Wine in theCzech Republic is produced mainly insouthern Moravia, although a few vineyards are located inBohemia. However,Moravia accounts for around 96%^[1] of the country's vineyards, which is whyCzech wine is more often referred to asMoravian wine. Production centers on localgrape varieties, but there has been an increase in the production of established international strains such asCabernet Sauvignon.

The history of Czech wine can be traced back to the Roman Empire's rule in the 2nd century.^[2]

In the 2nd Century CE, theRoman 10th Legion based atVindobona built an extensive outpost near theAmber Road and thePálava Hills in Mikulovská, near the present-day village ofPasohlávky. Around the year 278, the Roman EmperorMarcus Aurelius Probus annulled the edict ofEmperor Domitian that had prohibited the planting of grapes in colonies north of theAlps, and encouraged the planting of new vines in the northern Roman colonies.^{[citation needed]} Modern-day archaeological excavations of the ancient Roman outpost near Pasohlávky have yielded many artifacts, including a vine pruning knife. Wine historians theorize that, during the Roman occupation, theGrüner Veltliner andWelschrieslinggrape varieties may have been introduced to the region.^[3] Viticulture was practiced during theGreat Moravian Empire (833–906), as evidenced by numerous pruning knives and grape seeds unearthed during archaeological excavations ofSlavic settlements.^[4]

Around 875, according to legend, the Great Moravian PrinceSvatopluk sent the Bohemian PrinceBořivoj a barrel of wine to celebrate the birth of his sonSpytihněv. Bořivoj's wifeLudmila sacrificed some of the wine to Krosyně (goddess of the harvest) while making a plea for abundant rain. Her wish came true, the crop was saved and Bořivoj and Ludmila planted the first Bohemian vineyards aroundMělník. Their grandsonSaint Wenceslas later learned how to cultivate vines in these vineyards and make wine. He is honored by Czech winemakers as "Supremus Magister Vinearum" (Supreme Burgomaster of the Vineyards) and every year at the end of September a wine festival is held in Mělník on Feast of St. Wenceslas.

During the 13th century,monasteries helped to establish large vineyard areas which were planted with grape varieties imported fromFrance andGermany. Thevine training and pruning methods of these countries were also adopted. The vineyard groupings made it easier to maintain the vineyards, protect against thieves, and to collect tithe payments and taxes during the harvest.

In 1249,Ottokar II of Bohemia granted the land ofMikulov (then called Nikolsburg) and the surrounding area to the Austrian noble Henry I ofLiechtenstein. Afterward, more vineyards were planted in the Pálava Hills. In 1309, a new set of viticultural and winemaking regulations was established for many southern Moravian villages, based on the application of Bergrecht laws and vineyard rules ofFalkenstein, Lower Austria in the district of Mikulov. For those villages under the jurisdiction of the Falkenstein Bergrecht, Falkenstein served as the Supreme Appeals Court in vineyard disputes. By 1368, Mikulov was one of the largest wine centres in Moravia. In 1414, a large number of the vineyards around Mikulov andValtice were documented in the Liechtenstein Duties Register, later to become the oldest preserved register of the Liechtenstein vineyards.^[4]

TheThirty Years' War (1618–1648) destroyed a significant portion of the vineyards in Moravia, and over the next hundred years they were gradually replanted. In 1763, Austrian vintners askedMaria Theresa to limit new vineyard plantings in Moravia to reduce the competition from Moravian wines. In 1783, the local Bergrecht laws and the activities of the wine regulation court in Moravia were abolished byJoseph II, Holy Roman Emperor and replaced with a new set of vineyard regulations for Moravia.^[4]

Wine academies, dedicated to training capableenologists in the art and science of winemaking, were founded inBzenec (1855),Znojmo (1868), Valtice (1873), Mělník (1882),Lednice (1895), Mikulov (1903) andKlobouky (1921).

The vine pestPhylloxera arrived inŠatov in 1890, Mikulov andDolní Dunajovice in 1900, struckPerná in 1901, and hitHorní Věstonice andBavory in 1902,devastating the vineyards throughout Moravia. Using Phylloxera-resistant rootstock, the vineyards were replanted with quality vines of single varietals.^[4]

The establishment of modern wine laws in the Czech Republic began in 1995 with the enactment of Wine Act No. 115/1995 on viticulture and winemaking practices into the Collection of Laws (Sb). The wine section of theEuropean Union regulations was translated into Czech and subsequently incorporated into the Wine Act. The original draft of the Amendment to the Wine Act also contained provisions for establishing the Czech Wine Fund through Act No. 50/2002 Sb. After the Czech Republic joined the European Union in 2004, the Wine Act No. 321/2004 Sb on viticulture and winemaking practices was adopted, bringing Czech wine legislation into conformity with EU standards.^[4]

