1424) Wine Cellars and Stores, Slovenia: A set of five Stamps depicting Wine Cellars & Stores in Rural Slovenia issued by Posta Slovenije (Slovenian Post), which have retained their old-fashioned traditions and are not affected by modern urbanisation: Date of Stamp set issue: 13.07.2020:

1424) Wine Cellars and Stores, Slovenia: A set of five Stamps depicting Wine Cellars & Stores in Rural Slovenia issued by Posta Slovenije (Slovenian Post), which have retained their old-fashioned traditions and are not affected by modern urbanisation: Date of Stamp set issue: 13.07.2020:

A poem for all wine connoisseurs and enthusiasts -

I built myself a wine store, 

By my vineyard on the hill,

If any friend should have the time,

Let him come and drink his fill !!

About Wine Cellars and Stores:

I was very pleased to come across this unusual Stamp issue from Slovenia. As I am a wine connoisseur/enthusiast, having studied the wines of Maharashtra and Indian & International wines and have quite a few good ones from India, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and USA etc. in my personal collection, I could not resist writing about these stamps. 

Wine Cellars or Wine Stores are either structures in their own right or separate premises within residential or farm buildings that are also used for other economic activities.

Wine Cellars are primarily intended for storing wine but also serve as storerooms for the tools and equipment needed by the winegrower and winemaker, or even as temporary accommodation.

Wine Cellars as premises within residential buildings or farmhouses are characteristic of the Primorska Wine Region of SW Slovenia.

In the Posavje and Podravje Wine Regions (located, respectively, within the basins of the Sava and the Drava Rivers), various types of wine cellars and wine stores have developed over time which can be distant from the house or farmhouse and stand directly next to or even in the vineyards.

They differ in terms of size, construction method and also name. Alongside the most widespread expression klet, there is also zidan(i)ca, his, klecaja or klucaja, gorca (which can refer either to the cellar or to the entire vineyard), keuder, pivnica, repnica, kelder, and so on..

In the Posavje and Podravje Wine Districts, the former wine cellars and wine stores gave wine growing areas a distinct and recognisable identity. Relatively few examples of these have survived, because the development of viticulture and wine-making since the end of the Second World War has frequently seen unsuitable construction taking place in wine-growing  areas. 

Many cellars and stores began to be enlarged and modern buildings were added to serve as permanent homes, improvised restaurants or holiday homes.

The Postage Stamps:

 For the above reasons, this issue of five postage stamps with designs showing smaller rural wine cellars and wine stores draws one's attention to a remarkable part of Slovenia's cultural heritage that are "relics" of the past, as many wine-growing areas are now  badly degraded, because of the modern commercial structures.

The Primorska Wine Region is represented by the hram (or cellar) "Pavliceva Klet" below Cejkotova domacija, (a house in the village Goce), above the Vipava Valley (the house is named after a local eccentric known as Cejko - meaning "Billy goat" by virtue of his goatee beard).There  are around 60 wine cellars in this village.

The Posavje Wine Region is represented by three types of wine cellar or stores - "Zaplatar's Zidanca" in Debenec near Mirna, "Pekolj's Hram" in picturesque Lisec, a wine growing area above the valley of the Krka and,

 "Anka's His in Tanca Gora in the Bela Krajina Region, which is made entirely of wood and dates from the second half of the Eighteenth Century.

The Podravje Wine Region is represented by "Ceh's klucaja" in Slovak, one of the few wine stores still boasting of a characteristic double door, where the outer door is slatted to allow ventilation of the wine store, while the must is fermenting, at the same time, protecting the contents of the cellar from potential wine thieves.

The First Day Cover (FDC) includes the five stamps issued in the set affixed at top right. At left bottom is an image of grape vines on trellises growing in a village field/winery.

The special Cancellation Handstamp/Postmark shows a bunch of grapes in the centre and is dated "13.07.2020".

The Technical Details:

Stamp set issue date: 13.07.2020

Designer: Peter Roic

Printer: Agencija za komercijalnu djelatnost d.o.o Zagreb, Croatia

Process & Layout: Offset on sheetlets of 10 stamps each

Stamp Sizes: 48.28 mm x 25.56 mm

Perforation: Comb 14:14

Colours: 4 Colours

Links:

1) Did You Know Series (51) Spatlese Wines (Late Harvest Reisling/Chenin Blanc Wines): The Story of the "Spatlese Reiter" ("Late Harvest Horseman") in 1775 from Schloss Johannisberg, Germany & the birth of Late Harvest Wines

2) Did You Know Series (52): A Bouvet-Ladubay-Bouvet Brut (Sparkiling Wine) from the Saumur Wine Region in France

3) Wine Cellars and Stores, Slovenia: A set of five Stamps depicting Wine Cellars & Stores in Rural Slovenia issued by Posta Slovenije (Slovenian Post), which have retained their old-fashioned traditions and are not affected by modern urbanisation: Date of Stamp set issue: 13.07.2020

4) Did You Know Series (53): Chateau Mouton Rothschild: 150th Anniversary (1853-2003) celebration with a Wine bottled in 2003, carrying a label featuring Nathaniel de Rothschild (the founder) instead of an Artwork label

5) Sicilian Passito and Cannolo, Italy: "Italian Food and Wine Culture Coin Series": A 5 Euro Cupro-nickel Coin issued by the "Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca delloStato" (IPZS): Date/Year of Coin Release: 08.10.2021

6) Did You Know Series (54): The Pune Wine Festival: 1) The Experience; 2) Some of the Wines

7) Did You Know Series (56): i) Brief History of "The Marches" Wine growing Region of Italy; ii) "Verdicchio Dei Castelli di Jessi" (DOC Wines"; ii) Verdicchio di Metallica (DOC) wines

8) Did You Know Series (57): Montepulciano grapes/L'Eremo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Winery, Italy: i) The Story/Legend of the Iron Baron" ii) Montepulciano Grape Variet iii) Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Wine iv) The DOC Classification 

9) Did You Know Series (58): i) Wines which transport you to the World of Music": ii) The Raga Collection - "Aarohi":

10) "Pilsner Beer", Republic of Cameroon: "Food and Drinks Coin Series": Numiscollect has issued a Silver Coin of 1000 Francs (CFA), on behalf of the Republic of Cameroon depicting the popular Beer: Year of Coin issue: 2022

11) "COGNAC 1762", Democratic Republic of Congo (erstwhile Zaire): A 100 Francs Gold Coin issued by the Mint of Poland on behalf of the Democratic Republic of Congo:Year of Coin issue: 2019

12) Uhudler Wine, Austria: A postage stamp brought out by Osterreichische Post AG (Austrian Post, celebrating the world-famour wine on 19.09.2020

13) MAHAPEX 2016 held at Nasik, Maharashtra from 16-18 January 2016: (Part 2): Special Covers released/issued on 17.01.2016 - Nasik Grape City

Links to posts from Slovenia:

1) Republic of Slovenia (meaning -"The Land of the Slavs"): A 500 Tolarjev Banknote from Slovenia before the introduction of the Euro issued on 15.01.2007

2) Wine Cellars and Stores, Slovenia: A set of five Stamps depicting Wine Cellars & Stores in RRural Slovenia issued by Posta Slovenije (Slovenian Post), which have retained their old-fashioned traditions and are not affected by modern urbanisation: Date of Stamp set issue: 13.07.2020