I was born into a winemaking estate – a place where life follows the rhythm of seasons and where stories quietly live in the soil. From the outside, it may seem like something full of tradition and excitement. And it really is… however as a young person, I was curious to experience more of the world beyond the well known hills.

Over the years, I travelled a lot, visited many countries, met different people, and experienced a wide range of cultures. Yet I was always returning home in between these journeys.

Through this, I began to notice differences in the way people live, gather, and celebrate. And gradually, I also began to see my own culture with new eyes – sometimes appreciating it more, sometimes realizing how easily certain things can be taken for granted when they are always close to you.

Along the way, I met my Polish lady Karolina who had spent many years living in Western Europe, sometimes missing the warmth and spontaneity associated with our shared slavic roots. Seeing Slovenian traditions through her eyes made me realise how something that feels completely ordinary at home can be fascinating and familiar at the same time to someone else. What resonated with her reminded me that these small Slovenian customs carry a beauty worth sharing beyond our own borders.

With time, I came to feel that through wine, and through the traditions around it, we as Slovenians, living at the crossroads of Europe, carry something truly meaningful. And this is something worth acknowledging and sharing.