how you read a tasting description and think, "Wow that sounds great!" but then you show up and it's even better than expected? That's how our experience was at Lepa Vida. I mean, check out that charcuterie board! Irena and her family made nearly everything on the menu, minus the cheese (which is locally sourced). Walnut and cheese pizza bites Pita crackers with a pumpkin seed spread Crusty bread with a garlic cheese spread Pumpkin crackers Pumpkin and walnut buckwheat bread Olives from the Lepa Vida olive trees Sun dried tomatoes from the Lepa Vida garden Local cheese from a nearby farmer Pancetta and prosciutto from the Lepa Vida pigs Plums stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon All of those finger-foods were yummy, but the real star of the show is the wine. Crisp, fruity, and a rival to Italian wine. Unique grapes that are not grown anywhere else in the world make unique wine. (Kinda obvious, but it's true!) So much intentionality goes into making wine, and this family is thoughtful about every step of the process, including the names of each wine they produce! Irena is a well-balanced hostess. She will tell you as much or as little about the wine as you'd like. We asked about how it's aged, alcohol content, food pairings, and grape varieties. She knew the answers and taught us even more about wine! Other places to visit nearby Lepa Vida Have an RV? Park it right in their parking lot and admire the views of hilltowns and vines. Otherwise, here are suggestions for how to fill your time before and after your wine tasting. Koper is a big town right on the water. Explore the tiny streets in the city center or swim in the water with the locals. Piran is a beautiful town dotting a skinny peninsula. Don't skip the short walk up to the cathedral for stunning views, you can see both Italy and Croatia from up there! The main square is worth a stroll. But most people come here to lay on the rocks or swim in the water. Ljubljana is only one hour from Lepa Vida winery. As the capital city, it has shopping, restaurants, and many bridges over the river that runs through the center of town. Looking for an authentic way to explore Slovenia? Learn about history, agriculture, food, wine, culture, and art at Lepa Vida Boutique Winery. https://www.instagram.com/p/CDx54cIjbPZ/ Love wine? I see more vineyards in our future. Subscribe to our email list to stay in the loop about our upcoming wine experiences!