Wine Routes of Jeruzalem

Jeruzalem is a small village on a ridge of the Slovenske gorice hills in the north-east of Slovenia, in the Štajerska wine country, and the wine roads that run through and around it are some of the most scenic in the country. The setting is a landscape of rolling hills covered with rows of vines, with small white churches on the high points and farmhouses tucked among the slopes. On clear days the views reach across the plain towards the Pannonian lowlands and, in the opposite direction, to the Pohorje Mountains.

The name has a story attached. According to local legend, crusaders passing through the area in the Middle Ages were reminded of the Holy Land by the hills and the warm welcome, and the name Jeruzalem stuck. Whether or not that is exactly how it happened, the name is genuine and the villages around it have used it for centuries. The village church, the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, stands in the middle of the ridge and is a good landmark for a stop. It was rebuilt in the seventeenth century and is built in a Baroque style, and its position offers broad views over the vineyards.

Wine is the reason to come. The area is known mostly for white wines, and a few grape varieties are closely associated with it, among them Laški Rizling, Sauvignon and Šipon, the Slovenian name for the grape known elsewhere as Furmint. Many vineyards lie on steep south-facing slopes, which suit the ripening of white grapes and give the wines a fresh acidity. Family-run cellars along the route offer tastings, usually with a plate of local cold cuts, cheese and bread, and often simple lunches. Please book ahead for visits to smaller cellars and plan how you will travel afterwards, because the roads are narrow and the tastings are generous. Cycling the roads is a popular alternative, though the hills are steep.

Beyond wine, the Wine Routes of Jeruzalem link with the wider offer of Štajerska. Authentic Štajerska Cuisine, with pumpkin seed oil, home-cured meats and dumplings, matches the wines well, and nearby towns such as Ormož and Ptuj, home of the Kurentovanje carnival, make good additions. Boat trips on the Drava River are available in the region in season.

There are no gates or entry fees for travelling the roads themselves, and individual cellars set their own times. Visit in late summer or early autumn for the harvest, or in spring when the hills turn green, and allow at least half a day. It is one of Slovenia’s most rewarding short wine trips.