Kras

The Karst is the smallest wine-growing district in Primorska. The Karst has the status of a nature park. The area is characterised by karst caves and coves, where vineyards still exist today. The plateau lies between the Trieste, the slopes of the Vipava Valley and the Brkiinski hills. When Slovenians think of the Karst, the first things that come to mind are teran and prosciutto.

The Karst is a very rocky region with very shallow topsoil and no surface water. The red-brown soil of the Karst, terra rossa, also known as jerina, was formed by the weathering of limestone. Its distinctive colour is due to its high iron oxide content. Cultivable soil is rare. Burja(strong wind) blowing in from the continent bring cold and dry air, causing drying and erosion of the soil. It can cause considerable damage to the vineyard during flowering, but on the other hand, it dries the moisture within a few hours before harvest and prevents rotting, thus prolonging the harvest time. The climate is a mix of continental, mediterranean and alpine.

In no other region is one variety as dominant as the refosk or teran in the Karst region. It is planted on 75% of the vineyard area. Teran PTP is an intense red with purplish tints, produced from the refosco variety on land called terra rossa. The alcoholic strength is not high, ranging from 10 to 13 % vol., but it has a high acidity and a fairly low tannin content. Teran is usually drunk in the first year after harvest. Of the white varieties, malvasia, chardonny and the indigenous vitovska grganja are present.
The largest town is Sežana, while Dutovlje, Tomaj and Komen are important wine villages.