ABOUT THE WINE
Cellar of Batic wine farm, selection of local wine lables
THE LAST MILESTONE BEFORE THE HARVEST IS THE FEST DAY, VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (2 JULY). THE VINEYARDS MUST BE NEATLY ARRANGED AS IF THE GRAPES ARE READY TO ATTEND THE MASS OR SET OFF ON A PILGRAMIGE. THE PROVERB SAYS THAT IF IT RAINS ON THIS DAY THE GRAPES WILL NOT COME FROM THE PILGRIMAGE. THE VITICULTURISTS THEMSEVES SETT OFF, TO ASK MARY FOR MERCY. SOMEWHERE, THE GRAPES GO ON PILGRIMAGE ON ST. JACOB (25 JULY) AND COME BACK ON ST. BARTHOLOME (24 AUGUST). ELSWHERE THEY RETURN ON FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (8 SEPT.) ON ST. JACOB'S DAY, THE FARMERS SHOULD TIE UP THE YOUNG BRANCHES FOR THE LAST TIME AND THE GRASS IN THE VINEYARDS SHOULD BE CUT. ON THE DAY OF THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY (15 AUG.), THE TOPS OF THE VINES SHOULD BE CUT; AND IT IS FORBIDDEN TO ENTER THE VINEYARDS IN THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER (23 JULY TO 23 AUGUST). IN ORDER TO PREVENT ANY DAMAGE.
ST. LOVRENC (10 AUGUST) IS ANOTHER RELIGIUS PROPHET. ON THE DAY OF ASSUMPTION, OR ON THE DAY OF ST. BARTHOLOME, FARMERS PUT RATTLES IN THE VINYARDS, AND HOUSEWIVES LOCK UP THEIR HENS. BARTHOLOME IS PAINTED WITH A KNIFE IN HIS HAND NOT ONLY BECAUSE HE HAS SKINNED ACCORDING TO THE LEGEND BUT ALSO BECAUSE HE ANNOUNCES THE COMING HARVEST. GRAPE PICKING STARTS ON FEAST OF THE BIRTH OF MARY (8 SEPT.) IN PLACES WHERE THE WEATHER, THE CLIMATE, THE LOCATION AND THE VINE SORT ENABLE AN EARLY HARVEST; ELSEWHERE THE HARVEST STARTS AROUND THE FEAST DAY OF ST.MICHAEL (29 SEPT.) OR ST. THERESA (15 OCT.). ACCORDING TO A SAYING, ST. MICHAEL DRIVES SNAKES AWAY FROM THE GRAPES. ADULTS WOULD TELL THIS TALE TO SCARE CHILDREN AND KEEP THEM AWAY FROM THE VINYARDS IN THE TIME OF GRAPE RIPENING.
ABOUT "OSMICA" LOCAL FEASTS
On your visit to the area you will often come across the sign "Osmica", decorated with a branch of ivy and placed beside the road. This means that in the vicinity, a winegrower has opened his wine cellar to the public to sell his wine from the previous year. However, not only wine is offered at "osmica"; the woman of the house will be happy to delight you with delicious traditional dishes which are typical of the region. The right to hold an "osmica" is quite old and goes back to the time of the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne (1519 - 1555). In our area, it was introduced by the Decree of the Empress Maria Theresa (1717 - 1780), which allowed to the wine growers to sell their surplus wine from the previous year for eight days (eight in Slovene language means "osem"). Their wine cellars were signed with a branch of ivi. This is the reason why this custom is called "osmica" and why the branch of iviy is pinned on the entrance of the wine cellar.
MORE CONTENTS:
Branik Valley
web site
CONTACT: Tjasa Iris
+ 386 (0)5 305 79 09
Villa Flora BED & BREAKFAST
Branik
176, 5295 Branik, SLOVENIA
villaflora.si
