The vintages
Vitovska is the queen of the Karst. It reigns over rocky vineyards and plots of red earth that are cultivated respectfully by hand, guided by a deep love of nature. Per hectare of land, at an average altitude of 260 meters above sea level, there are 10,500 vines of the native grape variety, trained as bush vines to protect them from the Bora wind that lashes the landscape. Each vine yields 500 grams of grapes, hand-picked using crates during the harvest. Destemmed and crushed, the grapes ferment and macerate without temperature control and without the addition of yeasts, but with several daily punching downs before being placed in the traditional press. The winemaking process is natural: no chemical or physical stabilizers are used, and no enzymes or additives are added. The wine is bottled unfiltered.
1997
Once upon a time, there were old grape vines and a man who remembered the taste of the bunches his grandfather and father had given him as a child. An ancient flavor, yet so familiar. A flavor to be reclaimed, to be expressed in all its richness, and to be rediscovered in a bottle. The drive to pursue a dream and make it a reality comes from afar.
1998
Respecting nature means listening and embracing what it offers. This is a complex year. First, it offers ideal conditions up to two weeks before harvest: the rugged Karst plateau melts into the blue of the sea, glimpsed as you gaze toward the horizon. Then, it showers with heavy rains under a dark sky that recalls the colors of the rock, the repository of millennia of history.
1999
It's a summer of brilliant sunshine, full but never suffocating heat, and rain that falls in appropriate quantities. 1999 is the perfect vintage. The ripe grapes laugh with satisfaction. Nature's mystery is fulfilled. The ancient vines reach their full potential, the old pergolas offer their best in a great season worthy of being framed.
2000
Man, who understands nature, knows when to follow his instincts, which loudly call him to embrace the new. It's time to trust his senses and follow his inspiration. It's the time of the first bush-trained vines, protected by the vigorous blasts of the bora wind that enchants the air on the Karst and sweeps the sky. The cool summer season almost seems to gently encourage the first ripening of the young trees, planted according to orderly and rigorous geometries.
2001
The vision of a specific idea—the dream—that appeared in the beginning is taking shape as reality. It finds fulfillment in a balanced vintage, one that flows by without excess, without shortcomings, and free from unpredictable events, a vintage that finds its natural expression in the measure of things. The climatic balance, the experience gained, the intuition that bears fruit season after season, make 2001 the year of the dream come true.
2002
The beneficial rain that accompanies the growth of the plants, if prolonged, influences production. Nature gives and takes away, fills and empties, in constant movement. The vintage is reduced in quantity due to the rainfall between late July and early August. The Karst is a harsh and hostile land, but Queen Vitovska has the elegant character of one who softens even adversity.
2003
The choice of naturalness leads to not irrigating the soil in which the plants sink their roots. The summer season is scorching and dry, the earth parched, the air dry. Roe deer approach the vines, biting off the bunches to drink from the little the fruit contains. In drought, the plants slow down until they stop, waiting trustingly for more propitious times. Humans learn to do the same and respectfully observe the pause that lush growth takes.
2004
This is a vintage that marks an important transition in growth and evolution. The season is good, the rains are just right, the sun guides the ripening at the right time. For man, it is a fundamental stage of awareness. What the plant has gathered over the months from the Karst soil to distill into the fruit can now express itself fully. This is what makes great wine.
2005
2006
On the rugged heights of the Trieste Karst, the year unfolds under intense heat, reverberating off the rocks. Early August brings heavy rains. The alternating elements guide a production that the winemaker chooses to showcase with two wines: one anchored in the tradition of wood, the other once again in terracotta amphorae.
2007
A bizarre seasonal pattern marked the vintage. The harsh winter was absent, and the mild weather prompted the vines to awaken early. The heat of early July was punctuated by a violent hailstorm, and in late August, hail continued to pound the vines with fury. The larger yields prompted the decision to opt for a single label.
2008
The month of June is very rainy, complicating a season marked by difficulties that jeopardize the entire production. Amphorae and barrels remain empty. The silence is filled with the disillusionment and anger of man, withdrawn into himself, searching for the strength to continue. For those who believe in hard work and respect for values, for those who know how to grasp messages, it is the time to cultivate the most intimate and precious learning, and to grow as individuals. Nature is life's teacher.
There are no labels for 2008.
It is, therefore, a triumphant vintage.
