Primorje wineregion
The name "Primorje" is derived from the Slovene words "by the sea"; only a small part of this region is actually on the coast, but its northwest-southwest valleys carry the beneficial influence of the Mediterranean far inland. The region is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with an occasional biting northeast wind (the burja), warm summers, and mineral-rich soils - the mix of these characteristics being different for each particular winegrowing area. The burja affects all of the areas: it is not only a very cold wind that can generate a wind-chill factor of -25 °C (-13 °F), it is also very strong, with gusts peaking at 200 km/h (125 mph), and very dry. The burja is relatively rare in the summer but a frequent visitor from late autumn to early spring - it dries the soil and even erodes the top layer, making the region very inhospitable for less-hardy plants.
Summers tend to be quite hot in Primorje, although moderated by the influence of the Mediterranean. Regular as clockwork, the region experiences heavy rainfalls during the last week of September and the first week of October - this makes late harvests like those in Podravje virtually impossible since the soaked grapes would rot if left on the vine (there is a notable exception to this rule). Early springs and hot summer weather make the grapes ripen quickly: the must tends to be rich in sugars, and the skins and pulp accumulate more pigment than grapes grown in cooler regions. On the other hand, aromatic oils and acids tend to be moderate to low.
There are 14,000 hectares (34,600 acres) of absolute viticultural sites (Slovene legislation defines an absolute viticultural site as agricultural land on which viticulture is the most economically suitable of all agricultural activities. In principle, only vineyards should be planted on absolute viticultural sites.) in the Primorje region, distributed over four winegrowing areas: Brda, Vipava, Kras, and Koper.
As a general rule (with exceptions, of course), the wines of Primorje tend to be dry and rich in minerals, with moderate acids and a subtler bouquet. Both red and white wines tend to contain more pigment than those of other regions. Primorje is the only Slovene winegrowing region where red wines comprise 50% of the produce; in all other regions, white wines dominate.
