STEYER VINA
Štajerska, Slovenia
Steyer Vina’s roots begin with Danilo Steyer working alongside his father, Jožef, in the Austrian vineyards just north of their home in Slovenia. During the era of Yugoslav collectivization, independent wineries didn’t exist, but farmers were able to own vineyards, and while Jožef invested his earnings in vineyards, Danilo caught the winemaking bug.
Going on to study enology at the Faculty of Biotechnology in Ljubljana, he met fellow student and viticulturist Magda, who would later become his wife, and together they worked to convert the family farm entirely to vineyards and a winery. And importantly, with the independence of Slovenia, they also decided to create their own brand.
The first bottles of Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay were bottled in 1992, and they began to sell their first “Steyer” wines in 1993. By 1995, the wines were drawing attention and accolades, with the first gold medal for Chardonnay at the international wine competition in Ljubljana, followed by a gold medal for the estate’s Gewürztraminer in 1998. Danilo and Magda continued to invest in new vineyards and improvements in the winery, establishing a reputation for consistent and exceptional quality white wines.
