01 We persist
FAMILY
The Kobal family planted their first vines above the village od Dolanci as early as 1880. An especially important figure was our “pranono”, which is the designation people of Primorska use for their great-grandfathers. He produced 30,000 litres of Vipavec which was primarily exported to Trieste and Ljubljana. Most of the vines planted back then were of the Rebula, Malvasia, Riesling Italico, Zelen, Pinella, Dišečka, Volovnik, Glera and Pikolit varieties. Cultivation of the vineyards was done with the aid of horses, which were kept on our farm until 1983. Up until World War II, the farm also doubled as osmica, which is a kind of tavern that is only open during the harvesting season and sells locally produced wine.
After World War II, the process of nationalisation meant that private sales were no longer allowed; instead, we had to sell the grapes to a cooperative winery. Since 1975 the farm was maintained by the father, Kazimir, who preserved some of the best plots of land and kept expanding on them, while making his name as a respected member of the cooperative winery. In 2014 me and my wife Mojca made a decision to move to the farm and become full-time winegrowers. We withdrew from the cooperative winery and embarked on the journey towards independent winegrowing. Thus the Fedora winery was born, and the very first year we produced, Pinella 2016, received an international prize. At this time, we have 30,000 vines. Some are fully matured while others are still young and will produce their first grapes in the following years.
02 We preserve
A CENTURY OF OLD LOCATIONS
We devote a lot of time and energy to the preservation and restoration of old vineyard locations which during the last 50 years have been left neglected in favour of cheaper and less work-intensive ones. We believe that to produce exceptional wine, exceptional effort is required. There are no shortcuts in winemaking.
INDIGENOUS AND OLD VARIETIES
Pinella, Zelen, Vitovska Grganja, Ošip, Čedajc, Pokalca, Ribolla, Refosco, Picolit. We are dedicated to the preservation of the old Primorska varieties which have been growing on our soil for centuries. We grow scions and plant them on suitable locations. Zelen, Pinella, and Refosco are already bottled, the rest are coming soon.
A MILLENIUM OF HISTORY
We devote a lot of time and energy to the preservation and restoration of old vineyard locations which during the last 50 years have been left neglected in favour of cheaper and less work-intensive ones. We believe that to produce exceptional wine, exceptional effort is required. There are no shortcuts in winemaking.
THE TERRACES
The ideal conditions for uncompromising wines are guaranteed by more than one hundred southerly and south-easterly terraces with altitudes between 200 and 350 metres, constant winds, and an exceptional combination of marl, clay and limestone.
NATURA 2000
Our wine-growing region is protected under the EU programme Natura 2000. This might be seen by some as an obstacle – however in our eyes, it is a comparative advantage. The programme defines nature-friendly farming practices and ensures that the environment will be preserved in sustainable development.
03 We believe
PHILOSOPHY
We strive to use as little intervention as possible in bottling the life fluids of the vines and its grapes. Our wines encapsulate the qualities of the earth and the venerable traditions of Vipavska dolina. Our principal guide is that less is more.
TERROIR
Fedora wines reflect our unique microenvironment and embody fruitiness as well as mineral qualities. Average temperatures are slightly lower than in Vipavska dolina. The vines are grown on southerly and easterly slopes, receiving plenty of sun and constant vortices of opposing bora from Karst and Vipava. Large differences between day and night temperatures result in fruity wines, while the marlstone rich soil gives them distinct mineral notes.
BIODYNAMICS
We apply the principles of biodynamics to everything we do in our vineyards. We consider moon phases and their influence on life energy. We fertilise with compost and microorganisms that enrich the soil and bring balance to the environment.
ECOLOGICAL FARMING
We are proponents of farming that does not interfere with nature and are in the process of getting an ecological certificate. We enrich the soil with microorganisms in accordance to the principles of biodynamics. We achieve pest control by using lures instead of pesticides. We remove weeds simply by hands and tools. Our vineyards have been passed to us by our ancestors and we intend to keep them healthy for our offspring.
04 We feel
VIPAVSKA BRDA – THE CROSSROADS OF KARST AND VIPAVSKA DOLINA
Our vineyards lie above the village of Dolanci in Braniška dolina, right at the point where Karst meets Vipavska dolina. This area is called Vipavska brda, however our wine-growing region is still Vipavska dolina. Before World War II, our farm was administratively a part of Vipava and Ajdovščina, but since 1956, we were officially recognized as part of Karst. The beautiful surrounding landscape comprises the mountains of Nanos and Čaven and the village of Štanjel, numerous footpaths and bicycle routes. Twenty kilometres from Trieste, our vineyards are situated on the easternmost hills between Friulian Plains and Nanos.
VIPAVSKA BRDA – THE CROSSROADS OF KARST AND VIPAVSKA DOLINA
Our vineyards lie above the village of Dolanci in Braniška dolina, right at the point where Karst meets Vipavska dolina. This area is called Vipavska brda, however our wine-growing region is still Vipavska dolina. Before World War II, our farm was administratively a part of Vipava and Ajdovščina, but since 1956, we were officially recognized as part of Karst. The beautiful surrounding landscape comprises the mountains of Nanos and Čaven and the village of Štanjel, numerous footpaths and bicycle routes. Twenty kilometres from Trieste, our vineyards are situated on the easternmost hills between Friulian Plains and Nanos.
WORK IN THE VINEYARD
We log more than 5,300 working hours per year in our vineyards. A large majority of tasks is done by hand; machines are only used when strictly necessary. However, everything related to canopy management (pruning, trimming, topping, as well as collecting grapes) is done purely by hand. We also leave the grass to grow in the vine growing season. We dug out small ponds that act as water reservoirs and support the abundance of life in our vineyards.
COLLABORATION WITH ARTISTS
We let various artists co-create our visual image. Painter Tina Dobrajc produced a series of paintings named Red Hat that encapsulate the spirit of Fedora. Most of our bottle labels are done by illustrator Hana Stupica, except for the unique sparkling wine Pet-Nat, which was produced by Matija Kocbek.
ART ITSELF
We breath art. It nourishes us and helps us live. Prior to joining Fedora, Mojca studied comparative literature and worked in publishing, while lately, her love for wine has expressed through the art of a somellier. She is level 2 sommelier and intends to further her education. On the other hand, Valter, who is a costume designer, keeps being involved in the world of film, music, fashion and theatre.
05 We rejoice
FRIENDS
Fedora wines are meant for enjoyment – whether together with family, friends, at meals, or simply alone. Read a good book and listen to your favourite music. Or, you can check our selection of music that we consider as ideal accompaniment for our wines
WINE CLUB
Lovers of our wines are invited to join our wine club Fedora. Members receive notifications of events, degustations, dinners, special bottling occasions, harvests, and more. For more information visit the Rules of Fedora Wine Club section of the website.
DEGUSTATION
Currently wine degustation is possible in our wine cellar in Dolanci with prior announcement. We are setting up dedicated degustation facilities both in Dolanci and in Ljubljana and we will let you know as soon as they open.