2009
2010
Inside, the man is busily working on the cellar. He's carving out from the Karst rock the space he already sees as a protected temple, a small space of sacredness. Outside, nature seems to gather in silence, observing him. The vintage is delicate, production is limited. It will be the first wine to be vinified in the cellar that is being created, sculpted and shaped with dedication.
2011
May 21st is the day the new winery opens its doors for the first time. The beginning is greeted by the unruly weather, seemingly nature's way of exerting its power within this protected space. The sound of silence, in an aura of sacredness, fills the two circular, interconnected spaces, carved into the karst rock, where nature's elements meet fruitfully. The terracotta amphorae are quietly buried, gathering the energy that permeates the place. The imposing wooden barrels dominate, arranged in a crown. The vintage—beautiful and vibrant, very hot at the end of August—is transforming into a reservoir of great satisfaction.
2012
Winter mockingly admonishes the Karst with endless weeks lashed by the bora, harsh to humans and irreverent to nature. The vines suffer, the tender buds blinded by the icy relentlessness of the air. The wind marks the entire year. A pleasantly breezy and dry spring is followed by summer months that are still very windy and dry. The harvest will be free of excess: the measured response of a newfound balance.
2013
The climate of the year tenaciously searches for a balance it cannot find. The final weeks before the harvest are dry and heavy, and amidst the harshness of the Karst, the vines suffer and feel the impact. They can only defend themselves by ripening unevenly. The character of the harvested grapes is reflected in the wine: it is tested by the drought, hardened in its features like those who have experienced certain harsh experiences of life. Only time can soothe this anger and gradually restore the gentleness of a newfound calm.
2014
Week after week, the man turns his gaze to the sky and, in the distance, to the sea, to read what will happen. The season, however, is unruly: first it leads one to believe that everything can be fruitful and generous, then it reveals the bitter truth by pouring continuous rain. On the horizon, the sea waves do not seem to be an invitation to enjoy the summer, and among the vineyards of the Karst, hardships grip the man and the plants he loves.
2015
Leaving behind some shady and arduous seasons, the vintage presents itself with vigor and vigor, like an adolescent eager to grow. The Karst shines with dazzling beauty, the elements of nature alternate in expert balance, and the vines nourish themselves eagerly and finally satisfied. It is the triumph of well-being and reliability: man revels in the strong natural wisdom that surrounds him.
2016
Nature offers extraordinary joys and comforts the soul, but it also raises fears of possible despair. Humans know this well, and their confidence falters in the face of difficulties during the most delicate moments of growth in the vineyard. June is rainy, and the beginning seems uphill. From July onward, however, the veil of mistrust is torn away: the climate returns and bestows refinement and value on what has survived the critical early season unscathed.
2017
2018
This vintage brings with it a sudden, early awakening after the cold and windy winter. From mild, spring quickly turns impetuous, and the plants reawaken with energy, well before their proper time. The vines blossom in a single day, and man observes with amazement how nature changes from year to year, still offering surprises never before seen by his expert and patient gaze. The great rush is calmed by the late-August thunderstorms that urge us to slow our pace and regain our calm.
.
2019
Humanity has left behind extreme years, marked by massive rainstorms or unexpected weather advances. In the present, it rediscovers the subtle pleasure of balance and thrives on a comforting normality. It is a reassuring time to be free from excess: the beginning of spring, which experiences the dryness born of the recently dissolved winter, then cool, rainy months that joyfully quench the roots in the earth, finally weeks that shine with sunshine and guide, with a sure step, the ripening of the fruits to full maturity.
2020
Around us, the world has stopped in stunned silence, caught between fatalism and fear. Nature outside knows no respite, and the magnificent spring, which brings reassuring relief to a worried humanity, calls loudly to continue the constant and careful work of care and dedication. Summer, amidst clouds and clear skies, projects itself toward an impeccable expression: perfect, healthy fruits that contentedly enclose the joy within each grape and, outside, are caressed by the soft, beneficial care of the sun.
2021
Spring enters the scene with its masks of contrasts. The enveloping warmth of late March is forcefully chased away by an insolent snowfall in early April. The late frost that follows annihilates nature, and a single night will shape the entire year. The sap, which had already begun to flow again, is imprisoned by the frost. The buds, which were already timidly opening, are deeply wounded. Man tends each shoot, stopping to breathe with nature, bringing her consolation. Only half the buds will survive harvest time, accompanied by the heat of summer.
