With the attention and hard work of all family members, the vines on the sandy-marly soil, appropriate training and stress, always ensure a top-quality harvest, which is processed into a noble drop when ripe and healthy. The grapes are harvested by hand, which enables us to make a strict selection right from the beginning of processing. Due to the influence of the weather and other natural factors, each vintage has its own character and personality.
The Statera wine estate is located directly on the state border, in eastern Slovenia within the Štajerska Slovenija wine-growing district (9 ha), and in northwestern Croatia within the Zagorje – Međimurje wine-growing district (5 ha). The vineyards are only 100 metres apart in terms of aerial distance. The heart, or central point, of the estate lies at 46° 37’ north latitude and 16° 06’ east longitude.
The vineyards are planted on steep slopes with significant inclines (up to 45%), which often makes cultivation more demanding; however, the angle of solar radiation increases overall exposure. The vineyards are situated between 250 m and 320 m above sea level. Plantings are predominantly on southern, eastern, and western exposures, while in recent years, due to global warming, suitable varieties (such as Sauvignon Blanc) are also increasingly planted on northern exposures.
The vineyards are located in a temperate continental climate zone, near the Drava River. On the slopes of the eastern Haloze hills, where our vineyards are spread, cold air flowing from the sub-Alpine world (NW) mixes throughout the year with warmer air masses arriving via the Pannonian Plain and the Drava field from the southeast.
Sunshine, wind, and significant day–night temperature variations have a strong influence on grape ripening and aromatic development, particularly during the maturation period. Harvest typically takes place over one month, usually between 10 September and 10 October.
Average annual temperature: approx. 10 °C
Sunshine hours: approx. 2,700 hours/year
Average precipitation: approx. 1,000 mm/year
Our vineyards are primarily dominated by marl, which is most prevalent in the central parts of the vineyard sites. In the higher-lying areas and on the ridges, limestone is predominant, while in the lower-lying sections there is a greater presence of clay.
A distinctive feature of our soils is the balance between these three soil types. Most vineyard parcels contain a combination of all three, creating diverse and complex soils. This heterogeneity significantly contributes to the pronounced minerality and greater complexity of our wines.
The grapes are produced in an environmentally friendly manner, in accordance with integrated production guidelines, which are controlled by an accredited institution. The training system used in the vineyards is single Guyot, which ensures appropriate sunlight exposure and canopy ventilation, as well as a balanced yield in terms of both quantity and quality.
To achieve harmonious wines, we primarily rely on manual green work, such as shoot thinning, removal of excess shoots, leaf removal in the fruit zone, topping, and cluster thinning when necessary. All vineyards are grass-covered due to the steep slopes and the resulting risk of erosion; however, due to soil aeration, the soils are still deep-loosened every few years.
We use state-of-the-art viticultural machinery, which enables a lower carbon footprint, time savings, and support for environmental biodiversity. The vine load depends on the vintage, vineyard age, and grape variety, and ranges from approximately 1.5 to 2.5 kg of grapes per vine.
The grapes are carefully and gently hand-harvested, mostly in the morning hours when temperatures do not exceed 15 °C. Due to the proximity of the vineyards and the winery, destemming and pressing at low pressures of up to 0.3 bar are carried out immediately.
After clarification of the must, achieved through cooling, the clear must is transferred into stainless steel vessels. Alcoholic fermentation temperatures range between 12 and 18 °C, and fermentation proceeds slowly and under the supervision of our young in-house oenologist, lasting between 15 and 25 days.
After fermentation, the wines age and mature on fine lees for 3 to 6 months. The lees contribute to greater palate fullness and have a partial antioxidant and antimicrobial effect. The wines are then stabilised, gently filtered if necessary, and carefully bottled.