The quality of wine this year will be one of the best so far, said the head of Slovenia's Wine Company Dusan Brejc, adding that while a lot depended on the weather and other natural factors, it was nevertheless the expertise of the winemakers which added the decisive touch to the wine and its style.

"If it were up to the winemakers, St. Martin's Day would be a national holiday," said Brejc, stressing the amount of work and care winemakers invested in production and promotion of their produce.

Vineyard owners and winemakers in Slovenia produce from 80 to 100 million litres of wine each year, with approximately 7% of the wine destined for export. This year's harvest is estimated to be around 110 million litres, said the Ministry of Agriculture.

The transformation of must into wine is traditionally celebrated on St. Martin's Day (11 November) although this year the wine harvest was very early due to warm weather and the wine fermentation has already been completed.

St. Martins originates in pre-Christian times, when it was celebrated as a thanksgiving festival. Slovenians celebrate it with a number of ethnological, sport and other events held across the country.

Traditional dishes include roasted duck or goose, chestnut stuffing, red cabbage and crackers in addition to a glass or two of new wine.

One of the biggest public celebrations of St. Martin's Day is traditionally held in Maribor. The event, which usually attracts thousands of people, is spiced up with tasting of new vintages and other agricultural produce from local tourist farms, music, and different cultural events.

Similar events will also take place in other wine growing regions of Slovenia, including Primorsko and Dolenjsko.