This year marks the 30th anniversary of TILIA Estate, the winery led by Matjaž Lemut, which entered the market under its own label in March 1996. Since then, with a rich portfolio of wines and Lemut’s strong presence as one of the region’s most respected wine professionals, TILIA Estate has played a significant role in shaping both the Slovenian and wider regional wine scene.
Among the winery’s icons is its Pinot Gris, one of Slovenia’s best-selling gastronomic white wines, while wine connoisseurs particularly value TILIA’s Pinot Noirs. Today, the estate produces approximately 50,000 bottles annually and remains deeply committed to fostering wine culture and engaging with wine lovers.
For the past 15 years, thanks to TILIA Estate, Ljubljana’s city center has come alive every third Thursday of June in celebration of wine. This year’s edition of TILIA in the City, which took place on June 18th, attracted more than 3,000 visitors over the years and carried special significance.
A press conference was held in the nearly 300-year-old Amfora wine cellar, part of Dvorni Bar, where Matjaž Lemut recounted the story of the estate’s first three decades. For the occasion, he opened a bottle from his personal archive – Black Label Merlot 1999.
From Bare Land to an Established Estate
In March 1996, TILIA Estate from the Vipava Valley entered the market under the leadership of Matjaž Lemut. The wine industry was very different at the time, in the years immediately following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.
“I wasn’t thinking about business structures or competition with other wineries. I simply wanted to make good wine. I had gained experience at the large Vipava winery, a multinational winery in California, and a vineyard estate in Switzerland managed by Waldemar Zahner, one of Nestlé’s directors. While I noticed the differences, what inspired me everywhere was the genuine enthusiasm surrounding wine. Perhaps I was too young, or perhaps those were still simpler times when the question of where to sell wine wasn’t as pressing. I entered this journey as an idealist,” recalls Lemut. “It began with land without vines and a house without a roof,” he says.
From these enthusiastic beginnings to its current position as an established boutique winery, TILIA Estate has produced over 1.2 million bottles of wine, all hand-bottled under the philosophy MyBio – kind to people and nature.
A defining feature of TILIA Estate is that everything happens under one roof: viticulture, winemaking decisions, cellar work, bottling and expertise. As a result, every bottle reflects a complete and harmonious vision.
The estate strives to minimize the use of oenological additives and remains a boutique producer with a strong commitment to sustainability. Through its proprietary MyBio concept, TILIA advocates authenticity as the pathway to genuinely good wine.
“Natural does not necessarily mean certified. I make wines that I am not afraid to drink myself. I never hide from consumers how my wines are produced, and my goal is to create wines that are body-friendly. Transparency is my guiding principle,” says Lemut.
Today, the estate cultivates seven hectares of vineyards across the Vipava Valley, growing Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Yellow Muscat.
“It is an undisputed fact that for the past 30 years, TILIA estate – House of Pinots has consistently offered exceptional value for money within the Slovenian wine market. The winery rightfully ranks among the pioneers of the modern Slovenian wine industry, while Matjaž Lemut is a true expert who approaches his craft with remarkable precision. I am delighted that since the end of 2022, Evino and TILIA estate – House of Pinots have successfully aligned our paths and visions. TILIA’s wines are highly sought after by our customers thanks to their distinctive character and consistent quality, particularly the Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, which consistently rank among our top-selling wines in both the hospitality sector and among private consumers.When I reflect on our partnership, I am equally optimistic about the future. Many opportunities lie ahead for us to create new wine stories together. I sincerely congratulate TILIA estate – House of Pinots on its 30th anniversary and look forward to everything we will achieve together.” — Gašper Čarman, CEO OF Evino
Gašper Čarman, CEO OF Evino
Key Milestones
One of the estate’s major milestones came in 2001 with its first export to the United States, when TILIA wines were selected for the restaurant serving delegates of the United Nations.
American partners named the fresh-wine range with its distinctive yellow label SUNSHINE TILIA. The vibrant yellow-orange color remains the signature of the winery’s fresh wine collection to this day.
