The wine drinking scene in the UK is changing. We are becoming more accepting of wines from countries and regions that we have had little or no awareness of previously. One of those countries that few of us knew produced wine is the Czech Republic.
Having visited there fleetingly some 20 years or so ago, I knew it as a white wine production country, but it has much more deep rooted features to it than we in the UK might have previously known.
Tourism has been growing in the state, with many tourists visiting Prague, the old Bohemian capital and centre of Europe at various times.
This is particularly interesting in Czech because its more public relationship with alcohol has been beer – especially the original Budweiser Budvar from Budejovice and the Pilsner Urquell from Pilsen, their respective towns.
This nomenclature belies a Germanic undertone of the state and its set up, one which is followed in the wine production industry. Wine naming is described by a hierarchy of origin – ‘wine’, ‘regional wine’ and ‘quality wine’, ‘quality varietal’ wine’ and ‘quality branded wine’ and ‘quality predicate wine’. Mostly they want to sell the last and highest quality.
The wines are also described by when the grapes were picked. So terms like ‘late picked’, ‘Auslese’ (grape selection), selection of berries, ice wine (wine picked when frozen), straw wine (berries dried on straw mats) and selection of raisins.
Most of these categories from Auslese are tending towards sweeter styles and can be utterly mind-blowingly delicious, but we don’t drink much of them.
Like beer, wine has been made there for many centuries stretching back to Roman times. In particular during the 13th century monasteries helped increase the vineyard plantings significantly importing vines from France and Germany.
Most of the vineyards are in the southerly Moravian region of the country, leaving just 4% in the northerly Bohemian wine region. The former is close to Brno, the city of the South and about 120 miles from Prague. It has its own direct from UK flights, so if vineyards are what you are after then access is easy.
The varieties planted are 65% white and 35% red. The pleasant, but undistinguished Muller Thurgau vies for biggest plantings with Veltlinske Zelene (known as Gruner Veltliner – a popular Austrian white variety) and smaller plantings of Riesling (Ryzlink Rynsky) and Welschriesling (formerly known as Laski Riesling, Ryzlink Vlassky in Czech) and small plantings of Sauvignon and a pleasant native variety Palava.
Reds are dominated by an old French variety St.Laurent (Svatovavfinecke), which is no longer seen in France, Frankova (Blau Frankisch in Germany) and Zweigeltrebe, Rulandske Modre (Pinot Noir to you and me).
The names don’t endear themselves to a modern British audience perhaps, but the wine styles should do. With a very broad stroke the whites when produced even as ‘late picked’ have less than 5 grams/litre sugar and are therefore pretty dry. They are lightly aromatic, not generally high in alcohol and very pleasant to drink. The Auslese plus styles are excellent for desserts, cheeses and provide points of difference.
The reds are lighter in style, light in colour and along the lines of Pinot Noir.
So let it be known that this column is leading the charge for consumer wine interest following the tourism. There is plenty of reason to go to both Prague and the overlooked Brno. The latter is a student city with micro breweries, café and club scene and two of the countries best restaurants.
The language might be a little difficult for us Brits but the wine is not. Very drinkable and is some ways outstanding look out for some Czech wines and make a point of difference to your establishment.
This column unapologetically and repeatedly has pointed to the entertainment factor of wine in hospitality. Czech wine is another shard in the colourful kaleidoscope of wine list creation.
Alistair Morrell
Hospitality & Catering News, Wine & Drinks Editor