Over the past 2,000 years, since they were first planted and tended by Celtic and Illyrian tribes, Slovenian vineyards have served as a backdrop for some of the most monumental moments in world history. Today, those vineyards have piqued the attention of sommeliers, critics, and wine lovers around the globe. Perhaps no producer represents the region’s promise more than Movia, established in the country’s western coastal appellation in 1820 by the Kristančič family.
With the release of its 2022 Movia Pét-Nat, the winery initiates a changing of the guard that draws on its remarkable multigenerational legacy. As the brainchild of up-and-coming winemaker Lan Kristančič, son of the “wine genius of Slovenia,” Aleš Kristančič, Movia Pét-Nat showcases organic, estate-grown fruit and brilliantly expresses the potential of this unsung wine region.
Behind the bottle lies a story that reads like something out of a gripping historical novel: Family forebear Anton Kristančič was a commandant in the fight against fascism during World War II. As it’s told, he convinced Yugoslavian dictator Josip Broz Tito — who had a particular fondness for Kristančič wines — to let the family winery continue operating, even as neighboring vineyards were being seized. In this way, Anton safeguarded more than a century of family viticultural wisdom. Today, that expertise shines in every drop of Movia wine, and in the eyes of the next generation.
Aleš Kristančič (Anton’s grandson) has led Movia for the past couple of decades, showing an unflagging respect for the land that’s helped breathe new
