Gornja Radgona
Slovenia's first sparkling wine since 1852; 200 meters from Austria, hosts AGRA agricultural fair drawing all of Central Europe.
Gornja Radgona proclaims itself the "City of Fairs and Sparkling Wines"—a slogan earned over 170 years of viticulture. In 1852, producers in the Radgonsko-Kapelske hills began making Slovenia's first méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine. The Zlatna Radgonska Penina (Golden Radgona Sparkling) became synonymous with celebration across Yugoslavia and beyond.
The location is extreme: 200 meters from Austria, 45 kilometers from Hungary, 50 kilometers from Croatia. This geography made Gornja Radgona a natural fairground. The AGRA agricultural fair, running for over six decades, draws exhibitors from across Central Europe. What began as a local livestock show became an international trade event precisely because the town sits at a crossroads.
Nearby Radenci added another dimension: mineral water. The Radenska brand, with its three-red-hearts logo, became Slovenia's most recognized bottled water. The thermal springs that produce it now power a spa resort. During socialism, water bottling and thermal baths operated as one enterprise; privatization split them, but both remain regionally significant employers.
By 2026, Gornja Radgona will likely intensify its hybrid identity: agricultural trade hub, sparkling wine producer, and gateway to Slovenian Styria. The town demonstrates how border positions, seemingly disadvantageous, become assets when trade matters more than territory.