A magic place
where two climates meet
on a volcanic bedrock
Tekov is a traditional wine region under the Sitno Volcano. It’s an one-of-a-kind place where two climates meet: the hot southern climate of the Panonian Basin overlaps with the cold northern-European influence of West Carpathians, creating a unique cool-climate area perfect for making balanced wines with lip-smacking acidity, wines you (we) can’t get enough of.
Vineyards in Tekov are spread over the foothills of the southern slopes of Stiavnica Hills and adjacent Ipel Hills. Their volcanic terroir was created by the mighty Sitno Volcano ages ago – a stratovolcano that was originally 4,000 metres high and covered an area of some 2,200 square kilometres.
Today, Sitno peaks at 1,009 metres above sea level and it is the highest summit of the Stiavnica Mountains. Its collapsed caldera nestles an architectonic gem – the medieval mining town of Banská Stiavnica with its picturesque views and well-preserved historic architecture.
Sitno is a hill of many myths and legends. The most famous one tells the story of the Knights of Sitno who live under the hill, unseen, resting but ready to rise, mount their horses and help the Slovak nation when its fate will be at stake. 🐎🐎🐎🐎
Thanks to the Sitno Volcano, the vineyards underneath enjoy unique geological conditions: they grow mostly on tuffs, a type of soft volcanic ash, and andesites, hard volcanic lava.
These volcanic soils are naturally porous. They perfectly absorb and let through water, nutrition, and oxygen that are subsequently available to grapevine roots, penetrating deep (20 metres is no exception for the oldest vineyards) into the volcanic bedrock.
Tekov is a land of contrasts, located right on the edge of two climatic worlds.
Due to its landlocked position, our area has very hot and dry summers. Hot and warm air flows to us from the southern Pannonian Basin and the Danubian Lowlands; as it hits the impenetrable and cold natural “wall” of the Stiavnica Hills, this heat stops and remains in our country, making Tekov one of the warmest summer areas in Central Europe.
Thanks to this climatic particularity, red grapes get enough warmth to reach great phenolic ripeness and thrive here, especially Frankovka (Blaufrankisch) and Pinot Noir.
Autumns and winters, on the other hand, are often harsh and frosty, as this airflow reverses: biting-cold air descends from the Stiavnica Hills upon the vineyards below, making them sometimes experience temperatures as low as minus 31 degrees Celsius, making our vines naturally resistant. True survivors.