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Goriška Brda through time
Due to exceptionally advantageous geo-pedological and climatic conditions, wine-growing in our region originated in pre-Roman times, when the area was inhabited by Venets. During Roman times, Brda was part of the tenth region, named “ Venetia et Histria,” and called Colles or, In Collibus. Since 181 B.C., the region was influenced by nearby Aquileia . Numerous amphora found in this area testify to the importance of the town and its surroundings as a centre of viticulture. The Brda region was part of the patriarchate of Aquileia . Archaeological finds of so-called “villae rusticae” (farming estates) prove that Brda was a settled, wine- growing area at that time. Christianity spread through this territory from Aquileia as early as the 6th century with the first church presumably built in Medana in 630.
The sparsely populated Brda region was subjected in the 8th century to immigration by Slavs, who also engaged in viticulture and wine production. Local varieties were Pika, Glera, Tržarka, Muškat, Pikulit, the grapes of St. Ana, and Rebula.
The border between the Venetian Republic and Austria cut across Brda wine-growing district until the 19th century when, after the unification of Italy and the establishment of the Austro-Hungarian empire, it became the border between these new states. The fine quality of wines from Brda was known and appreciated also at the Vienna court, and Austro-Hungary became an important market for Brda. French grape varieties were introduced to the region during the second half of the 19th century; they were Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.
Medana
Brda cooking deserves special attention. A vivid imagination and local traditions helped create a vast array of special Brda dishes; accompanied by selected wines, they are being offered today by holiday farms and restaurants. Wine and food are inseparably connected in Brda.
Wine was also a source of artistic inspiration in Brda. Poets like Alojz Gradnik and Ludvik Zorzut sang their praise of the beauty of Brda, its changing seasons, and its particular way of life; they could not let “vine” or “wine” go unmentioned in their poems.
In the 1990s, superior wines from the Brda region with their distinct character, made of hand-harvested grapes produced on low fertility vines regained recognition and praise. Their maturation occurs under optimal conditions and with the time necessary for bringing forth all natural characteristics: fruitiness, fragrance, and elegance. Today, successful labels of Brda's wine cellars are also present in markets outside of Europe .
Visitors are warmly welcome in Brda, where lovers of good wine and wine professionals are invited to taste our superb products.
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