The vintages
Vitovska is the queen of the Karst. It reigns over rocky vineyards and plots of red earth that are cultivated respectfully by hand, guided by a deep love of nature. Per hectare of land, at an average altitude of 260 meters above sea level, there are 10,500 vines of the native grape variety, trained as bush vines to protect them from the Bora wind that lashes the landscape. Each vine yields 500 grams of grapes, hand-picked using crates during the harvest. Destemmed and crushed, the grapes ferment and macerate without temperature control and without the addition of yeasts, but with several daily punching downs before being placed in the traditional press. The winemaking process is natural: no chemical or physical stabilizers are used, and no enzymes or additives are added. The wine is bottled unfiltered.
1997
Once upon a time, there were old grape vines and a man who remembered the taste of the bunches his grandfather and father had given him as a child. An ancient flavor, yet so familiar. A flavor to be reclaimed, to be expressed in all its richness, and to be rediscovered in a bottle. The drive to pursue a dream and make it a reality comes from afar.
1998
Respecting nature means listening and embracing what it offers. This is a complex year. First, it offers ideal conditions up to two weeks before harvest: the rugged Karst plateau melts into the blue of the sea, glimpsed as you gaze toward the horizon. Then, it showers with heavy rains under a dark sky that recalls the colors of the rock, the repository of millennia of history.
1999
It's a summer of brilliant sunshine, full but never suffocating heat, and rain that falls in appropriate quantities. 1999 is the perfect vintage. The ripe grapes laugh with satisfaction. Nature's mystery is fulfilled. The ancient vines reach their full potential, the old pergolas offer their best in a great season worthy of being framed.
2000
Man, who understands nature, knows when to follow his instincts, which loudly call him to embrace the new. It's time to trust his senses and follow his inspiration. It's the time of the first bush-trained vines, protected by the vigorous blasts of the bora wind that enchants the air on the Karst and sweeps the sky. The cool summer season almost seems to gently encourage the first ripening of the young trees, planted according to orderly and rigorous geometries.
2001
The vision of a specific idea—the dream—that appeared in the beginning is taking shape as reality. It finds fulfillment in a balanced vintage, one that flows by without excess, without shortcomings, and free from unpredictable events, a vintage that finds its natural expression in the measure of things. The climatic balance, the experience gained, the intuition that bears fruit season after season, make 2001 the year of the dream come true.
2002
The beneficial rain that accompanies the growth of the plants, if prolonged, influences production. Nature gives and takes away, fills and empties, in constant movement. The vintage is reduced in quantity due to the rainfall between late July and early August. The Karst is a harsh and hostile land, but Queen Vitovska has the elegant character of one who softens even adversity.
2003
The choice of naturalness leads to not irrigating the soil in which the plants sink their roots. The summer season is scorching and dry, the earth parched, the air dry. Roe deer approach the vines, biting off the bunches to drink from the little the fruit contains. In drought, the plants slow down until they stop, waiting trustingly for more propitious times. Humans learn to do the same and respectfully observe the pause that lush growth takes.
2004
This is a vintage that marks an important transition in growth and evolution. The season is good, the rains are just right, the sun guides the ripening at the right time. For man, it is a fundamental stage of awareness. What the plant has gathered over the months from the Karst soil to distill into the fruit can now express itself fully. This is what makes great wine.
2005
2006
On the rugged heights of the Trieste Karst, the year unfolds under intense heat, reverberating off the rocks. Early August brings heavy rains. The alternating elements guide a production that the winemaker chooses to showcase with two wines: one anchored in the tradition of wood, the other once again in terracotta amphorae.
2007
A bizarre seasonal pattern marked the vintage. The harsh winter was absent, and the mild weather prompted the vines to awaken early. The heat of early July was punctuated by a violent hailstorm, and in late August, hail continued to pound the vines with fury. The larger yields prompted the decision to opt for a single label.
2008
Il mese di giugno è molto piovoso e complica una stagione segnata da difficoltà che pregiudicano l’intera produzione. Anfore e botti restano vuote. Il silenzio si riempie della disillusione e della rabbia dell’uomo, ripiegato su se stesso a cercare la forza di continuare. Per chi crede nel lavoro e nel rispetto dei valori, per chi sa cogliere i messaggi, è il momento di coltivare l’apprendimento più intimo e prezioso, e di crescere come individuo. La natura è maestra di vita.
Non vi sono etichette nel 2008.
È un’annata – per questo – trionfale.
