Čolnik Vine

On 11 March 2005, the University City of Maribor presented the Municipality of Benedikt with a graft of the Old Vine – the world’s oldest noble grapevine (Vitis vinifera var. sativa), listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, which has been growing and bearing fruit for more than four hundred years on the Lent embankment of the Drava River in Maribor, as a symbol of friendship and harmony.

The Municipality of Benedikt planted the descendant of the Old Vine on 14 May 2005 at Sveti Trije Kralji in Slovenske gorice, in the immediate vicinity of the birthplace of Dominik Čolnik. On this occasion, the city vintner, Mag. Tone Zafošnik, presented the Municipality of Benedikt with the Charter of the Old Vine graft, the renowned wine bottled in an artistically designed bottle by Oskar Kogoj, as well as the Charter of Wine from the noble grapevine, more than 400 years old, that grows on Maribor’s Lent. The vine, known as Modra kavčina or Žametna črnina, is one of the oldest authentic Slovenian varieties.

The annual pruning and grape harvest of the Čolnik Vine are organized by the Municipality of Benedikt and the Benedikt Winegrowers’ Association, whose president also serves as the municipal vintner. The wine produced can be tasted at the Young Wine Tasting event, held every year on the first Sunday after St. Martin’s Day.

Written by Bina Šijanec