It is largely owing to Archduke Johann that the Vienna-Trieste railway was constructed to pass through Maribor, thus contributing to the town’s rapid development. His experimental introduction of Rhineland vine in the first half of the 19th century created conditions for improving the quality of viticulture in Slovenia and elsewhere.
The Austrian part of the Trail of Archduke Johann consists of three wine roads: the Schilcher wine road, where the Archduke chose his permanent residence in Steinz Castle; the Sausaler wine road with its centre in Kitzek; and, further to the south, the South Styrian wine road with the most prominent points in Ehrenhausen, Gamlitz and Leutscah. Here the Trail of Archduke Johann comes closest to the border and in Slovene Styria meets with three wine roads and places they are notable for.
The first is the almost 600 metres high hill of St Urban, a sort of geographic symbol of the Upper Slovenske Gorice wine tourist road. Close by at its foot and to the South-East is Maribor, the second largest city in Slovenia, boasting the world’s oldest vine plant. From there the Maribor wine road winds into the town’s Northern and Eastern wine growing outskirts.
Finally there is the Podpohorska wine tourist road, divided into sections, whose higher starting point is in Meranovo above Limbuš. This is where in 1922 the Archduke bought an estate and changed it into a favoured occasional residence and natural ”laboratory“ for testing and growing new wine sorts that he brought with him and soon it also developed into an educational centre for progressive wine growers and makers.
The Maribor Tourist Board published a trilingual brochure and map which will guide you to all vineyards, wine cellars, wine shops, farms with board or/and lodging for tourists. It also describes events, points of interest and experiences you can enjoy on the three Austrian and three Slovene wine roads. This allows you to make your own travel plan on the Trail of Archduke Johann. For further information visit [email protected], www.maribor-pohorje.si, www.pohorje.si
Courtesy of www.slovenia.info/
