While the Czech Republic is a country more internationally renowned for its beer, it feels sometimes as if its enormous beer success has somewhat overshadowed knowledge about its wine industry, which really feels very capable of producing something very special with a reputation for well rounded full and fruity wines with an often smooth sweetness. While over 90% of the country’s wine is produced in southern Moravia (the Czech Republic features three historical regions, namely Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia), you can find it in wine bars and shops all over the country, along with vineyards within Prague itself.
The majority of wines produced in Moravia are white varieties (the top three being Müller-Thurgau, Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling) and local varieties have flourished in the country for over a thousand years. Viniculture was introduced to the area in the 3rd century – long before beer was produced in the area – after the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus allowed for wine cultivation north of the Alps, launching a cultural institution that remains very important to the country (St Wenceslas himself even grew wine), as any visit to one of its wine festivals in September will show you. In fact, there’s even a Czech white variety called Aurelius – one we had was crisp and apply, with a delicate sweetness to it.
The country also produces a good selection of reds, with the most popular being the St. Laurent, Blaufränkisch and the Zweigelt, although Blauer Portugieser is also commonly grown with a rich, full and well-balanced red fruit jam taste. Also, if looking for a good deal, check out their sparklers – we tried a sparkling Czech red that was comparable to a sweet Lambrusco. Other types of wine to look out for in the country are ledové víno (ice wine), slámové víno (straw wine) and burčák – a type of still fermenting wine commonly served throughout the country during the wine harvest.
Two bits of advice, don’t let the marvel of Czech beer blind you to its wines and don’t underestimate Czech wines. Czech wine culture is remarkable and has its own unique characteristics wine-lovers and travellers alike will love exploring. You can read our basic guide to Czech beers here and our Prague foodie guide here.
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