The Matic Wines winery comes from the Štajerska white wine region in the extreme northeast of Slovenia (near the border with Austria and Hungary) and is run by Matija Žerjav, who is simply called Matic by his friends and family. Matic chooses to cultivate its 9 hectares of land exclusively with organic and biodynamic methods. He prefers these methods less because of the fashion of natural and organic viticulture, but rather because he firmly believes that wine should be made that way. He wants his children to be able to play in the vineyard and one day, should they choose, he would be happy if they followed in his footsteps and worked the same land, hills and valleys that he worked.

Matic is a young, motivated and thoughtful winemaker. He is part of a younger generation of winemakers who are not satisfied with the status quo. While he understands and respects history and the methods passed down by his grandfather, he is also not afraid to take risks and think outside the box.

Great natural wines

 “We only work with what nature gives us. So, no chemicals in our wines ”.

He opts for organic, sustainable methods and wild yeast aka. Spontaneous fermentation, not because of the natural label or the trend, but because he firmly and unconditionally believes that wine should be made this way.

Matic follows the principles of natural winemaking that are still the same as in his grandfather's time. His philosophy is that he can drink any wine he makes without fear of headaches or anything else.

All wines contain little sulfur, come from individual vineyards, are grown dry, harvested by hand and bottled by the winery. Matija Zerjav has a selection of crisp white wines for every day, but also impressive, more complex wines.

Freshness and minerality. Harmonious natural wines from the heart of Slovenia.

In a region known for its steel-fresh white wines, Matic thought of producing a single barrel of Chardonnay and Laški Rizling. His work paid off as the wines sold out very quickly. He experimented with wines that come into contact with the skin and with the aging of the wines in clay amphorae instead of the traditional steel or wood. Matic also makes some floral, yet crisp and hearty white wines. His grassy and tasty Sauvignon Blanc from the concrete egg “YA YEH” is on the other side of the spectrum than the intense citrus bombs from New Zealand. Thanks god :).

Matic also successfully plays with local, indigenous varieties: Kerner, Šipon (or Furmint) and Pinot Gris. His wines are harmonious, fresh, fruity and crisp in the mouth. The maceration takes place in stainless steel tanks, after which the wine remains on the fine sediment for a while. They store the wines in an old cellar dating back to 1852, completely underground so that a constant temperature of 50 ° F to 54 ° F can be maintained all year round.

Unique terroir

The wine-growing area in Štajerska is located in the so-called “mountain wine zone”, in which it can of course get very cold. The harsh winter is good for the vines because it disinfects the soil. The main factor is a sharp contrast between warm days and cool nights.

Matic explains that the more marl there is in the ground, the less water the vines have, which means that their roots dig deeper and deeper. There are many mineral aspects to these wines - steely and salty with great acidity. There are no irrigation systems or fertilizers, just vines that fight in the best possible way and survive in harmony with nature.