One of the images most strongly associated with Metlika, and indeed all of Bela Krajina, is the bottle of dry red Metliška Črnina wine and its label depicting a human pyramid with three gentlemen dressed in the traditional white linen costumes of the region. A ubiquitous sight in supermarkets across the country, the wine is produced by Vinska Klet Metlika, which is part of a larger farm cooperative called Kmetijska Zadruga Metlika.

Working with some 200 individual wine growers with vineyards in the sun-soaked hills of Bela Krajina, in addition to Metliška Črnina and a white called Belokranjec - both of which are protected and certified by the Ministry of Agriculture under the PTP label - the cooperative produces a wide variety of more than a dozen regular wines, as well as a selection of special vintages such as extra sweet ice and dry grape wines. While the red Metliška Črnina is produced from a combination of Blue Franconian (60%) and the autochthonous Zametna Črnina (30%) grape varieties, the majority of wines here are actually white. Tastings and tours of the facilities can be arranged in advance for groups of up to 55 people. Prices are fixed for groups of ten or more, and range from €4.50 to €10 depending on the types of wine chosen.