This year however a huge crowd gathered at the large hall of the Ljubljana Grand Hotel Union.

Trends quickly change, and if until recently sparkling wines and champagne were considered suitable only for special occasions, they are gaining popularity for other occasions as well, and are often served along top culinary delights.

"Comparison with last year's Salon? Huge (he signals a huge leap with his hand)," said Edvard Reya from the Reya Wine Cellar from Brda, while two tables away Stojan Ščurek was already opening a new bottle of his Brut Zero. The official opening time was until midnight, but the stock had been depleted more than an hour before closing time.

36 vintners introduced themselves at the well visited Salon, 28 of them from Slovenia, while the others came from France, Croatia, Italy and Spain. The visitors had the opportunity to taste 83 types of sparkling wines.

The organizer of the Salon Rado Stojanovič said that the idea for the event arose from his wish to break the taboo that sparkling wines were something to be drank only at celebrations. Stojanovič is convinced that sparkling wines should be enjoyed all the year round, and should accompany great food.

The introduction into the wine festival season 2015
Good sparkling wines are distinguished by their freshness, and they should include as little sugar as possible. For Stojanovič good sparkling wines should include »as little as possible of the stuff the person drinking it should think about«. In his opinion sparkling wines are invigorating, give a new zest to the person drinking it with their freshness and abundance of tastes; they should give the person the impression of floating among stars instead of among bubbles.

The Salon of Sparkling Wines opened the wine festival season of 2015 in Ljubljana. During the remaining part of the year a number of events dedicated to exquisite wines will be organized in our capital. "The magnum size season", as the organizers labelled it, will bring more than 20 wine and culinary events – two salons, monthly events in the Wine Library of the Grand Hotel Union, two Ljubljana Wine Roads, four City of Wine events, and as the icing on the cake two Magnum size season festivals.

K. S
Translated by G. K.