TILIA’s Pinot Gris has become one of Slovenia’s best-selling gastronomic white wines
“Our Pinot Gris has maintained a consistent identity for 30 years,” says Lemut.
Beyond his own winery, Lemut has significantly influenced the regional wine scene. As a member of Slovenia’s first generation of sommeliers, he has shared his expertise with younger generations while pursuing his ambition of elevating Pinot Noir from the region to the highest international level.
Pinot Noir and the Birth of Modri Les Noirs
The second major milestone came in 2015 with the strategic focus on Pinot Noir.
“Pinot Noir is the king of red wines. It does not command prices ten times higher than many other wines without reason,” says Lemut. “It is the Holy Grail of wine, a variety that even the greatest experts spend their entire lives exploring. It is a master of transformation.”
In 2018, TILIA Estate – The House of Pinot launched the Modri Les Noirs movement, which roughly translates as “the blue one that is actually black” – a reference to the Slovenian name for Pinot Noir.
The initiative began with a five-year series of masterclasses and festivals dedicated to Pinot Noir, held at Kendov Dvorec and Zemono Manor. Over time, the event evolved into a movement uniting Pinot Noir producers.
Since 2018, TILIA Estate has also been the Slovenian host of International Pinot Noir Day, a global initiative that has brought together Pinot Noir producers from the Vipava Valley under the TILIA banner.
Last year, TILIA celebrated the 10th anniversary of its “House of Pinot” identity with a special wine release. A limited edition of 1,000 bottles of Pinot Noir named Out of the Blue, dressed in artwork created by three acclaimed artists – Žare Kerin, Azad Karim and Jaka Babnik – sold out in less than three months.
Matjaž Lemut – The Driving Force
In addition to TILIA Estate wines, Matjaž Lemut has left his mark on more than 150 wines. Among the most recognized are the cult orange Malvasia Santa Elena from Ipša Winery and the Blaufränkisch produced by Enosophia (formerly Feravino).
An important influence on his career was his father, Silvester Lemut, who managed the historic Vipava winery, still one of Slovenia’s largest. He shaped Matjaž’s future by purchasing a vineyard so that his sons, growing up in the city, could develop a connection with nature and wine.
“My father was undoubtedly my role model and the person who set me on my professional path,” says Lemut. “I am grateful to everyone who has stood by me throughout these years – distributors, first Koželj and today Gašper Čarman and the Evino team, Croatia’s Miva and Gordan Mohor, our designers Kofein and Žare Kerin, restaurateurs, journalists and all wine lovers, whom we are now bringing together through the TILIA Club.”
As for the future, Lemut remains guided by a simple vision: “I would like to make the world of wine even more welcoming. It is already a wonderful world because of all the creative people who respect nature and continually draw inspiration from it.”
Looking Ahead
TILIA Estate never stands still. Preparations are already underway for the 9th International Pinot Noir Day, held under the motto A Tribute to Pinot Noir (#modrilesnoirs), which will take place at the TILIA Estate on 15 August.
Celebrating the 30th Anniversary
As part of the anniversary celebrations, TILIA Estate hosted a press conference on 18 June 2026 at the nearly 300-year-old Amfora wine cellar within Dvorni Bar in Ljubljana.
“TILIA Estate and Dvorni Bar have enjoyed more than 15 years of partnership,” said Tadej Kordiš, owner of Dvorni Bar. “We share the same values – dedication to quality, respect for Slovenian viticulture and a desire to offer guests the very best. It was, therefore a special honor to host TILIA’s 30th anniversary celebration. We sincerely congratulate the team and wish them many more successful years, inspiring vintages and the courage to continue crafting outstanding wines.”
The event was conceived as a retrospective journey through the winery’s history. Guests were welcomed with personalized handwritten notes, inspired by the postcards that TILIA sent to its first customers in 1996.
Throughout the evening, Lemut guided guests through a selection of his wines, highlighted by the Black Label Merlot 1999. To mark the anniversary, guests toasted with EL – Emperor of Love sparkling wine, whose label was designed by Žare Kerin, one of Slovenia’s most acclaimed graphic designers.
