In detail
What's here
The vine sprawls across approximately 40 m² of the Old Vine House's southern wall. Its trunk is thick and gnarled, with lichen-covered bark – every twist tells its age. In summer, the vine is covered in green foliage and grape clusters; in autumn, the leaves turn yellow; in winter, the bare woven structure clings to the facade. The annual harvest yields 35–55 kg of grapes, producing around 100 bottles of 250 ml wine in designer flasks by sculptor Oskar Kogoj. These bottles serve as the Municipality of Maribor's official protocol gifts.
Inside the Old Vine House, the museum features an exhibition on Styrian winemaking, an animated film about the vine's history, and a collection of grape variety engravings by the Kreuzer brothers. The tasting room offers wines from 50+ Styrian winemakers – over 200 labels. Tastings are led by sommeliers: from a basic tasting (3 wines + narration) to a premium set (6–8 wines + food pairings, from €37 / $40).
In summer, the courtyard wine garden opens with views of the vine – a glass of local wine from €4–6 ($4.30–6.50). The ground floor houses a shop with regional wines and souvenirs. Descendants of the Old Vine have been planted in 27 countries worldwide.
Highlights
Why visit
Age – over 460 years old, planted in the late Middle Ages (c. 1570), still producing grapes
Guinness World Record – verified as the world's oldest noble grapevine still bearing fruit
Variety – Žametovka (Modra kavčina), one of Slovenia's oldest wine grape varieties
Harvest – 35–55 kg of grapes annually, yielding ~100 designer bottles – the municipality's official protocol gift
Wine collection – 200+ labels from 50+ Styrian winemakers, with sommelier-led tastings
Legacy – cuttings from the vine have been planted in 27 countries
History
Past & present
The vine was planted in the late Middle Ages, presumably around 1570, when the Lent district served as part of the city's fortifications. The house it grows on was built into the town wall. Over 460 years, the vine survived the Ottoman sieges of the 16th century, city fires, the 19th-century phylloxera epidemic (which destroyed most European vineyards), and Allied bombing raids in 1943–1945.
After World War II, the vine was in critical condition. Viticulturist Tone Zafošnik restored it by removing dead sections and performing a short cut, bringing it back to life. In 2004, the Old Vine House was renovated and reopened as a museum. Since 2008, the vine has been managed by the Maribor Regional Museum. Two main annual events mark its calendar: the vine pruning ceremony in March (with cuttings gifted to partner cities) and the Old Vine Festival in October.
