When you are at the top of this hill, your gaze gently glides over the expanses of the fertile Vipava Valley. A varied landscape, a mosaic of vast but well-ordered fields and vineyards. The meandering Vipava is quiet and calm, almost imperceptible.
Here, on these hills, the Bora wind flies, and the Mediterranean air merges with the continental. Small villages are scattered throughout the region. You hardly can see anyone, but you definitely feel their presence. Some work at their homes, others in the fields and vineyards. They are diligent and hardworking residents of the famous Slovenian wine region Vipava Valley.
The church of St. Martin (Sveti Martin), standing on the top of the hill, welcomes every visitor, and the vineyards nestled on the hill delight those who truly love wine. The three wine terroirs of Sveti Martin are also located here: Tressa, Hrib and Struga.
Tressa is an exceptional place on marl soils, oriented from south to southeast, including extreme slopes up to 40%. Three traditional Vipava grape varieties are planted here: Rebula, Pinela and Barbera.
The Hrib and Struga terroirs were merged into one vineyard between 1994 and 2000 when the site was redeveloped. Today, six wine grape varieties are grown here: the white Rebula, Pinela, Zelen and Klarnica, as well as the red Barbera and Merlot.
Sveti Martin wines are wines that came to us from the 19th century Vipava Valley. These are wines that tell us the story of many generations of the Stegovec family and delight those who trust them. Sveti Martin winery does not follow fashion and new trends. The first priority of the Stegovec family is to preserve the individuality of Sveti Martin wines, which truly express their terroir and origin.
Around 1880, Peter Stegowiec bought a piece of land in the Sveti Martin area and started a long family tradition of viticulture and winemaking. Over the years, his descendants managed to expand the family estate. Now it is a thriving winery, where the creation of wines is not only a traditional craft, but also the pride of the whole family.
And yes, as in the very beginning, the estate is now managed by Peter Stegovec, the fifth generation of the Stegovec family in Sveti Martin. He believes in the winemaking traditions of Sveti Martin and considers their observance and preservation his main task.