Uroš Valcl

The Climb

Work at a family winery gave the craft its first frame in 1999, when Valcl began as winemaker at his family’s winery. That start set the terms for what followed: discipline, attention, and a habit of working from the fruit outward rather than from any fixed idea of style. The emphasis was on quiet decisions, the kind that shape a wine without announcing themselves. The move to Marof in 2009 marked a change in scale and responsibility, with Valcl stepping in as winemaker and sub-owner in Mačkovci. That shift placed him inside a project whose identity and his own development have been closely linked ever since. At Marof, the work became less about entry and more about continuity: carrying a site, a cellar, and a set of choices forward vintage after vintage. As director and winemaker at Marof Winery, Valcl continues to guide the house style with measured, hands-on authority. The throughline is not reinvention but accumulation. Each stage has built on the last, and each harvest has added to the long apprenticeship required by the work.

Today

Since 2009, Valcl has served as winemaker and sub-owner at Marof in Mačkovci, alongside his role as director and winemaker. The method there puts patience and precision ahead of manipulation. Spontaneous fermentation, manual grape selection, and minimal intervention set the frame, letting the wines come through with clarity and tension rather than a heavy cellar mark. The core category is low-intervention reds made from Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt grapes. That kind of work demands consistency from vineyard to cellar, and Valcl’s task is to keep that line steady. His own view of the job stays pointed toward the next harvest: “I am in my second half of this era. Every harvest and every vintage are a new experience that keeps me awake at night. I am still learning.” The statement fits a winemaker who treats uncertainty as part of the discipline. In that sense, the work is not about settling into a formula; it is about staying alert to what each vintage asks for.

In Their Words “I am in my second half of this era. Every harvest and every vintage are a new experience that keeps me awake at night. I am still learning.”

Career - winemaker and sub-owner, Marof (2009–present) - director and winemaker, Marof Winery, Mačkovci, Slovenia - winemaker, family’s winery (from 1999)

Recognition

The clearest recognition around Valcl’s work is the specificity of the role itself: director, winemaker, and sub-owner at Marof, with an identity bound to red wines shaped by minimal intervention. In a field where style can blur into branding, his work reads as consistency, allegiance to place, and the ongoing discipline of learning from every vintage that passes through Marof.

FAQ What is Uroš Valcl's current role? Uroš Valcl is Director and Winemaker. Where did Uroš Valcl work before? Uroš Valcl's earlier career included family’s winery. What is Uroš Valcl known for? Low-intervention reds from Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt grapes.