Terrano Kras Emil Tavcar 2016

The Terrano of Emil Tavcar is a worthy son of this territory, difficult and demanding as few: the Karst, Kras in Slovenian language, that strip of land stretched between the mountain that marks the border between Slovenia and Italy and the sea of Trieste. This is the red grape variety that symbolizes this region, where the first traces have been found and the only one in which it is normally bred, almost certainly part of the large family of Refosco grapes. The ripe grapes have a thin but consistent skin and a very intense blue color: not surprisingly, the root -ter, of Germanic origin, means tar.
The Terrano grapes, called in the local language Teran, that Emil Tavcar breeds to produce his red carrying the same name, come from a vineyard that is 50 years old, within the municipal area of Dutovlje, around 300 meters above sea level. The soil is characterized by the typical karst formations, in which the rock base comes to the surface in most of the extent of the property and the soil layer is very thin, generally transported locally from the sinkholes, the holes that naturally form as a result of the sinking of underground caves. The harvest is done by hand, generally in the first half of October and the grapes are left to dry for some time before vinification. The maceration on the skins in steel containers for about 9 days before the soft crushing; fermentation is left spontaneously to the work of indigenous yeasts only. A long aging period of 36 months in used oak barrels and a further aging of 6 months in bottle are finally carried out in the cellar, without any filtering or clarification.
The Terrano made by Emil Tevcar is presented in a severe and elegant way, dressed in a deep purple red color, with bright ruby shades and a warm and vaguely veiled appearance. The nose meets surprisingly fresh aromas: rich aromas of ripe dark fruit emerge against the background of delicate toasted notes, paired with more crunchy hints of raspberry and blueberry. The mouthfeel is vertical, sharp, with a minerality that flows directly into a vivid saline sensation. The muscular structure of Terrano results here in a perfect balance between velvety softness, ripe tannins and a pure and very long freshness on the palate. A masterfully territorial interpretation that should be accompanied by aged artisanal cheeses and smoked hams.