Karst Food and Wine: Prsut, Teran, and Where to Find Them

The flavours of the Karst

The Slovenian Karst has a food culture shaped by the bora wind, the red soil and the proximity to Italy. The result is a cuisine that is simple, distinctive and deeply local.

Prsut - air-dried ham

Karst prsut is cured in the bora wind for months, sometimes over a year. The result is a ham that is darker, firmer and more intensely flavoured than its Mediterranean cousins.

Teran - the wine of the red soil

Teran is a deep-red wine made from the Refosk grape, grown in the iron-rich red soil that gives the Karst its name.

Osmica - the seasonal tavern

An osmica is a temporary tavern, traditionally open for ten days when a winemaker sells the new vintage directly from the cellar.

Where to eat

For a sit-down meal, the Gostilna Pri Lojzetu in Dutovlje and the Stoka winery restaurant in Tomaj are both excellent.