Meranovo

“God protect this divine land, I thought; the peace and happiness of this gentle region lie in your hands. You have marked it with beauty and settled good people in it.” (Archduke Janez)

Meranovo – the cradle of modern Styrian viticulture

On these renowned slopes, as early as 1822, Archduke Janez, the grandson of Empress Marija Tereza planted noble grape varieties. Today, the tradition on the rolling foothills of Pohorje at “Prince’s Hill” is continued by the University of Maribor’s Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences. At the Meranovo Center for Research in Viticulture and Enology, they produce, mature, and market quality and premium wines and maintain a gene bank with 400 different grape varieties. In addition to wines, juices, and spirits, visitors can also be served homemade fare and hearty one-pot dishes. Alongside wine tastings, guests are guided around the estate, which also hosts a hybrid exhibition, Archduke Janez, Father of Meranovo. At Meranovo you can view a memorial room and a statue of Archduke John with a panorama of Maribor, a descendant of the Old Vine, an old wine press, and collections of historical tools and implements for viticulture and winemaking.

Getting to Meranovo

A hiking trail to Meranovo starts in Limbuš. It is 3.7 km long and takes about 1 hour. We begin our walk in Limbuš at the intersection of Ob Blažovnici Street and Pod gričem Street. At the start there are many signposts and boards; follow the yellow-and-white waymarks that indicate the themed trails. From here we head over the hill where Lembach Castle once stood, then continue along the Vrhov Dol ridge to Meranovo.