Čotar - Merlot 2011

Southwest Slovenia is undoubtedly one of the most important regions in the development of European natural wine production. Local winemakers have significantly popularized the production of orange (macerated white) wines or the use of clay amphorae for maturation. The family winery Čotar from the Kras region definitely belongs among them. You will find them a short distance from the sea in the village of Gorjansko, where the family founded a restaurant in 1974 focusing on the use of local products from extensive agriculture. They also had to include wine that they decided to produce themselves - first for serving in a restaurant and for export from the 1990s.

They currently organically farm 7.5 hectares with varieties such as Refosco, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malvasia Istriana, Sauvignon Blanc or Vitovska. The influence of the Mediterranean Sea is significant here - lots of sun and higher wind. In addition, the area is unique for its reddish topsoil, known as "terra rossa", which is based on weathered limestone and contains a higher amount of iron, which in turn creates the potential for the production of intense and deep wines. All ferment spontaneously and mature in barrels of various volumes (from 200l to 2000l) for 2 to 5 years. The length of maceration depends on the annual, but is usually longer, so all their white wines can be considered orange. No sulfur is added to the wine during maturation and this does not apply to bottling. Another feature of wine from this area is its rank for longer archiving, even though the red one is already beautifully ripe, the orange one will last you in the cellar for a good 10 years! But feel free to drink them now, it's worth a try.