Glassware

A glass determines how much of the aroma of these wines actually reaches the nose, and for Sauvignon from Štajerska Slovenija, that's no small matter. Its delicate elderflower note dissipates in too wide a bowl before it ever reaches the rim. A slender glass with a gently tapered bowl and a narrowing opening works best, similar to the classic white wine glass, just with a bit more belly. Here, shape beats fashion.

Temperature is where most mistakes happen. Nine to eleven degrees Celsius suits a dry Sauvignon or Šipon. That's cool enough for the acidity to carry, yet warm enough that elderflower and bell pepper don't vanish behind pure chill. Warmer than twelve degrees, the aroma quickly tips toward overripe melon, and nobody wants that here.

A sweet Šipon, a Jagodni izbor, or even a Ledeno vino calls for a smaller glass. A touch more warmth suits it too, around ten to twelve degrees. The concentrated sweetness needs less surface area to evaporate from, or the wine can suddenly feel sticky in the mouth instead of layered.

For Zlata radgonska penina from Gornja Radgona, a different rule applies. Bubbles need their calm. It's best served in a slender flute, chilled to six to eight degrees. That way the fine perlage, the bubbles matured long on the lees, doesn't escape the glass too quickly.

Filling to the brim is always too much. The rule for pour size stays the same everywhere: up to the widest point of the glass, never higher. Above that line is the space where elderflower, stone fruit, or the fine yeasty notes of the Penina first gather into a whole before the nose dives in.