The award was officially presented today in Maribor by Maximilien Lejeune, Director of European Best Destinations.
The recognition also received international media attention today, with Forbes placing Štajerska at the top of its list of Europe’s best wine regions for 2027, based on the European Best Destinations selection.
The Best Wine Region in Europe 2027 title continues a period of strong international recognition for Štajerska. Destination received 101,907 votes and ranked third among Europe’s best destinations in the European Best Destinations 2026 selection, while Maribor was named European Best Wine Capital 2026 and Ptuj received the Best Cultural Heritage Town 2026 award. Štajerska’s latest recognition at the top of Europe’s wine regions further strengthens the international profile of the region as a whole and underlines the power of bringing its diverse stories together.
Maximilien Lejeune, Director of European Best Destinations: “Štajerska represents exactly what today’s travellers in Europe are increasingly looking for: authenticity, exceptional landscapes, centuries of wine culture, outstanding expertise and, above all, a very strong regional identity. From the World’s Oldest Vine in Maribor to the historic wine cellars of Ptuj, from wine roads and vineyards to the people who keep these traditions alive, wine here is much more than a product. It has helped shape the entire region – its culture, gastronomy and the way it welcomes visitors. That is precisely what this recognition is about. The title Best Wine Region in Europe does not tell Štajerska what it should become. It recognises what Štajerska already is and places it in the international spotlight where it belongs. Maribor, Ptuj and the wider Štajerska region are not simply places to visit while travelling through Slovenia – together, they form a European wine destination in their own right.”
Among more than 90 leading European wine regions
The Best Wine Region in Europe 2027 title was awarded following an assessment by European Best Destinations rather than a public vote. More than 90 leading wine regions across Europe were considered against seven criteria: wine heritage and authenticity; diversity of grape varieties and wine styles; wine tourism infrastructure; landscapes and opportunities for outdoor activities; gastronomy, hospitality and wine accommodation; sustainability and local character; and accessibility and the overall visitor experience.
The assessment resulted in a shortlist of 12 leading European wine regions, with Štajerska taking first place with a score of 19.5 out of 20 and a Wine Experience Excellence Index of 9.8 out of 10. European Best Destinations also singled out Štajerska as Europe’s most promising cool-climate wine region.
A wine story shaped by people
Štajerska’s wine identity is rooted in centuries of tradition, generations of winegrowing and winemaking expertise, and contemporary winemaking. Among its most distinctive stories are the World’s Oldest Vine in Maribor, the sparkling wine tradition of Gornja Radgona dating back to 1852, Slovenia’s oldest preserved archival wine – a 1917 vintage kept in Ptuj – historic wine cellars, family-run wine estates, distinctive grape varieties and diverse wine-growing landscapes.
Here, wine is not simply a product; it is part of the region’s identity. It is intertwined with gastronomy, culture, cities and countryside, nature and hospitality, allowing visitors to discover Štajerska through experiences throughout the year.
In the photo from left to right: Nataša Ritonija, Director of RRA Podravje – Maribor and Coordinator of the Destination Štajerska Consortium, David Klobasa, President of the Assembly of the Destination Štajerska Consortium, Maximilien Lejeune, Director of European Best Destinations, and Božidar Grabovac, President of the Vinorodna Štajerska Association. Maribor, Ptuj and the wider Štajerskan in Europe 2027 by European Best Destinations.