Čotar (Branko & Vasja Čotar)

Čotar sits in Gorjansko within the Kras DO, a windswept limestone plateau in Slovenia's Primorski wine region. The estate lies just 5-6 km from the Adriatic Sea, at elevations ranging across the Kras from 50 to 500 metres. The climate is Mediterranean in character but tempered by the fierce Bora wind and alpine continental influences, producing dry conditions with minimal rainfall. Beneath the vines lies terra rossa, the iron-rich red earth derived from limestone bedrock that defines this appellation and demands specialized planting techniques.

• Kras DO (Designated Origin/Protected Designation of Origin) classification
• Terra rossa soils: iron-rich red earth over limestone bedrock
• Mediterranean climate modified by Bora winds and Adriatic sea breezes
• Low annual rainfall contributes to concentrated, site-expressive fruit

Branko Čotar started making wine in 1974 originally to supply his two family restaurants. He worked through the mid-1970s planting field-blend vineyards and refining his approach over decades before bottling his first commercial vintage in 1990. The early no-sulfur approach was partly a practical consequence of the region's isolation behind the Iron Curtain, where such additives were simply unavailable. Over 25 years of winery operation, Branko was eventually joined by his son Vasja. Each generation now signs the wines literally: Branko's fingerprint appears on the red wine labels, Vasja's on the whites.

• Winemaking began 1974; first bottled vintage released 1990
• Field-blend vineyards planted in the mid-1970s
• No-sulfur tradition rooted in post-war isolation from Western wine additives
• Fingerprint labels serve as a personal quality signature from each winemaker

Čotar grows both indigenous and international varieties across its 7-8 hectares. Teran (locally known as Refosco) and the white varieties Vitovska and Malvasia Istriana are the indigenous stars of the Kras. Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot round out the portfolio. Single-varietal wines are produced from the key grapes, alongside the Terra Rossa blend (40% Teran, 40% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon), the semi-sweet white Sladkominka, and Črna Penina, a dry red sparkling wine. Whites receive extended skin contact, giving them amber hues, textural depth, and significant aging potential before release.

• Key indigenous varieties: Teran (Refosco), Vitovska, Vitovska Grganja, Malvasia Istriana
• Terra Rossa blend: 40% Teran, 40% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
• Černá Penina is a dry red sparkling wine; Sladkominka is a semi-sweet white
• Whites receive extended skin contact and 2-3 years oak aging before release

Čotar operates as a certified organic estate with a strict non-interventionist philosophy. Fermentations are spontaneous, relying entirely on indigenous yeasts. No herbicides or pesticides are used in the vineyard, and no sulfur is added at any stage of production. Wines are neither fined nor filtered. Aging takes place in various sized oak barrels, with whites spending 2-3 years and reds 4-5 years before bottling. The underground cellar, carved directly into the Kras limestone, provides natural climate control throughout the aging process. Annual production runs to 25,000-30,000 bottles, representing a yield of approximately 3,500-4,000 kg per hectare.

• Spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts only
• No added sulfur, fining agents, or filtration used
• Reds aged 4-5 years in oak; whites aged 2-3 years in oak
• Limestone-carved underground cellar provides natural climate regulation