History
120 years of vine nursery tradition
Cooperative production
A broad market
In the 19th century, Phylloxera (Phylloxera vitifoliae) was brought to Europe from America. This pest attacks grapevines and weakens them to the point of death. As a result, it became necessary to begin grafting European grapevines onto American rootstocks, which are resistant to Phylloxera. To teach the winegrowers of the Vipava Valley the grafting technique, the Habsburg authorities sent the Skalicki brothers, originally from the Czech lands, to Vrhpolje in 1905. Since then, grapevine grafting has been continuously present in Vrhpolje in various organizational forms. Initially, grafting was carried out on individual winegrowing farms. After World War II, the Agricultural Cooperative Vrhpolje was established. In 1958, it built the first facilities dedicated primarily to vine nursery production — buildings that, with later upgrades and modernizations, still serve that purpose today. Later, the Agricultural Cooperative Vrhpolje merged with the Agricultural Cooperative Vipava. In 1994, the independent Vrhpolje Vine Nursery Cooperative was founded, operating in the form we know today.
The method and scale of grafted vine production, as well as the structure of cooperating growers, have evolved over time — primarily through increased production volumes and a reduced number of cooperants. These cooperants, originally mixed-purpose farms, have increasingly specialized solely in vine nursery production.
The market for our grafted vines has also evolved over time. Initially, they were intended to supply local winegrowers in the Primorska region. During the Yugoslav era, they were distributed across the republics, which also supplied the necessary planting material in return. Following Slovenia’s independence and accession to the European Union, the market expanded to include most EU member states where viticulture is present.
years of tradition
varieties of grafted vines
export countries
Every vintner wants a vineyard that thrives and produces abundantly for many years. Healthy grafted vine plants are essential for longevity and vineyard health.
We are always ready to advise you on choosing the best combination of variety and rootstock based on your soil and climate conditions.