Haloze

Haloze is a belt of hills running east to west south of Ptuj along the Croatian border, and what distinguishes it is the steepness: the marl slopes are sharp enough that vines are worked by hand or with winches rather than tractors, and the region has long been among the poorer wine districts because of it. Roads run along the ridge tops with vineyards falling away on both sides and small wine cellars scattered among them. The eastern half has been wine country since Roman times and the western half is chiefly beech and pine forest; the whole belt, some forty kilometres long and about three hundred square kilometres, is home to around 21,000 people in seven municipalities.

Highlights

• The slope gradients - vineyards too steep for machinery, worked by hand and winch.
• The ridge roads - lanes along the tops with vines dropping away either side.
• The klopotec - wooden wind rattles set up in the vineyards to scare birds.
• The cellars - small family wine cellars along the ridges.

When to go

May to October; September and October are harvest and the klopotec rattles are up from July. Spring blossom is good. Winter roads on the ridges get icy and are steep.

Before you go

The ridge roads are narrow, steep and unsuitable for large vehicles. Facilities are thin and many cellars need arranging in advance. The area is poorer than the Slovenian wine regions to the north and less polished for visitors.

Nearby

Ptuj is north, and Ptujska Gora is northwest.

Key facts