Page 115 - Terčelj, Dušan. 2015. The Culture of Wine in Slovenia. Edited by Aleš Gačnik. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 115
Recognising a wine
the Istrian Refošk with a visible denotation on the bottle labels. For this purpose, a new
consortium – Konzorcij vin Istre – has been established.
Kraški Teran
On the Kras it is made from a variety of Refošk and was in 2000 protected with a PTP
label. The regulation describes it as a wine with a moderate quantity of alcohol, and
a higher concentration of lactic and other organic acids and polyphenols. The wine
is produced following the principles of integrated production of grapes and wine. In
my doctoral thesis I studied Teran’s composition with respect to the polyphenols it
contained and its colour composition. This is a wine very rich in colour substances, i.e.
antocyanins, a characteristic of which is delphinidol, the content of which is higher in
this wine than in other varieties. Teran’s colour is characteristically violet-ruby-red.
This wine has historically been considered to be medicinal – small sips are supposed to
have a beneficial effect on those convalescing, on those with anaemia and women in
labour. I believe that the greatest value of this wine is the wealth of lactic acid, which
acts beneficially on the digestive tract and that in small quantities, via colour substances
and tannins, i.e. antioxidants that prevent various harmful processes in the body, it has
a beneficial effect on the overall health. Its antioxidant power can be seen from the
non-use of sulphur dioxide, which has to be used in relatively high quantities in white
wines and in smaller quantities in red wines. Winegrowers on the Kras have never used
A Refošk vineyard; Refošk and Merlot grapes. The Kras and the Vipava Valley, 2006. Photos: Staša Cafuta.
111
the Istrian Refošk with a visible denotation on the bottle labels. For this purpose, a new
consortium – Konzorcij vin Istre – has been established.
Kraški Teran
On the Kras it is made from a variety of Refošk and was in 2000 protected with a PTP
label. The regulation describes it as a wine with a moderate quantity of alcohol, and
a higher concentration of lactic and other organic acids and polyphenols. The wine
is produced following the principles of integrated production of grapes and wine. In
my doctoral thesis I studied Teran’s composition with respect to the polyphenols it
contained and its colour composition. This is a wine very rich in colour substances, i.e.
antocyanins, a characteristic of which is delphinidol, the content of which is higher in
this wine than in other varieties. Teran’s colour is characteristically violet-ruby-red.
This wine has historically been considered to be medicinal – small sips are supposed to
have a beneficial effect on those convalescing, on those with anaemia and women in
labour. I believe that the greatest value of this wine is the wealth of lactic acid, which
acts beneficially on the digestive tract and that in small quantities, via colour substances
and tannins, i.e. antioxidants that prevent various harmful processes in the body, it has
a beneficial effect on the overall health. Its antioxidant power can be seen from the
non-use of sulphur dioxide, which has to be used in relatively high quantities in white
wines and in smaller quantities in red wines. Winegrowers on the Kras have never used
A Refošk vineyard; Refošk and Merlot grapes. The Kras and the Vipava Valley, 2006. Photos: Staša Cafuta.
111
