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Portorož – Malvasia Festival
March 9 @ 15:00 - March 10 @ 19:00
Portorož will host the 27th Malvasia Festival,
an event dedicated to Mediterranean wine excellence
Malvasia Festival, refined taste of the Mediterranean
The pearl of the Slovenian Riviera Portorož will host the 27th edition of the Malvasia Festival, Refined Taste of the Mediterranean, a must-attend event for lovers of Mediterranean wine and gastronomy. Organized by the Association of Winegrowers of Slovenian Istria, the festival will be held on March 9 and 10, 2025 at the 5-star Hotel Slovenija, offering visitors a food and wine experience of the highest level.
Dedicating a festival to Malvasia means enhancing a grape variety that has spanned centuries of history and different regions of the Mediterranean, maintaining an extraordinary versatility and a strong territorial identity. Malvasia is distinguished by its wide range of expressions, ranging from fresh and aromatic wines to structured and complex ones, including fascinating macerated versions. This festival is therefore a unique opportunity to discover and appreciate the richness of this grape variety and the work of the producers who guard its value.
The pearl of the Slovenian Riviera Portorož
The event is also an excellent opportunity to enjoy a weekend by the Adriatic Sea, combining oenology and wellness, thanks to the wellness offer that makes the Slovenian resort an international reference point and that just this year celebrates an important anniversary: 140 years of tourism. In fact, the official beginning of tourism in Portorož dates back to 1885, when, on the initiative of doctor Giovanni Lugniani, a native of nearby Piran, another jewel with an important legacy linked to the Serenissima and the Habsburg empire, he gave birth to the first spa facility.
An international gathering of producers and enthusiasts
The festival will feature 60 producers from different Slovenian regions, including Slovenian Istria, Karst, and the Vipava Valley. And to celebrate the deep Mediterranean identity of this fascinating grape variety and its terroir, which goes beyond the borders of a single nation, wineries from Croatian Istria and Friuli-Venezia Giulia will also be present. The wide selection for tastings will be a feast within a feast, with more than 150 samples of Malvasia allowing visitors to explore the richness and diversity of interpretations of this berry. Another valuable aspect of the initiative is also its bringing to life a networking platform for producers, sommeliers and industry enthusiasts.
A food and wine and cultural experience between taste, historical legacy and perspectives on the future
In addition to guided tastings, the Malvasia 2025 Festival will offer a true sensory journey through the aromas and flavor nuances of this grape variety, thanks to masterclasses and thematic meetings, during which industry experts will share the history and characteristics of Malvasia. The event will also offer the chance to discover unique food and wine pairings, thanks to show cooking and guided tastings in collaboration with local chefs. In addition, the festival will be enriched by cultural experiences, musical performances and insights into the winemaking history of Slovenian Istria.
Detailed schedule of the event
Sunday, March 9, 2025
- 15:00 – Official opening with cultural program
- 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. – Malvasia Tasting
- 17:00-20:00 – Specialized workshops with wine experts
Monday, March 10, 2025
- 12:30 – Welcome to Malvasia
- 13:00 – Symposium “Opportunities and challenges for winemakers in creating a wine tourism destination”
- 15:00-19:00 – Malvasia Tasting
- 16:00-19:00 – Specialized workshops with a focus on emerging markets
Tickets and practical information
Tickets can be purchased directly at the event venue, Hotel Slovenija, Portorož, Slovenia
Phone: +386 41 642 851
Email: festival.malvazija@gmail.com
Official Website: https://www.festivalmalvazija.si/it/