Klet Brda

Klet Brda is the wine cooperative of Goriška Brda, the hilly wine country in the far west of Slovenia, right on the border with Italy. The word klet simply means cellar, and the cooperative, based at Dobrovo, brings together the grapes of roughly four hundred winegrowing families whose small vineyards cover the hills. It is one of the biggest wine producers in the country and is widely seen as the main face of Brda wine, with a reputation built on consistent quality and on the character of the region's grapes.

Goriška Brda is often compared with Tuscany for its soft hills, villages perched on ridges and cherry and olive trees between the vines. It lies next to the Collio wine area on the Italian side, with which it shares a culture and a climate, and the hills were once part of the same historical region. The soil here is a layered marl and sandstone known locally as ponca, which drains well and gives the wines their minerality, and the warm Mediterranean air meets cooler air from the Alps, giving long ripening seasons.

The signature wine is Rebula, the local name for the grape known across the border as Ribolla Gialla. It produces crisp, fresh and sometimes more structured white wines, and it is the grape most closely identified with Brda. Klet Brda also makes Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Merlot and other red wines, and a range of sparkling wines made by traditional methods. A visit to the cellar usually includes a tasting of several wines in a modern tasting room, with commentary about the winemaking and the vineyards. Larger group visits can include a tour of the cellar itself and the wine-ageing rooms, and staff can explain the differences between lines.

The setting is part of the appeal, with views of terraced vineyards and, on clear days, the Italian plain and the Alps beyond. Dobrovo is also the site of Dobrovo Castle, a Renaissance castle that houses a museum and gallery. Other things to see nearby include Villa Vipolže, the Viewing Tower in Gonjače, the Movia winery, Krčnik and Kotline and the Ščurek, along with the wider Vineyards of Goriška Brda, which can be explored by car or by bike.

Booking is recommended for tastings, especially in the harvest season and on weekends, and designated drivers should plan ahead because tasting involves several glasses. The cooperative suits wine lovers of all levels, couples and groups, and it makes a good base for a longer wine route in Brda. Visitors will find that Slovenia’s wine scene is well represented here. While the Slovenian wine story has many chapters, Brda is a fine place to read one.