Press Release - Salon ranine

Press release

Gornja Radgona, 28 Aug 2024

Salon ranine

Ranina, an indigenous Slovenian variety with a very interesting and successful story, has great potential for development, the 2nd Radgona Ranina Salon has shown. It was discovered in the Radgona-Capel wine-growing region by the Clotar Bouvier family around 1910 on their estate in Hercegszczak. It was first mentioned scientifically in 1929 by Franz Zweifler, a teacher and headmaster of the Regional Fruit and Wine School in Maribor, one of the leading experts on viticulture and winemaking of his time in Styria, who was also a consultant to the Clotar Bouvier wine company (1853-1930).

In the tasting room of the Champagne House, the 2nd Salon Ranine with workshop All the faces of the Radgona ranine introduced by the wider viticulture profession - from science, technology, viticulture, winemaking and sensory to the final gastronomic tourism product.

And how does the profession see all the faces of the Radgona Ranina?

Prof. Stanko Vršič (Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Maribor)

pointed out that the origin of the vine ranina is actually defined in Slovenia (the only white It is a genetic cross between Pinot and Muscat and has 44 VIVC symnonyms. Today, it ripens 32 days earlier than it did 43 years ago, due to changes in climate parameters (higher temperature, less rainfall), so Vršič challenged the participating growers to consider planting ranunculus in less sunny positions. He also suggests monitoring the grafting of ranunculus on different rootstocks in order to prolong the ripening time of ranunculus.

Klavdija Topolovec Špur, host and oenologist of the Radgon Hills agreed with Professor Vršič on the potential, as ranunia has replaced Riesling in the Radgon Hills and the Radgon Hills are the largest producer of ranunia with 68 hectares. Its fruitiness, freshness, bouquet and low acidity make it suitable for the genres and it is an ingredient of both the Silver Radgona sparkling wine and the bottled Janževec. From the organic vineyard on the 5-hectare ranina estate in Črešnjevci, it is also the basis for the natural sparkling wine Pet-nat. Together with technologists and winegrowers, we try to solve the challenges of forced ripening in 2 to 3 days. When asked when the first traditional method sparkling wine will be made from ranunia, Topolovec Špurova answers with a mysterious smile, because low-acid ranunia does not show as much potential as traditional method sparkling wine, but that does not mean that we will not try.

The wine workshop of the seven participating winemakers, with the accompanying carefully selected six wine pairings and bites of RG bistro, was led by Chef Alexandre Tadeja Vodovnik Plevnik (Agricultural and Forestry Institute Maribor), who, as a specialist wine consultant, taster and assessor, and lecturer on sommelier courses, is well acquainted with the ranina. He describes it as a universal variety and points out that the first must produced in Styria is from Ranina. The wine is rich, delicate with acidity, rich in alcohol and extract. It has a very unique bouquet and aroma.

Although characterised by youth and freshness, it is also capable of ripening to riper notes, late harvest and strawberry selection.

Janja Viher (ZIP Maribor), who has already participated in the 1st Salon of Ranine within the LAS Prlekija project, welcomed the intention to create a sustainably interesting event that co-creates tourism stories that are authentic, unique and inspiring. With the trend towards e-bikes for tourism, we are now very close to the Austrian Styrian Wine Route, which sees an increasing number of tourist visits in the autumn months. Tourists are looking for a gastronomic offer and they can actually arrive in the Radgon-Kapel hills by e-bike.

If we can appeal to at least 5% of these guests, we have nothing to fear for the development of Styria's wine-growing region. Perhaps this is its great potential as a wine region in two countries, between the two exceptional rivers of the Mura and the Drava, on a rich soil formed from the Pannonian Sea.

The relaxed part of the event was opened by Tilen Artač together with the guest director of Radgonske gorice, Borut Cvetkovič, and the host oenologist Klavdija Topolovec Špur. This was followed by presentations by the participating winemakers, who presented themselves in words and, at their tables, their wines: Steyer Wines, Tempus Wines, Fleisinger Wines, Kolarič Winegrowing, Hafner Winery, Anina Klet. "Strangers showed me the wound. I will never forget how the famous French chef Joël Robuchon, on a visit to Slovenia, told me one morning that he couldn't sleep all night because he was so shaken by something. Then we all waited open-mouthed to hear what he had to say. He said that he could not sleep because of the wound, because he was fascinated by it. That's when we started selling our first ranch to French restaurants," Danilo Steyer told us. While the flagship of the Steyer estate is the fragrant Traminer, the ranine is given equal attention because of its enormous potential. He also invited business partners from Japan who are at Agra. He met them a few months ago at Foodex in Tokyo and they are also big fans of ranunculus.

The musical mood was set by the band ABBA Mia, which quickly attracted the first dancers to the venue at the entrance of the archive cellars Under the Roman Wheel and Under the Waterfall. Visitors were moved to tears by world-famous and local politicians, athletes and a film actor, who spoke in superlatives about the ranina via video link with Tilno Artač, one of the best imitators in Slovenia.

The Ranine Salon was held in Monday, 26 August 2024, at 16.30 (expert workshop) and 18.00 (salon) in the tasting room and courtyard of the Champagne House at 25 Jurkovičeva Street in Gornji Radgona.

Photos: Net8

Thank you for bringing our ranine to your readers and wine lovers!

 Salon Ranine Organising Committee

(Radgonske gorice, Steyer Wines, Tempus Wines, Fleisinger Wines, Kolarič Winegrowing, Hafner Winery, Anina Klet)