MAROF winery, a vine story of Moravske Toplice

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MAROF winery is a modern Slovenian wine estate located on the first hills of the Goričko region of Prekmurje, in northeastern Slovenia.

This award-winning winery leaves you breathless. Imagine an ultra-modern cellar made of glass and concrete that seems to sail through waves of the vineyard, connected to the historic manor house dating back to 1905.

It looks like a real wine fairy tale, accompanied by a glass of premium wine and authentic regional flavours.

Modern building with a cellar at Vinska klet Marof

History of Marof winery

It was a beautiful, sunny day with white clouds in the blue sky when we came to the winery in the quiet village of Mačkovci.

Dejan Lutar led us into the story of Vinska klet MAROF. The estate sits on a historic 120-year-old agricultural site, originally established in 1905 by the Hungarian counts Szapáry.

For centuries, people have grown grapes on these rich volcanic hills. But due to historical circumstances and its remoteness, it remained an intact territory for vine-growing and ecological winemaking.

Dejan Lutar, Vinska klet Marof

In the 1980s, wine production in Slovenia had a major boom, but only small quantities of wine were produced in the area of Goričko. Then, the entrepreneur Stane Polanič established the MAROF wine cellar in 2007.

The first two vintages were made in the old plants. In 2009, production was moved to the current cellar. Also, Uroš Valcl, main partner and renowned winemaker, joined the team, making the Marof wines known around the world.

“Wine is something very lively. It captivates and does not let go”
Stanko Polanič

Vinska klet Marof, foto Nikola Zoko (21)

Marof SP wine, photo Nikola Zoko

🍇Wine production

Today, the estate spans about 22 hectares of vineyards, and it includes three single-vineyard sites: Mačkovci, Bodonci, and Kramarovci. The winery bottles approximately 70,000 litres annually.

Although these vineyards are only 10 km away from each other, they have unique micro-locations with different soil composition. Mačkovci and Bodonci have quartz gravel and sandy clay, while Kramarovci has volcanic basalt, gravel and clay. This gives the wines incredible minerality and complexity.

Marof vineyard, Mačkovci

Vinska klet Marof is dedicated to the production of high-quality wine.
The goal is about one kilogram of grapes per vine.

The vineyards are monitored throughout the year, and excess is removed, so that the vine can focus its energy on what remains. In other words, here you don’t wait for the harvest to decide what kind of wine it will be. Only as many grapes are left on the vine as it can produce in good quality, and this is a reason why yields are low. Quality matters more than quantity.

Marof vineyard in Mačkovci village

Although MAROF is a newly built winery, it is connected to nature and traditional methods.
They firmly believe that “great wines are a product of culture, not science”.

♦ The grapes are picked and selected exclusively by hand, in small crates. Only perfectly healthy and ripe fruit reaches the cellar.
◊ The wine ferments naturally, without selected yeasts.
♦ Marof wines are aged; some of them are in tanks for seven months, and others go into barrels. White wines are aged for 20 to 24 months, in barrels that previously contained red wine aged 3–4 years. Powerful red wines spend up to 48 months in oak barrels from Austria and France before they even go into bottles.

Barrels in the MAROF cellar

🍷Best MAROF wines

Modra Frankovka (Blaufränkisch) is an autochthonous variety in Slovenia. It has a long tradition in the Goričko and Prekmurje regions, as well as at the MAROF winery.

Among the black varieties, there are also Zweigelt and Merlot. The most popular white varieties are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Rhine Riesling, Pinot Gris, Laški Riesling, and Zelen.

Best wines of Marof winery

Newer plantations of Modra Frankovka, Zweigelt and Merlot were planted after the establishment of the winery, while part of the white varieties come from older plantations. Some vines are between 30 and 40 years old, and some reach 45 years.

Marof wines

Marof wine has won many awards, such as at Decanter World Wine Awards, Robert Parker, International Wine Challenge and more. Also, in 2018, the German magazine Der Feinschmecker placed the MAROF wine cellar among the six most prestigious wineries in Slovenia.

Wines are sold to various European and world markets, from the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Italy to Japan, South Korea and other markets.

“The category of quality or top wine may be important within a particular national system, but in large world markets what is in the glass is decisive”, explained Lutar, adding that the wine must pass the test of experts, sommeliers, restaurants and customers.

Architectural wonder of Marof Winery

By the way, the name Marof is derived from the German word Meierhof, which means an estate, or agricultural manor.

The name dates back to around 1905, when the Hungarian noble Szápáry family built a country hunting lodge, a wine cellar, and surrounding agricultural buildings. Over time, the locals shortened and adapted Meierhof into Marof.

And definitely, the Marof estate will leave you speechless. The main winery building is an architectural masterpiece designed by architect Andrej Kalamar from Studio Kalamar. It is in perfect harmony with nature, made to “float” into it. The long, horizontal line of the building follows the slope and topography of the terrain.

Degustation hall of the Vinska klet Marof, photo Nikola Zoko

Degustation hall, photo: Nikola Zoko

From the degustation hall, there is an amazing view of the green valley and surrounding vineyard.

MAROF Winery, white wine Beli Križ

But the most important part of the winery is hidden from the public. The entire production plant and wine cellar are buried deep underground, resembling the hull of a ship. It allows the natural gravitational movement of the wine (without aggressive pumps) and a constant, ideal temperature throughout the year, which is crucial for producing great wines.

MAROF underground cellar, photo: Nikola Zoko, Natania Travel

And in front of the building, you can see fish sculptures, the work of local artist Robert Jurak. This unusual detail gives the whole story an almost cinematic scenography: vineyards on the green hills, a winery that resembles a ship, and fish from the Pannonian Sea, the symbol of the past.

Fish sculptures at the Vinska klet Marof, photo Nikola Zoko

The original manor house was also included as part of the modernisation of the winery area, designed by Studio Kalamar. It was restored to its historic appearance under the supervision of the Slovenian Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.

The house looks unreal on the small hill, surrounded by the vineyards…

Vinska klet Marof and noble building

Practical information for visitors

Vinska klet MAROF is located in the village of Mačkovci, approximately a 20-minute drive from Moravske Toplice.

Winery opening time: for guided tastings and wine purchases, the cellar is open from Thursday to Saturday.
It is highly recommended to book a visit in advance via their official website or email.

A visit to Marof Winery reminds us that the best journeys are the ones where we slow down and consciously enjoy every sip.

So, pack your bags.
The wine paradise, beautiful nature and relaxing in the thermal waters in Terme 3000 of Prekmurje await you 🍷💦