The MARO Wine Cellar is located in the Ljutomer-Ormož hills, near to Jeruzalem, famous for their thousands of years old tradition of wine-making and ideal conditions for producing premium wines. The cellar represents the tradition of two established wine-making families from the 17th and 18th centuries: MURSA and OZMEC.
Descendants of both families continue the tradition of wine-making, respecting the natural features of excellent vineyard positions. The high quality wines are extremely aromatic, vibrant due to refreshing acids, full-bodied, harmonious, and pleasantly drinkable.
Merger of two large wine-making families
Vineyards cover the most beautiful positions of the Ljutomer-Ormož Hills: Strezetina, Nunska graba, Hermanci, Ilovec, Mrzla polja – Jeruzalem, Železne dveri – Gresovščak in Strmec, near the famous Jeruzalem, and are considered to be in the top 3% of the best vineyard locations in the world. Hand-picked grapes provide the highest quality basis for producing excellent wines.
Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Yellow Muscat, Muscat Ottonel, Welschriesling, Riesling and a local variety called Furmint grow in these marvellous and fertile vineyards. The MARO Wine Cellar represents the tradition of two established wine-making families from the 17th or 18th century: Mursa and Ozmec. Descendants of the two families: MAša Samec and Robert Ozmec continue the tradition of wine-making while respecting the natural features of excellent vineyard positions, preserving original characteristics of the grape varieties and taking good care of the wine through the process of maturation in the wine cellar.
Mursa and Ozmec are the brands of the MARO Wine Cellar and their selection offers high quality and premium wines and wines of special qualities. The wines are extremely aromatic, which is reflected in the luxury of fruit, floral and plant aromas in individual wines. In terms of taste, the wines are vibrant due to refreshing acids, enriched with an appropriate alcoholic strength, full-bodied and rich in extracts, harmonious and pleasantly drinkable.
The Rich Tradition of the Mursa Wine- Making Family
The Mursa family tree reflects a creative image of individuals through the centuries who in one way or another contributed to the development of society, its economic, political and cultural life. A notable figure is Josip Mursa who left his mark as an excellent businessman in the 19th century. His role model was his widowed mother Marija, a very enterprising and determined woman. She managed the estate and vineyards and exhibited her wines at the world wine exhibition in Vienna, Austria in 1873. In 1889, Josip Mursa established the first factory of cement products and mosaic tiles in the then Yugoslavia, and protected his innovation of a waterproof concrete roofing tile at the patent office in Vienna, Austria. At the same time, he successfully managed his 150 ha large estate where he was a pillar of society through his innovative spirit.
Thirty-five hectares of land were vineyards at selected positions and numerous wine cellars with innovative wine- making technology. Josip Mursa bottled his wine and sparkling wine varieties in the first half of the 20th century and exported them to Hungary and Austria. His wines were awarded in exhibitions and quality assessment events. Maša Samec has taken over the heritage of her grandfather, the architect Dušan Samec, a grandson of Josip Mursa, with great respect and responsibility. Vines are planted on excellent wine-growing locations of the steep Ljutomer-Ormož Hills and in the modern MARO wine cellar, which represents a synergy of the wine-making experience of two families: Mursa and Ozmec, the traditional production of premium wine continues. The synergy of respect for the tradition of past generations, knowledge, natural processing of grapes and the preservation of natural harmony of taste and aroma is presented in two wine brands of the MARO Wine Cellar — Mursa and Ozmec.
Ozmec Wine- Making Family – from Generation to Generation
In the chapel at St Nicholas church in Miklavž near Ormož, the date of birth of Sebastian Mocheritsch (18/1/1744), who was born at the homestead where the MARO wine cellar is now standing, is engraved. Even in the 18th century, wine-growing, fruit farming and viticulture are the main activities of this family, which is also demonstrated by the 300-year-old wine cellar. The wooden grape and fruit press, still suitable for use, with the engraved year of 1845 is a venerable memory of the wine-growing history of the family. In November 1920, one of the four Mohorič’s daughters married Stanislav Ozmec. Through a wedding 100 years ago, the Mohorič family became the Ozmec family, which continued the tradition of viticulture of its ancestors. Until 1940, in addition to the viticulture, wine-making and fruit farming, it also intensively grew grafts, i.e. 30 thousand a year.
The knowledge of viticulture and wine-growing passed down from generation to generation. In 1996, the younger generation of the Ozmec family started to renew the vineyards and improve its knowledge. The gifted and determined Robert Ozmec inherited the land from his grandfather and his parents in 2013, and they supported him in expanding and growing the vineyards. He is proud of his history, his grandfather and parents, who enabled him to pursue his path in wine-growing and viticulture. He has already started to pass on his knowledge to his children. In 2017, Robert Ozmec built a new modern and technologically equipped wine cellar next to the old one. In 2020, he also finished renovating the old wine cellar and turned it into a wine-selling and wine-tasting point.
With its equipment the MARO Wine Cellar contributes to the premium quality of wines and at the same time respects the tradition of knowledge of past generations. Wine is produced with love and knowledge and Robert gives priority to the natural features of taste and sugar content in grapes from wonderful sunny, steep vineyard locations of the Ljutomer-Ormož Hills. That’s how natural fruity, fresh wines are made rounded with nicely ripe acidity and rich in taste and aroma. We are proud to present the MARO Wine Cellar brands — Mursa and Ozmec.
