Experience

A Premier Producer of
Vipava Valley Wines

BIZJAK FAMILY VINEYARD

Our History of Farming and Winemaking

Generations of the Bizjak family have lovingly cared for the land, making wines of distinction, and placing their name on every treasured bottle. 

With an eye for tradition and an approach where nature is nurtured, the family carefully blend modern-day thinking, with their considerable knowledge, experience and a lot of honest hard work. 

Under the guidance of father, Tomaž, who learnt the art of winemaking from his grandfather Stefan, son Metod is now managing the vineyard.  Operating as organically as possible, their aim is to simply continue enjoying their work, refining the details and producing outstanding wine. 

‘Wine making is in our blood. Producing our wine is a labour of love, we devote every minute of our lives too. Our passion for it, the knowledge and skills, have been passed down through generations.’’

Tomaž Bizjak.

est. 1940

A Legacy in the Making

The Bizjak family has cultivated vines with dedication for generations, so each sip we take today can be traced back in time, through the family line. 

Before the second World War, wine was transported by oxen to Trieste, and later by train to Bohinj. After the war, cooperatives took over, but the true story began to shine after Slovenia’s independence in 1991, when the family started to bottle their own wines. 

Whilst various times brought either hardship or prosperity, in all the important ways the wine making traditions live on.

Before World War II the Bizjak farm sent their wine by oxen to Trieste. After the war, the cooperatives took over.

In the 60’s the wine business recovered, and Grandfather Štefan transported wine by train to Bohinjska Bistrica.

“Back then, we sold most of our 15,000 litres of blended white wine to a single inn, which then distributed it to neighbouring friends. Tomaž Bizjak.

A turning point came in the 1970s, when new legislation banned inns from serving wine from open containers.

“Our business quickly collapsed, so we started delivering grapes to the Vipava cooperative, which was on the rise “ Tomaž Bizjak.

In 1989 when professor and wine publicist Miran Vodopivec, long-time head enologist at Vinakras winery, organized a winemaking course.

“He opened our eyes and taught us how to approach winemaking. That course was crucial to the development of winemaking in our area.” Tomaž Bizjak.

The Bizjak story began to shine after Slovenia’s independence, when Bizjak bottled their first wines, starting in 1994.

In the beginning, they bottled Merlot and Sauvignon, and now also Zelen, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Rebula.

“The most rewarding part of what I do is being able to see the full growing season from pruning to bud break through harvest.”

Metod Bizjak

Winemaker with love to the land

our team

Meet Our Winemakers

Meet the people behind the stories.

Tomaž Bizjak
Winemaker
A true character, with deeply rooted expertise passed on from his father, Tomaž is a master wine maker with a love of the process and a feeling for it, born from tradition and an enquiring mind.
Ada Bizjak
Winemaker
An engaging force of nature, Ave grew up in her family vineyard and makes things at the vineyard tick, she also hosts wine tastings, bakes incredible bread and helps out in the vineyard.
Metod Bizjak
Winemaker
Like father like son, Tomaž’s right hand man Metod is increasingly taking over the key duties in the vineyard. Also respectful of tradition but with a thirst for trying new things and fine tuning the details, to keep the vineyard at the forefront of wine making.

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