The World Oldest Grape Vine

Žametovka - Modra Kavčina - Velvety Black

A Guiness Book Record Holder, Lent, Maribor Slovenia

The World Oldest Grape Vine Žametovka - Modra Kavčina - Velvety Black

A Guiness Book Record Holder, Lent, Maribor Slovenia

The 35 to 55 kg symbolic annual grape harvest is bottled in 2,5 dcl glass bottles, designed by the famous artist Oskar Kogoj, that represent a precious protocol gift – annually more than 100 bottles are filled.

Pruning of the Old Vine, the oldest vine in the world
Attend one of the most important happenings on Lent – the pruning of the Old Vine, the oldest vine in the world, which is expertly carried out by the town vinedresser. This event is at the same time an occasion during which the Mayor of Maribor presents the vine’s scions to selected lovers of wine growing and towns – as a protocol gift in a sign of friendship and cooperation.
ŽAMETNA ČRNINA OR MODRA KAVčINA – Velvety Black
 This is one of the oldest domesticated vintage wine sorts in Slovenia. In former times it was popular in Styrian vineyards but it was even better known, also today, in the region of Doljenska in southeast Slovenia – the renowned red wine Cviček is made from it.
Lent, the oldest part of the city
 
Next to numerous charming sights in this attractive part of the city gallant rafters also add their spirit. In Lent, the oldest vine in the world together with the Old Vine House, defence towers, the Jewish part with the Synagogue, Jewish Square and Jewish Tower and other interesting sights greet you on the bank of the river Drava, all the way from Vodni stolp (Water Tower) to Sodni stolp (Judgement Tower).
St Martin’s Day Celebrations in Maribor
St Martin’s Day celebrations in Maribor – the biggest such event in Slovenia!
 Join some thousand Mariborians and surrounding inhabitants on the occasion of the ceremonious christening of new wine and enjoy yourself in the company of numerous well-known musicians and musical ensembles. Also try the food and drinks, which at stalls are offered by viticulturists and wine growers, tourist farms and other caterers

