Although Steyer’s House of Gewurztraminer specializes in Gewurztraminer, the winery also makes excellent wine from other grapes. Their 30 hectare farm’s production is split between 10 hectares of flatlands in pumpkins -- that produce superb oil – and 20 in grape vines positioned astride the Radgona Kapela Hills.

Winemaker Danilo Steyer has been at the forefront of the modern wine movement that swept through the country fifteen to twenty years ago. Driving that was improved grape growing intent on making higher quality wines. Danilo explains a conscious shift toward ‘more vines per hectare and less grapes per vines to increase concentration and better balance. And sustainable cultivation was instituted to preserve natural balance in vineyards and better health of vines.’  

Steyer’s cellar was renovated five years ago with modern equipment (press, [stainless steel] tank cooling systems, filters, 1000+ acacia barrels, etc.) offering the opportunity ‘to produce good fresh, aromatic wines and also cask matured full bodied wines.’ The basic wines are tank matured and the reserve level ‘Mark’ wines are fermented spontaneously with native yeasts and matured in wood. An interesting aside, the wood for his large acacia barrels was sourced from his own vineyard. Not many wineries can make that claim.

Steyer’s vineyards and winery are located on the far northeast corner of Slovenia below where Austria’s Volkundland (volcano land) hill country pokes out into the flatlands of Pannonian Plains that stretch far off across Hungary.

Danilo explains his subregion’s climatic and terroir differences, ‘Our region is cooler compared to Brda and Vipava, a little bit cooler than Jeruzalem, Haloze and Krsko (perhaps), but warmer than Maribor and Svecina. His vines are planted on the Radgona Kapela Hills which are not as steep as Haloze or Jeruzalem or as high as Svecina. 

Located between Alpine influences coming from west and the Pannonian Plain’s continental weather from the east side, his region has the lowest amount of rain per year, but the temperatures are similar to other parts. An important influence is the Mura River which supplies key humidity via morning fog in Autumn.

The Steyer winery occupies Danilo Steyer’s grandfather’s old foundry, where he worked as a blacksmith a century ago. Many of the old tools are now on display alongside the large Acacia barrels. The Steyers support local artists and winery often hosts live music and other cultural events. As a result, the winery has managed to hang some interesting art on its walls over the years, creating an intriguing atmosphere to wander around while sampling some very good wine.

True to its name, Steyer treats Gewurztraminer to almost all winemaking styles possible: non-oaked, oaked, blended and natural-style with long skin contact are made alongside sweet, late harvested desert, dried grape and Ice Wine styles. Steyer don’t hesitate to spice up Traminer. 

View Steyer wine notes here