Wines from the Czech Republic are a "secret" no more.
Do you know that a Czech wine was selected “Best White Wine” at the prestigious 2014 San Francisco International Wine Competition?
It seems the cat is out of the bag when it comes to the quality and character of these delicious wines from Eastern
Europe, thanks to the Petr Vacenovský 2013 Riesling winning double gold and best of show at the competition.
Now, it used to be when I thought of this historic nation, I would think of handcrafted crystal, intricate garnet jewelry,
Now, it used to be when I thought of this historic nation, I would think of handcrafted crystal, intricate garnet jewelry,
a treasure-trove of culture and architecture, and of course Pilsner, but after having an opportunity to try a selection of
Czech wines, I can now add vino to the list.
photo; Juan de Vojnikov/wikimedia
Viticulture and wine are nothing new to this region of the world. Like many parts of Europe, the Romans brought the
vine to the area and are credited with introducing Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling which are still grown today. During
the Middle Ages, the industry really took hold mostly due to the power of the monasteries. Importing grapes from France
and Germany, they began to establish vineyard designations and winemaking rules as far back as 1309. Although the
territory was conquered and occupied over the centuries, vineyards here supplied wines for the aristocracy of Europe
until phylloxera destroyed much of the vines at the turn of the 19th to 20th century.
photo credit: wineandvinesearch.com
Today, the Czech Republic has a small but thriving wine industry. The majority of the vineyards (96%) are located in the
southern region of Moravia (Mo-RAY-vee-ah) which is just north of the well known Austrian wine region, Weinviertel. A
small number of vineyards may be found in the northern region of Bohemia which is on the same latitude as the
Rheingau area of neighboring Germany.
The nation itself is landlocked and the terrain is predominately rolling hills, with the White Carpathian mountains sheltering
The nation itself is landlocked and the terrain is predominately rolling hills, with the White Carpathian mountains sheltering
the wine regions of the south. Soil types range from rich dark clay to gravel, marl and limestone.
There are are about 18,000 winemakers in the country - many of them extremely small with production of only a few
There are are about 18,000 winemakers in the country - many of them extremely small with production of only a few
barrels - continuing the age old traditions of local winemaking. They make wines for their own palates - bone dry and full
of crispy minerality with hints of spiciness. It’s not uncommon to see a group of local winemakers getting together on a
Saturday afternoon to sip and critique each other's product.
The majority of production is white wine - around 60% - with red and rosé making up the balance. With larger producers
looking to export more of their product, they are now producing wines from dry to off dry as well as the popular sweet,
dessert "straw wines." (For more on this wine style, click here)
Many of the grapes grown here are familiar names:, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Cabernet
Many of the grapes grown here are familiar names:, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Cabernet
Sauvignon. Just as fabulous, but perhaps not household names (yet!) are: Müller-Thurgau, Blaufränkisch (Frankovka),
St. Laurent (Svatovavnnecké) and Welschriesling (Ryzlink Vlassky).
A system of quality designation, based on the French AOC and Austrian DAC, regulates things such as where the grapes
are grown, hand harvesting, oak barrel usage, alcohol levels and many other factors. This ensures that the wines labeled
with a regional VOC (Vina Originální Certifikace) mark have a guaranteed level of quality and reflect the best attributes of
Czech wines.
 Our hosts Vojtěch & Barbora are great ambassadors
tfor the Czech Republic
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Our hosts for this wonderful tasting were Vojtěch
Kacerovský and Barbora Skokanová, both of the
Czech Tourism Board.
The majority of the selections were from the Vino z Czech (or Wines of Czech), which is the leading
US importer of wine from Moravia. Every wine is
selected by top Czech sommeliers to showcase the
best the country has to offer and to highlight the
typicity of the region.
The focus, according to Vojtěch, is on wines that compliment food and, like any of our Wine
Review Council tastings, that is something
that is never in short supply!
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 Walnut baklava & ginger cookies
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 Fresh sushi
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Spicy crab salad
 Persian-style dolma with dill and
creamy Brie
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There’s a distinctive feature that can’t go unnoticed - the absolutely captivating labels on the Vino z Czech vintages.
Every one bears artwork by the famous Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha. These sensuous depictions of female
beauty are not only eye-catching, but also reflect the artistic integrity of the wines themselves. (For more on the Art Nouveau movement in the Czech Republic, see below)
Spicy Grüner VeltlinerOur first wine was the Grüner Veltliner Michlovský 2011 ($16) - Fragrant dried apricot, sweet grass and white pepper
with ripe red apple and lemon balm on the palate - showing a slight hint of effervescence. Clean and minerally, it
paired well with a spicy crab salad and the bacon-and-onion tart.
Wine & food - perfect!
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