In February this year, a new Wine Act was published. A significant change in the new Wine Act requires an organoleptic assessment of all wines produced in Slovenia, including wines without protected designation of origin (PDO) or protected geographical indication (PGI). It imposes a disproportionate burden on producers of natural wines, who previously had the option to forego the use of geographic terms if they did not want to submit their wine for an organoleptic assessment.
There is no such restriction anywhere else in Europe. If the new law is not changed, it will bring an end to one of Slovenia's most internationally recognised export sectors and will lead to the collapse of farms whose primary activity is the production and marketing of natural wines.
The aim of this initiative is to gather as many supporters as possible, to put pressure on the government to amend this part of the law. The initiative is supported by the organisations Bon Vino and Natura Vino (in the making).