Zelèn Wine Festival

At the castle of Vipavski Križ, enjoy Zelèn wine tastings, local cuisine, knightly games, and a guided tour through the alleys and squares of the medieval town, in the heart of the Vipava Valley.

Zelèn Wine Festival Indigenous wines in the idyllic town of Vipavski Križ

Among all the winegrowing districts of Slovenia, the Vipava Valley boasts the highest number of old local varieties, with the indigenous Zelèn enjoying unrivalled reputation as its very roots can be traced back to this territory. It makes for an extraordinary wine, full and rich in flavour and bouquet, with a characteristic and distinctive highly complex aroma. Several decades ago, the grape variety had all but vanished from the Vipava Valley, but Zelèn was saved by skilled and dedicated hands who restored it to its rightful place in the vineyard. Now, it shines there with remarkable success – likely greater than ever before. Major credit for the rebirth of Vipava Valley's own indigenous variety goes to the Zelèn Consortium, which unites the best producers of this unique wine.

The now traditional Zelèn Wine Festival was born in 2012 in Vipava, and has since 2016 been organized in the Vipavski Križ, a famous medieval town in the nest of the Valley. Gracing the festival with a kindly charm, the castle yard with its well-preserved walls plays setting to the happenings, which showcase all the most important Zelèn winemakers from across the Vipava Valley. The rich cultural and viticulture program is rounded out by an offer of local culinary specialties.

The Zelèn Wine Festival is organized by the Vipavski Križ Institute in cooperation with the Zelèn Consortium and the ROD Agency for Development, Ajdovščina.

Programme 2025

Zelèn Wine Festival, 13 and 14 June 2025, between 7 pm and 10 pm

Information: www.vipavskikriz.si, TIC Ajdovščina