2009
2010
Inside, the man is busily working on the cellar. He's carving out from the Karst rock the space he already sees as a protected temple, a small space of sacredness. Outside, nature seems to gather in silence, observing him. The vintage is delicate, production is limited. It will be the first wine to be vinified in the cellar that is being created, sculpted and shaped with dedication.
2011
May 21st is the day the new winery opens its doors for the first time. The beginning is greeted by the unruly weather, seemingly nature's way of exerting its power within this protected space. The sound of silence, in an aura of sacredness, fills the two circular, interconnected spaces, carved into the karst rock, where nature's elements meet fruitfully. The terracotta amphorae are quietly buried, gathering the energy that permeates the place. The imposing wooden barrels dominate, arranged in a crown. The vintage—beautiful and vibrant, very hot at the end of August—is transforming into a reservoir of great satisfaction.
2012
Winter mockingly admonishes the Karst with endless weeks lashed by the bora, harsh to humans and irreverent to nature. The vines suffer, the tender buds blinded by the icy relentlessness of the air. The wind marks the entire year. A pleasantly breezy and dry spring is followed by summer months that are still very windy and dry. The harvest will be free of excess: the measured response of a newfound balance.
2013
The climate of the year tenaciously searches for a balance it cannot find. The final weeks before the harvest are dry and heavy, and amidst the harshness of the Karst, the vines suffer and feel the impact. They can only defend themselves by ripening unevenly. The character of the harvested grapes is reflected in the wine: it is tested by the drought, hardened in its features like those who have experienced certain harsh experiences of life. Only time can soothe this anger and gradually restore the gentleness of a newfound calm.
2014
Week after week, the man turns his gaze to the sky and, in the distance, to the sea, to read what will happen. The season, however, is unruly: first it leads one to believe that everything can be fruitful and generous, then it reveals the bitter truth by pouring continuous rain. On the horizon, the sea waves do not seem to be an invitation to enjoy the summer, and among the vineyards of the Karst, hardships grip the man and the plants he loves.
2015
Leaving behind some shady and arduous seasons, the vintage presents itself with vigor and vigor, like an adolescent eager to grow. The Karst shines with dazzling beauty, the elements of nature alternate in expert balance, and the vines nourish themselves eagerly and finally satisfied. It is the triumph of well-being and reliability: man revels in the strong natural wisdom that surrounds him.
2016
Nature offers extraordinary joys and comforts the soul, but it also raises fears of possible despair. Humans know this well, and their confidence falters in the face of difficulties during the most delicate moments of growth in the vineyard. June is rainy, and the beginning seems uphill. From July onward, however, the veil of mistrust is torn away: the climate returns and bestows refinement and value on what has survived the critical early season unscathed.
2017
2018
This vintage brings with it a sudden, early awakening after the cold and windy winter. From mild, spring quickly turns impetuous, and the plants reawaken with energy, well before their proper time. The vines blossom in a single day, and man observes with amazement how nature changes from year to year, still offering surprises never before seen by his expert and patient gaze. The great rush is calmed by the late-August thunderstorms that urge us to slow our pace and regain our calm.
.
2019
Humanity has left behind extreme years, marked by massive rainstorms or unexpected weather advances. In the present, it rediscovers the subtle pleasure of balance and thrives on a comforting normality. It is a reassuring time to be free from excess: the beginning of spring, which experiences the dryness born of the recently dissolved winter, then cool, rainy months that joyfully quench the roots in the earth, finally weeks that shine with sunshine and guide, with a sure step, the ripening of the fruits to full maturity.
2020
Around us, the world has stopped in stunned silence, caught between fatalism and fear. Nature outside knows no respite, and the magnificent spring, which brings reassuring relief to a worried humanity, calls loudly to continue the constant and careful work of care and dedication. Summer, amidst clouds and clear skies, projects itself toward an impeccable expression: perfect, healthy fruits that contentedly enclose the joy within each grape and, outside, are caressed by the soft, beneficial care of the sun.
2021
Spring enters the scene with its masks of contrasts. The enveloping warmth of late March is forcefully chased away by an insolent snowfall in early April. The late frost that follows annihilates nature, and a single night will shape the entire year. The sap, which had already begun to flow again, is imprisoned by the frost. The buds, which were already timidly opening, are deeply wounded. Man tends each shoot, stopping to breathe with nature, bringing her consolation. Only half the buds will survive harvest time, accompanied by the heat of summer.
© vodopivec 2025 - Design Ettore Concetti / Graphic Opera - Photo Alvise Barsanti
