By Veronika Wills
The Czech Republic is the beating heart of Europe, and the journal of research & art EuropeNow is calling Moravia the emerging wine country. Why have you never heard of Czech or Moravian wines?
For one, their entire annual production x 4 typically gets consumed by local wine lovers before it is “leaked” into the world (pun intended).
Secondly, the Czech Republic & its Moravia region was for decades tucked away behind the Iron curtain, breeding novel grape varieties resistant to environmental pressures and new generations of modern winemakers.
After the Velvet Revolution, the Czech Republic (formerly known as Czechoslovakia) and now also as Czechia began opening its countryside to the West, with Prague dubbed the most beautiful European city, receiving all the attention of the more adventurous globe-trotter. Moravia, the eastern region of the Czech Republic, however, continues to quietly bring its cultural heritage and picturesque charm into the 21st century, connecting all its corners by hundreds of miles of bike trails and picturesque roads spreading all over the rolling hills of Moravian countryside resembling Tuscany landscape allowing for frequent stops at hundreds of quaint wine cellars. Few years after the Velvet Revolution Moravian wine production was transformed into a truly innovative and trendsetting craft with the emphasis on being ecologically sustainable, yet economical.
The time to discover Bohemian - Czech & Moravian wines is finally here. We have chosen unique and never-before imported wines and snatched them away before becoming commercially available to Czech consumers within their country. You are now fortunate enough to have access to these exceptional wines directly through our website www.czechwinesdirect.com
Czechs do know how to brew their beer and play ice hockey, but they also know how to make pure, clean, and fruity wines. Try them out you will not be disappointed!
On our news and blog pages as well as in our newsletter, in a series of articles, we are going to be presenting each wine, grape variety, introducing winemakers and their stories, walking you through wine-making regions and vineyards, advising on food pairings, travel, tasting and much, much more. Visit our site often you won’t be disappointed.
Featured winery: Spevak winery
Spevak winery is a small family winery with a long tradition. It was founded by Ing. Frantisek Spevak in 1993 and has grown into a true family venture.
Frantisek was born and raised in a family of wine-makers, during times when producing wines was allowed for own consumption only (not as a business). He graduated from Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Horticulture where he was fortunate enough to study under Professor Vilem Kraus, an educator, expert, and published author on vini- and viticulture, who truly shaped Frantisek’s visions and directions.
Since he believes that a high-quality wine is born in the vineyard, not the winery, his goal is balanced and sustainable management of his 10ha of vineyards. They utilize a plethora of strategies to consistently meet that goal for each vintage as Frantisek himself explains from within his Cabernet Cortis vineyards in short video here.
They grow 100% of their grapes on their estate located within the Slovacko sub-region of South Moravia – every grape is hand-picked, hand-sorted, and can be traced back to its vineyard. Their impressive portfolio of over 35 grape varieties, produced as different wine styles, is unmatched by any other and reflects their philosophy: just like Josef Bonaparte pioneered the viticulture of Delaware grapes on the US continent, Frantisek pioneers planting of new crossings and hybrids in his vineyards while saving noble grapes varieties, including Delaware, which are sometimes long forgotten, to preserve their genetic material and phenolic properties for generations to come.
Spevak signature wines are refreshing, playful, drinkable, yet expressive. And above all, of the highest quality. Every batch is limited to about 1000 bottles. Each bottle is inspected, hand-labeled, and numbered to track the batch size. You can learn more about Spevak winery, its philosophy, vines, and wines here.
After Frantisek visited Massachusetts in 2019 he curated a series of Moravian cuvées and varietal wines dedicated to the American wine lover. While in Massachusetts during many wine tastings with his friends and family, when range of various styles and types of wines were served, he quietly took mental notes of what the typical American consumer tends to gravitate towards. Upon his return back in his winery, he curated limited size batches dedicated to the taste buds of US consumer. Now we are proudly presenting these wine gems to you, and based on the feedback we received so far, he got it just perfect!
Moravian Whites by Spevak Winery:
- Chardonnay 70%, Vesna 30%
- Pinot blanc 100%
- Rivaner 100%
Moravian Rose by Spevak Winery:
- Cabernet Cortis 100%
- Blaufrankisch 100%
Moravian Red by Spevak Winery:
- Cabernet Cortis 70%, Merlot 20%, Dornfelder 10%
Visit our news page to read more about each one of these innovative wines.
Note:
If you want to understand Czech and Moravian wine, visit the source. Now it is easier than ever. You can discover Moravian wines, vineyards, and wineries with Paths Less Travelled during one of their meticulously designed Vineyards, Castles, and Countryside tours launched in 2022.
Na zdravi!
