The Ferdinand winery in Kojsko in the Brda region can be described as a boutique winery, as just 8 hectares are cultivated here. The small winery is now being revived and managed by Matjaz Cetrtic, who not only followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, who was already growing wine in Brda, but also fulfilled a childhood dream. In 1992, while still studying at an agricultural college, he began producing wine from his grandfather's vineyard, a terraced vineyard at 100 - 300 meters above sea level. The first bottles came onto the market in 1997. Along the way, he successfully completed his studies in agricultural sciences in Lubljana in 1996. Even though Matjaz Certric has access to a modern cellar, he is aware that quality is created in the vineyard. He studies the microclimate and terroir of each of his parcels in order to determine the best locations for each grape variety. His production extends over 3 lines, which he has named "Classic Wines", "Epoka" and "Brutus". The wines are made from pure Malvasia, Pinot Gris, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and cuvées are also available. The heart of his production and his very special love is for the Rebula grape variety. This autochthonous variety, which only exists on the Italian side under the name Ribolla Gialla - after all, Brda is an extension of the Collio sub-region - is a long-established variety that was first mentioned under this name in the 12th century. However, it was probably already introduced by the Romans under the name "Evona". In the "Brutus" series, there is even an orange wine from Rebula for friends and lovers of this very special style of wine. Matjaz Certric has even dedicated a research project to this variety, as well as an annual master class. But he is also breaking boundaries, as he has also launched a project with Robert Primcic on the Italian side of the border with "Sinefinis". This collaboration has resulted in sparkling wines produced using the traditional bottle fermentation method. For the white "sparklers", the Rebula variety naturally plays an extraordinary role once again, while the rosé is made from Pinot Noir. The wines of the Ferdinand winery are now highly regarded by internationally renowned wine critics and wine journalists such as James Suckling, although they are not easy to find due to their small circulation.