Czech wine law (2004) defines two wine-growing regions (Czech:Vinařská oblast). These areMoravia (Vinařská oblast Morava) andBohemia (Vinařská oblast Čechy).^[5]

Wine production in the Czech Republic centers on southern Moravia, particularly around the riverDyje. Four wine growing sub-regions (Czech:Vinařská podoblast) are located here, each named after a major town or region. These sub-regions are:

Wine production intertwined with the local culture made Moravia a key wine tourism destination in Czech Republic. Established in 1999, Moravian Wine Trail is a unique project designed to protect cultural heritage and encourage further development of wine tourism in the region. The trail covers almost 300 towns and villages in the Moravian region inter-connected by a network of cycling routes.^[6]

The CzechNational Wine Centre andWine Salon of the Czech Republic inValtice Castle are located in Moravian wine country.

Bohemia is home to a relatively tiny collection of vineyards^[7] that are among the most northerly in Europe. They are situated around 50° north latitude, the same asWiesbaden in theRheingau. Two defined wine-growing subregions are located in Bohemia:

Small vineyards can be found inPrague,^[8] but they do not produce a significant amount of wine. The top five grape varieties grown in Bohemia areMüller-Thurgau (26% of vineyards),Riesling (16% of vineyards),St. Laurent (14% of vineyards),Blauer Portugieser (10% of vineyards), andPinot noir (8% of vineyards).^[7]

As of 2018, the following wine municipalities were the largest:^[9]

The most commonly grown grape varieties in the Czech Republic, including the approximate percentage of wine produced for each variety, are listed below:

The wine-producing areas of the Czech Republic are well known for theirwine festivals (Czech:vinobraní) which take place aroundharvest time in September. The biggest of these festivals inZnojmo,Mikulov,Brno andMělník will feature samples of hundreds of local wines as well as local music, dancing andcuisine. These wine-festivals take place in big towns apart from the wine-producing areas as well (such asPrague).

Czech wine law classifies wine according to the origin of the grapes and theripeness of the grapes determined by measuring themust weight in the grape juice at the time of harvest.^[5] Sugar content is expressed in units of°NM on the Czecho-Slovak Normalised Must-Weight Scale (Czech:Normalizovaný moštoměr), which indicates how many kilograms of sugar are contained in one hundred litres of grape juice. One degree on the NM scale is equivalent to one kilogram of natural sugar in 100 litres of grape must. Czech wine is typically labeled with its variety, detailed description of its origin, and wine quality attributes. In general, wine produced from grapes with a higher must-weight level and from a single vineyard is considered higher quality.

A Czech wine label will typically specify the wine's origin with one or more of the following terms:

• Vinařská oblast – (Region) e.g.Morava (Moravia)
• Vinařská podoblast – (Subregion) e.g.Velkopavlovická (Velké Pavlovice)
• Vinařská obec – (Municipality)
• Trať – (Vineyard)

A Czech wine label must contain one of the following terms that designates its classification:

1.Jakostní víno s přívlastkem (Quality Wine with Special Attributes)

Wine must originate from a single wine sub-region and the grape varieties, their origin, must-weight levels, and weight must be verified by the Czech State Agricultural & Food Inspectorate (SZPI).Chaptalisation is not permitted.

2.Jakostní víno (Quality wine)

Wine produced from grapes grown in the Czech Republic within a single wine region. Yields must not exceed 12 tons/hectare and must-weight levels must be no less than 15 °NM.

Jakostní víno odrůdové (Quality Varietal Wine)

Wine made from at most three grape varieties

Jakostní víno známkové (Quality Brand Wine)

Wine that is a blend (cuveé) of at least two grape varieties

3.Moravské zemské víno orČeské zemské víno (Country wine)

Wine produced from grapes originating from the Czech Republic, must-weight levels must be no less than 14 °NM.^[10]

4.Stolní víno (Table wine)

Wine produced from grapes originating from any country in the EU. This is the lowest wine category.

In the late 2000s, in parallel with the origin and the composition and quality attributes, system theappellation-based system was introduced - vína originální cetrifikace (VOC, wines of original certification). Following VOCs are certified as of 2019:^[9]

• Winemaking
• Czech cuisine

Wikimedia Commons has media related toWine in the Czech Republic.

• Official Czech Wine Industry Website
• Moravian Wine Information
• Czech Wine Tourism
• Summary of Czech wine industry and further links

• Czech wine
• Czech drinks
• Czech cuisine
• Wine by country

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