This month I attended the Meet the Winemakers: Czech Wine Masterclass at the Czechia Embassy in Washington, D.C. I arrived a complete novice regarding that Central European county's geography as well as the major viticulture characteristics. A few hours later, I left with a considerably greater understanding and appreciation for the Czech wine industry.
Czechia can be divided into two major regions, Bohemia and Moravia. Bohemia forms the historic western heart of the Czech lands, long centered around Prague with more forests and mountainous terrain. This beer centric region plays only a small part of Czech wine production. On the other hand, Moravia, to the east, developed independently with its own identity distinguished by vineyards planted in fertile plains and rolling hills. And their winemaking tradition stretches back to the Roman era, when viticulture was introduced near today’s Pálava Hills. 
In other words, Moravia is the Czech Republic's viticultural engine responsible for 96% of Czech wine production. The region sits along the 49th parallel, sharing a latitude with Alsace and Champagne. It also resides at the intersection of Pannonian warmth and Central European coolness which helps explain its hallmark style: high‑acid, aromatic wines shaped by warm summers, cool autumns, and slow ripening. Vineyards typically lie between 240–320 meters in elevation and the soil is a mosaic of loess, limestone, sand, and ancient seabed deposits. Moravia can be divided into four subregions with this information provided by VisitCzechia.- Znojmo — Known for aromatic white wines, especially Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Welschriesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. Gravelly soils and cooler conditions favor freshness and spice. Red wines are less common but respected in areas like Dolní Kounice. Znojmo city anchors the region with historic cellars and wine museums.
- Mikulov — Dominated by the limestone massif of Pálava, this is one of Moravia’s most distinctive terroirs. It excels in Welsch Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, and the local aromatic cross Pálava. The town of Mikulov is a cultural and wine hub, home to festivals and historic wine presses.
- Velké Pavlovice — Among the sunniest areas in the Czech Republic, producing ripe, fruit‑driven wines. Sandy soils support both whites and reds, with Blaufränkisch and Saint Laurent performing particularly well. It is also one of the largest vineyard zones in Moravia.
- Slovácko — The most vintner‑dense subregion, spanning South Moravia and the Zlín Region. Its varied soils and microclimates allow for a broad mix of varieties, and its villages preserve some of the region’s strongest folk and cellar traditions.
The Masterclass featured wines from each of these regions as well as one from Bohemia and was curated by sommelier Marek Broš -- one of the leading figures on the contemporary Czech food and wine scene. Winemaker Roman Fabig (FABIG Vinařství) presented information on the wines that are available through Petra Červená's Wine of Czech Republic. Then, Veronika Spevakova (Wills International) poured a couple Vinařství Spěvák wines from the Slovácko subregion. After a general presentation on the wines and regions, a select set of wines were paired with a fantastic five course meal prepared by the embassy's highly esteemed chef. We were also able to sample the wines using exceptionally thin, durable, and hand blown stemware from Květná 1794. This is one of the oldest continuously operating glassworks in Central Europe, founded in 1794 by Prince Alois I of Liechtenstein in the beech‑forested borderlands of Strání near the Slovak frontier. It is a day long process to craft one glass and at times requires the services of twelve craftsman. Thank you to the Embassy for organizing this tremendous opportunity to discover Czech wines.
Fabig Winery (Hustopeče, Velké Pavlovice, Moravia)Founded in 2011 in Hustopeče, Fabig is a young estate built around a singular focus on Sauvignon Blanc. Winemaker Roman Fabig farms organically and emphasizes reductive, precise winemaking to protect site expression. He produces wines known for clarity, tension, and long‑term aging potential. The winery sits in one of Moravia’s historically important vineyard towns, with vineyards spanning sand, sandstone, and claystone soils that shape the stylistic range of his dozen plus Sauvignon‑based portfolio. Two of these were the Sauvignon Blanc Sahara 2023 and Sauvignon Blanc BIG 2023.
The Sahara refers to a limestone dominant single vineyard site near the Austrian border on the Pálava hill, Pavlov village; a terrain drastically different than their home estate in Hustopeče. This is a very herbaceous wine with racy minerality lines with lemon zest. The BIG is a blend of the best grapes from three single vineyard plots fermented and matured in oak for 11 months. It has a much bigger mouthfeel with layers of citrus laced with minerals.
Sonberk Winery (Popice, Mikulov, Moravia)Sonberk stands on a vineyard site cultivated since at least the 13th century, historically prized for its south‑facing slopes overlooking the Pálava Hills in the Mikulov subregion. Founded in 2003, the modern winery was built in 2008 and is recognized as one of Czechia’s first examples of contemporary wine architecture. Sonberk farms roughly 40–45 hectares on loess soils and produces acclaimed whites - especially Riesling, Pálava, Traminer, and Sauvignon - known for expressive fruit, minerality, and sustainable vineyard practices. One of these practices is lining the individual rows with meadow belts, which help retain water and attract beneficial insects.
