Ipša
Oprtalj-Portole
The small boutique winery Ipša can be found in the village of Ipša at the foot of the picturesque Oprtalj, with a view over the Motovun forest, one of the most important European white truffle habitats. Truffle hunting with the help of specially trained dogs was the first job the young and enterprising Klaudio started doing. When the Istrian "revolution" of extra virgin olive oils began at the beginning of the century, he and his wife Irena began to restore the old plantations on the steep terraces near the village, but also to plant new ones. The wine story began when their son Ivan decided to follow in the footsteps of his parents and stay on the family estate. From the beginning, their role model were the aged and macerated wines produced by their friend Giorgio Clai. Their vineyards are located in Santa Elena and Oprtalj, the highest areas in Istria, located at over 420 metres above sea level. They are present on the market with six labels, and from the range they grow Istrian malvasia, pinot gris, teran and refošk.
