At first sight, the Karst Plateau – a rugged, rocky terrain exposed to climatic extremes – may not seem like a particularly fertile part of Slovenia. However, it’s the home of a type of wine that has become one of the country’s proudest brands.

Winegrowing has a long tradition on the plateau – it dates back about 3000 years. According to legend, even the Roman Empress Livia enjoyed Karst wine and died at the ripe old age of 87 because of its healthful properties. In Hapsburg times, Empress Maria Theresa recognized the importance of the local red wine variety by allowing local winegrowers to sell Teran wine for eight days a year without paying tax.

Teran, with its full-bodied flavor, is a reflection of the unique conditions of the plateau: an altitude of 300 meters, a proximity to both the sea and the mountains, patches of red soil among the rocks, and frequent periods of intense sun and strong winds – conditions that can’t be duplicated anywhere else on Earth.

The unique environment is said to result in Teran’s unique health benefits. Rich in antioxidants, it’s famed for supposedly lowering cholesterol and helping to prevent anemia.

Back in 1970, Teran was among the first local products to be protected in what was then Yugoslavia. Protection on the EU level followed in 2004.

Recently, however, Croatia has begun to challenge the unique designation of Slovenian Teran. That country’s winemakers, who use the same variety of grapes to make less expensive wine, also want to use the “Teran” name on the European market. Meanwhile, their Slovenian counterparts insist that the specific conditions of the Karts make Slovenian Teran special; they are determined that the only true Teran is the one produced in Slovenia.

Whatever happens, Teran has become one of the most recognizable products of Slovenia’s southwest – a symbol of both the region’s harsh environment and its ancient traditions.