I had never tried this wine before, even though I had read about Slovenian wines and was familiar with wines from the Carso region, such as Zidarich, which also produces a Vitovska. It was a bit of a gamble, but when I noticed on the back of the bottle that it was imported by Louis/Dressner, I felt like the odds were in my favor.
Čotar (pronounced Cho-tar) is a winery owned by a father and son, situated just five minutes across the Italian border from the Carso district in the hills of Trieste. Interestingly, this area is an extension of the Carso into Slovenia, known as Kras, and from their vineyards, you can gaze out over the Gulf of Trieste. The winery came into existence over 25 years ago when Branko Čotar, whose two trattoria restaurants were the region’s finest, developed a passion for grape growing and winemaking. He became exceptionally skilled at it and eventually left the restaurant business to fully devote himself to grape cultivation and winemaking, with his son Vajsa joining him on this journey.
The wine presents itself as a deep amber in the glass, and it’s like an aromatic explosion, offering notes of dried apricots, oxidized peach, passionfruit, meadow flowers, and honey. It’s quite complex on the palate as well, with a burst of fruit in the beginning that gracefully transitions to a saline and savory character. There’s a sturdy grip of tannins here, complemented by a healthy dose of acidity. This wine might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re adventurous, curious, and have an appreciation for the agricultural and alchemical aspects of winemaking, this is an absolute must-try. $39.