The Sturm winery in Metlika in the interior of Slovenia is one of the country's flagships. With just 8 hectares of vineyards, the winery is also one of the few boutique wineries in the country. Metlika is located in an area of Slovenia where people are closely connected to wine and almost every family owns and cultivates at least a small plot of land. Oskar Sturm also started growing grapes and producing wine as a pure amateur in 1968. He showed great foresight when he began cultivating the Gelber Muskateller variety, which was not permitted at the time. However, after he won a gold medal in Lubljana in 1983 with a Gelber Muskateller, this variety was rescued from the shadows and is now one of the varieties recommended for cultivation in the vineyards around Bela Krajina. Today, the Sturm winery is a three-generation business, as the children and grandchildren work hand in hand in the winery. Otmar Jr. had a similar experience to his father, as he bought a plot of land where Traminer, which was banned at the time, was grown. Since 2006, however, it has been one of the expressly permitted grape varieties. In the meantime, the winery has been renovated and rebuilt to make it fit for the 21st century, while retaining the charm of a small family winery and the exclusivity of a boutique winery. The original brick-built cellar still houses the tasting room, where groups can also be welcomed by prior arrangement. Today, 2 wine lines are produced: the "White Collection" marks the entry level, the "Blue Collection" serves the upper segment, and the "Gold Collection" marks the premium line. The entry level range includes wines made from Sauvignon Blanc, as well as from the local white wine variety Kraljevina, but also from the rarely encountered variety Roter Muskateller, a mutation of the Gelber Muskateller, from which a rosé is produced here, as well as a Pinot Noir. In addition to the varietal wines already mentioned, the "Blue Collection" also includes wines from the Riesling and Chardonnay varieties, supplemented in the "Gold Collection" by Traminer and the Cuvée Accord. Two sparkling wines, produced using the traditional method of bottle fermentation, round out the portfolio. In the meantime, the winery has been awarded so many medals that it rightly occupies a top position among Slovenia's wineries.
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