📍 Lower Carniola

Dolenjska (Lower Carniola) is a wine zone in south-eastern Slovenia, east of Ljubljana, in the Krka valley. It is part of the Posavje region. The hills are covered with vineyards and small chapels, and villages have many small cellars.

The best-known wine of the zone is Cviček: a light, tart wine of pale red, almost pink colour, with low alcohol and a lively aroma. It is made from a blend of red and white grapes, mainly Žametovka, Modra Frankinja (Blaufränkisch) and others. Cviček is drunk young and chilled, and goes with appetisers, home-made sausages and cheese.

Besides Cviček, the zone makes white and red wines, including from Modra Frankinja. The climate is moderately continental, and soils are clay and limestone.

Dolenjska is a zone of family estates where winemaking is tied to village life, and the name Cviček is protected. Bela Krajina and Bizeljsko-Sremič, also part of Posavje, lie nearby. Cviček suits appetisers, home-made bread, sausages and cheese, and simple pork dishes. The road through Dolenjska passes many small chapels and vineyard cottages called “zidanice”, where hosts welcome guests and offer wine. It is one of the warmest-hearted corners of Slovenian winemaking.