Alpe-Adria Wine Festival & Clubbing comes to life – a story of success, networking, and exceptional wines
Taggenbrunn, Austria, 20. 10. 2025
The premiere edition of Alpe-Adria Wine Festival & Clubbing exceeded
all expectations and set new standards for wine events in the region in its
very first year. In the idyllic setting of Taggenbrunn Castle, more than 600 visitors gathered – including numerous restaurateurs, winemakers,
sommeliers, business partners, and wine lovers, who together created a unique
experience full of flavours, inspiration, and new connections.
Business and wine
An exclusive business event was held concurrently with the
festival, intended for members of prestigious economic organizations from
Slovenia and Austria.
The gathering began with a presentation of the Taggenbrunn estate, where Jezeršek Catering has been successfully providing catering services
since May 2024, and stories about the fruitful cooperation with the estate's
owners, the Riedl family. Thanks to the latter, Taggenbrunn has become
an important venue for culinary, cultural, and business networking in the
Alps-Adriatic region in recent years. The conversation focused in particular on
the path taken by the Slovenian company Jezeršek Catering to successfully
establish its vision on the Austrian market and on the future of cross-border
cooperation.
The importance of this type of cooperation was also highlighted by Vesna
Nikolić Hodnik from the Carinthian Chamber of Commerce (WKK), who
presented the special features of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ),
the NAAN – New Alpe Adria Network project, and the AREASÜD economic area, which will be marked by the new Koralm railway
connection, scheduled to open on December 14, 2025.
At the end
of the business part of the event, the speakers emphasized that cooperation
between Carinthia and Slovenia offers exceptional opportunities
for both sides – we just need to connect and get to know each other better.
The event continued in a relaxed festival atmosphere, where participants
mingled over a glass of wine and exchanged ideas about future opportunities in
the Alpe-Adria region.
32 selected winemakers and nearly 100 wine samples
This day was all about wine. The Alpe-Adria Wine Festival & Clubbing
featured 32 top winemakers from Carinthia, other Austrian regions, Slovenia,
and Italy, who together offered nearly 100 different wine samples—from fresh
whites and elegant reds to sparkling specialties.
In
addition to the winemakers, visitors were also treated to delicacies from
selected
providers, including
Kärntnermilch with a sumptuous cheese platter,
Fondaand
Piranske soline, who presented a sophisticated combination of sea
bass and salt blossoms,
Steakbauer and
Blatnik with their superb
steak tartare, and
OsterRob, who impressed with a display of top-quality
Japanese knives. A true culinary performance was provided by
sushi master
Ernest Barać, who performed an attractive
Tuna Ritual in front of
visitors – he cut up a 20-kilogram tuna and served its finest parts in
carefully selected combinations of flavors, emphasized by the freshness and
texture of the seafood ingredients.
An exciting accompanying wine program
The festival featured numerous events that offered visitors an insight
into the richness of the Alpe-Adria wine-growing region. These included
a Masterclass led by sommelier Ingrid Bachler, where participants
tasted selected wines from Carinthia, Slovenia, and Friuli, revealing
the diversity and character of the regions. The Taggenbrunn Wine Experiencealso attracted particular attention – a sensory experience in which visitors
compared Taggenbrunn wines, trusted their senses and intuition, and enjoyed a
complete 360-degree experience with the Wine 360° art installation.
The magical beat of music among the vineyards
Emely Myles & Band provided
the magical musical beat of the afternoon on the castle terrace – one of the
most beautiful in the region. With her energetic performance and charisma, the
finalist of The Voice of Germany created an atmosphere that thrilled all
generations of visitors with a mix of soul, pop, and jazz. The evening
continued with clubbing in the beautiful castle concert hall, where DJ
Rinabro created a real club atmosphere with contemporary rhythms.
The
wine and culinary day ended with energy, smiles, and dancing—in the spirit of
friendship, cooperation, and new acquaintances.
Success that heralds tradition
The festival is backed by the successful Slovenian catering company
Jezeršek gostinstvo, which has recently been gaining ground in the
international arena, in cooperation with exclusive media partner Kleine
Zeitung and partners Transgourmet, Koželj Wines, Jacques Lemans, Antenne
Kärnten, and Kärnten Card.
The exceptional response from visitors, partners, winemakers, and
exhibitors confirms that the festival has struck the right balance between business
networking, wine culture, and a contemporary social experience. That is why
we can already say with certainty that the Alpe-Adria Wine Festival &
Clubbing will return next year!
You can see snapshots of this unforgettable event in the photo gallery.