St. Martin's name day is celebrated in the country on 11 November as a traditional holiday which also signifies the end of farm labour for the year and the christening of new wine. The holiday, traditionally connected with the tasting of new wine, is observed mostly in wine-growing areas.
Dusan Brejc of the winemakers' trade association said that Slovenians enjoy their glass or two, consuming on average some 27 litres a year per inhabitant, not counting a considerable quantity of wine that is grown at home.
According to Brejc, this year's harvest will be some 30% lower, due to bad weather, while the quality of this year's wine will only be assessed after it matures.
Meanwhile, the region of Dolenjsko in the southeast eagerly awaits this year's yield of its typical light red wine named "Cvicek".
Janez Zivic, the head of the Krsko wine cellar, the biggest Cvicek producer in Slovenia, said that the amount of the wine, while retaining its quality, will be some 30% to 40% lower than last year.
In Slovenia, St. Martin is regarded as a charitable soldier who cut off his coat to give it to the poor and is as such also mainly depicted in the country's churches.
According to legend, St. Martin performed the same feat as Jesus Christ, namely changed water into wine, which made him the patron saint of the celebrations.
Another legend says that upon his election as bishop he tried to hid among geese, which however gave him away. Slovenians therefore "punish" the animals by serving them as a traditional meal on 11 November.
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