During the evening we tasted two expressions of the local hybrid, and terroir named, Pálava - a variety developed in Moravia by Josef Veverka from a crossbreeding Gewürztraminer and Müller-Thurgau. Imagine the aromatics in these wines. And expect a future Grape Spotlight post. We started with the 2024 Pálava, their everyday offering that besides the strong floral aromas shows tropical notes such as guava and peaches within a surprisingly fuller body. Expect minerality racing through the finish. The second expression was the Pálava 2024 VOC which shared similar traits as the previous with additional spice and texture from the oak treatment.
THAYA, located near Hnanice on the edge of Podyjí National Park, is a modern estate that benefits from the cooling influence of forest terrain and the Dyje/Thaya River. The current operation opened in 2022, but the winery continues the legacy of the earlier Trávníček & Kořínek estates. THAYA farms about 105 hectares in the Znojmo subregion, producing fresh, aromatic whites - notably Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Gruner Veltliner, and Sauvignon Blanc - with a mineral driven style defined by granitic and loess‑clay soils, high acidity, and slow ripening. We saw this in action with theirsingle vineyard 2023 Pinot Blanc. The wine starts with a floral spruce and herbaceous aroma followed by a textured mouthfeel as a result of an oak treatment stressing older barrels augmented by 30% American oak. The racy minerality and acidity lifts the wine and provides a lasting finish.
The Springer family’s winemaking roots date to 1807, and today the estate in Bořetice focuses on organically grown, low‑yield Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from south‑facing loess and clay‑loess vineyards. The estate vineyards were certified organic in 2007 and the winery is known for its unfiltered, terroir‑driven reds. The historic Čtvrtě and Záhebenské vineyards contribute to the winery’s reputation for elegant, cool‑climate Moravian expressions. Both vineyards are planted with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir where the vines were sourced directly from France. The cool nights and moderately warm days provide a long period of ripening.
We tasted two expressions of Pinot Noir, the 2023 Pinot Noir and 2023 Pinot Noir Roučí. The first comes is derived from grapes harvested from both vineyards and shows sour cherries throughout intermingled with herbaceousness and a soft earthy complexion. A very easy drinking lovely wine. The Roučí comes from the Čtvrtě vineyard and is a delicate wine, plum and cherries with slight spice firmed by approachable tannins. Another fantastic offering.
Venturing into Bohemia, this is a biodynamic, family‑run winery dedicated to reviving one of Bohemia’s oldest wine regions, where viticulture is documented as early as 1101. In fact, Kutná Hora is a UNESCO‑listed medieval town where monks have been growing grapes since the 12th century. The winery was founded in 2002 by Stanislav Rudolfský, with his son Lukáš assuming management three years later. They are the first and only fully certified biodynamic winery in the Czech Republic; not bad for the second largest winery in Bohemia.
At the Masterclass, we started with their Great Little Chapel 2023 - a cuvee of Pinot Gris and Chardonnay from the Nad Kapličkou vineyard in Kutná Hora. From the winery, "this vineyard is located below Kaňk hill in Kutná Hora and was planted in 2011. The soil consists of well-watered brown earth with calcareous sediments of the Mesozoic sea". Strong aromatics lead into tart then creamy stone fruit with slight spice and a mineral driven finish. Later, we enjoyed their Kutná Hora Pinot Noir 2022 paired with roasted duck breast. The grapes were grown at the Všech svatýchis vineyard located on the southern slope of Sukov hill in Kutná Hora. The soil profile here is shallow, in places we find only 10 cm of soil, under which is rocky bedrock formed by gneiss. All Kutná Hora red wines are fermented in open vats, then aged for at least one year in French oak barrels. The wines are then bottled without filtration, sometimes directly from the barrel. Expect a slight mint aroma with earthiness and pleasant tannins on the palate. Savor this one slowly.
This is a family‑run estate that operates several vineyards within Slovácko, most situated in the Lower Morava Valley, with a diverse planting of over 30 grape varieties. The winery originated behind the Iron Curtain as a family vineyard for Frantisek and Marie Spěvák while Frantisek worked as a head agronomist at a large co-op. As a bonus, he was fortunate enough to study under Professor Vilem Kraus, an educator, expert and published author on viticulture at Mendel University in Brno. Following the Velvet Revolution (1989) and the legalization of private business establishment (1990), Vinařství Spěvák became fully licensed and official the same year as the dissolution of Czechoslovakia -- 1993. Over the next 20+ years, two sons David and Frantisek Jr., graduated from the Vocational Viniculture School in Valtice and returned to help manage the winery's operations.
Veronika Spevakova presented two Spěvák wines that showcased the age worthiness of their production methods. I discussed their Cabernet Cortis 2017 in an earlier Grape Spotlight post and am impressed with its vibrant acidity elevating the layers of black forest fruit coated in dark chocolate. Plus the firm yet approachable tannins. Their Riesling 2021 was extremely fresh and vibrant with ripe stone fruit and noticeable minerality.
