Brežanka is the historical name of a wine originating in the Breg area of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, made from a mixed vineyard comprising up to twenty varieties of white grapes, some even unknown: Malvasia Istriana, Vitovska and Glera, Friulano, Riesling, Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco, Ribolla, Klarnca, Pinela, Poljsakica. The skill of the historical winegrowers lay in being able to identify grape varieties that could ripen around the same time. Its origin is linked to the need to preserve at least part of the harvest in the event of bad weather, frost and disease.
Brežanka is a very intense and persistent wine, characterised by floral and fruity notes. The flavour is complex, with savoury sensations and a lingering spicy aftertaste.
The Breg and Muggia area comprises the central southern territory of the province of Trieste, extending from the edge of the Trieste Karst to the coastline. The area is characterised by a rocky substratum with the presence of marly-arenaceous soil (the so-called flysch), a yellow earth that differs significantly from that of the Karst. This type of terroir gives the wines decisive colours, complex olfactory perceptions, rich alcohol and long-lived products.
The current area of Breg corresponds to the ancient Mucho Valley, a region characterised by a thousand-year-old culture and centuries-old agricultural tradition. Since the past, viticulture in particular was the main economic activity in the region. Various documents attest to the presence of Brežanka from the 1700s, when it was traded in Styria and Carniola. Also dating from this period are the testimonies of two important Slovenian poets, Valentin Vodnik and France Prešeren, who were very fond of Berg wine, which they tasted both in Ljubljana and Vienna. Historical documents also confirm the sale of Brežanka in Viennese markets and at the Habsburg court. Today, there are a few people who have taken over the craft of their ancestors and have taken winemaking to new heights. Over the centuries, the Brežanka vineyards gradually disappeared. Today, on the Italian side of the area, only one producer remains, who a few years ago rescued and recovered the plants of a historic vineyard and restarted production. Few traces of this ancient tradition are also preserved in Slovenia, which is in danger of disappearing completely.
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