About The Old Vine, the oldest vine in the world 

Old Vine, the oldest vine in the world, is the oldest living specimen on our planet of a noble grape vine that still bears grapes! With an age of over 400 years it is registered in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest vine in the world. 
You don’t believe it?
Old Vine symbolises the rich wine culture of Maribor, Štajerska and Slovenia.
Old Vine`s scions grow on almost all continents and in numerous places in Slovenia. 
What sort, how much grape?
 Old Vine`s grape, the sort Žametovka or Modra kavèina is one of the oldest domesticated noble wine sorts in Slovenia.
The 35 to 55 kg symbolic annual grape harvest is bottled in 2,5 dcl glass bottles, designed by the famous artist Oskar Kogoj, that represent a precious protocol gift – annually more than 100 bottles are filled. 
ŽAMETNA ČRNINA OR MODRA KAVčINA – Velvety Black
This is one of the oldest domesticated vintage wine sorts in Slovenia. In former times it was popular in Styrian vineyards but it was even better known, also today, in the region of Doljenska in southeast Slovenia – the renowned red wine Cviček is made from it. Žametna Črnina or Modra Kavčina is namely the most important sort of the renowned red wine called Cvicek. It has palmate lobed leaves and beautiful big bunches of grapes with big grapes, which a pleasant to eat. They give the wine a clear red colour.
“The wine from the Old Vine is a pleasantly full-bodied wine. The environment where the Old Vine grows – its location near water, on the south façade of the house – contributes to the high grade of sugar and quality of wine,” explains Anton Zafošnik, city vinedresser and custodian of the Old Vine, who with great perseverance and will saved the vine from advancing decay at the end of the 1960s. 
Visit events in honour of the Old Vine 
 Pruning of the Old Vine – ceremonious event with the bestowal of scions to selected cities
– Pruning of the Old Vine, the oldest vine in the world
Attend one of the most important happenings on Lent – the pruning of the Old Vine, the oldest vine in the world, which is expertly carried out by the town vinedresser. This event is at the same time an occasion during which the Mayor of Maribor presents the vine’s scions to selected lovers of wine growing and towns – as a protocol gift in a sign of friendship and cooperation.
The pruning of the Old Vine has grown into a resounding event, which is part of a cycle of events that are dedicated to the Old Vine. The cycle ends with the ceremonious gathering of the Old Vine’s grapes. An attractive cultural program draws people to the bank of the river Drava and every year there is a greater number of visitors – we invite you to join them! 
St Martin’s Day – the biggest one-day St Martin’s Day celebrations in Slovenia
St Martin’s Day Celebrations in Maribor
St Martin’s Day celebrations in Maribor – the biggest such event in Slovenia!
Join some thousand Mariborians and surrounding inhabitants on the occasion of the ceremonious christening of new wine and enjoy yourself in the company of numerous well-known musicians and musical ensembles. Also try the food and drinks, which at stalls are offered by viticulturists and wine growers, tourist farms and other caterers. 
Giving thanks to autumn
St Martin’s Day celebrations at the square Trg svobode is enriched with the arrival of the Wine Queen, grape gatherers and folklorists, farmers’ wives and rafters and representatives of the wine orders and fraternities, who walk around the square, with them they bring autumn produce and delicacies and in this way give thanks to the autumn.
In the honour of St Martin and the Old Vine
The event on St Martin’s Day, a saint who changes must into wine, denotes the symbolic winding up of all the wine growers’ endeavours, at the same time also the winding up of Maribor’s year long cycle of events organised in honour of our Old Vine, the oldest vine in the world.
Ceremonial grape harvest of the Old Vine – the highlight of the Old Vine Festival that shows the rich wine, as well as fruit, culinary and ethnological culture of Štajerska
Old Vine Festival
The Old Vine Festival is a top tourist culinary-wine-cultural festival in Maribor, the biggest tourist event in autumn. Over 500 participants.
An opportunity for meeting experts and amateurs, for entertainment and learning, and for the body and soul. 
The Old Vine Festival is the main happening in the cycle of events From Vine to Wine, from pruning to St Martin’s Day celebrations, which in Maribor we prepare in the honour of the Old Vine, the oldest vine in the world. The Old Vine is Maribor’s greatest ethnographic sight, which symbolises the rich wine culture of Maribor and Štajerska and is at the same time a starting point and finishing point wine roads, which intertwine the hilly town wine growing district.
The events are held in the town squares Glavni trg, Trg svobode, on Lent, at the Old Vine House and on the surrounding wine roads. 
Old Vine Festival – The ceremonious grape harvest of the oldest vine in the world 
Are you curious as to how we ceremoniously gather the grape vine, as the biggest ethnographic sight is given a lot of tourist promotional protocol events – the most famous and most popular is certainly the Vine’s grape harvest.
The grape harvest of the Old Vine according to old Štajerska customs and habits has become a real city holiday, which is watched by crowds of people from Maribor and guests. 
In front of the Old Vine’s home on Lent many visitors from near and far, numerous important guests from the government and public life, many receivers of the Old Vine’s scions and all Slovene wine queens to date gather. Present are also representatives of the wine fraternities and orders and also numerous journalists. 
The tasting and evaluation of the first grapes is an important role, which is carried out by the master of the Old Vine, the Mayor of Maribor. When he ascertains that the grapes are ripe, he orders the grape harvest top begin.
Grape gatherers from “Šompetra” near Maribor, who are chosen by the master of the Vine, collect, weigh, measure the sugar content, grind, press, pour into containers and hand over to the care of the Meranovo Estate.
By the Old Vine at the end of the grape harvest the last wooden tub of grapes symbolically meets with the first tub of manure, as we have to return to the Old Vine that which with the grapes we took away. The youngest grape gatherer puts on a grape on a vine shoot so that the vine will drink its own juice. 
Lent, the oldest part of the city 
Next to numerous charming sights in this attractive part of the city gallant rafters also add their spirit. In Lent, the oldest vine in the world together with the Old Vine House, defence towers, the Jewish part with the Synagogue, Jewish Square and Jewish Tower and other interesting sights greet you on the bank of the river Drava, all the way from Vodni stolp (Water Tower) to Sodni stolp (Judgement Tower).
Explore the oldest city sights, try a traditional raft ride, and in summertime visit the international multi-cultural Festival Lent, when the Drava embankment turns into a whirlpool of top cultural events and entertainment, and where many bars, coffeehouses and restaurants with international cuisine invite you to sit around and enjoy their excellent catering offers. 
Meranovo Estate
Not far from the centre of Maribor and in the embrace of the hillsides of Pohorje the charming viticultural Meranovo estate time and again enchants all who visit it!
Visit the sunny wine growing slopes on the Podpohorska wine road, where along with natural beauty you will also try excellent culinary pleasures: we offer guests a variety of treats and wine tasting. This historical-memorial estate, which is managed by the Maribor Faculty for Agriculture, can be found in the surroundings of Limbuš.
The birth of Meranovo
The heir apparent to the throne and great friend, teacher and Maecenas of Štajerska wine growers, Styria’s Archduke Johann in the first half of the 19th century purchased the estate on the hill Prinèev vrh, on which he planted vineyards and established the first viticultural school. The results were excellent, consequently the Archduke returned more and more frequently to Meranovo, and here he built a small manor house.
Thus this renowned Habsburg gentleman to a great degree meritorious for the development of viticulture and the cellar trade in Štajerska, as wine produced here was exhibited and appreciated around Europe already in the 1850s.
The Meranovo estate is an excellent starting point for trips and hikes in the region of the Podpohorska wine road and Pohorje. 
Entertainment and food and drink 
During the grape harvest you can have a good time by watching a selected cultural-entertainment program, when many well-known popular ensembles, brass bands, folklore groups and singers perform. On the bank of the river Drava are also present wine growers and viticulturalists and caterers, who offer the best they produce. 
River Drava 
Traditional rafting, attractive water sports, summer entertainment on the island Mariborski otok, colourful Regional Park Drava, for lovers of water and waterside animals and rocks  – all that and much more on the surface and banks of the river Drava, which gives an additional throb to this tourist city of Maribor. 
What to see? What to experience?
The wine-cultural highlights of Maribor and its surroundings
•Take a walk along the river Drava embankment: visit the Old Vine, the queen of all vines, and the Old Vine House, on the frontage of which grows the Old Vine
•The Old Vine House, a temple of wine tradition and culture: exhibition and wine tasting room, selling point and tourist information centre
•Maribor’s wine underworld, wine cellars, bars, and museums: Vinag Wine Cellar, wine cellar Dveri-Pax, Meranovo Estate, Rožmarin Wine Bar, Maribor Wine Bar…
Some text used in this presentation is from Turisem Maribor presentation.
Authorised by: SAATCE – Slovenian Australian Agency for Trading & Cultural Exchange