Incredibly, it is the Czechs who consider themselves the ancestors of the term "wine". For a long time in the land of Moravia there has been a legend about a cruel pagan ruler, whose name was Hotes. The people, groaning under his oppression, staged a riot and punished the tyrant. Before his death, he raised his hand to the sky and turned to stone. A wealthy and strange merchant passing by put a piece of gold in the statue's hand, which after a while turned into a bunch of grapes. Having learned to make a drink from the fruit, the locals decided that the despot Hotesh redeemed his guilt, and called the fruit of love of the vine and the sun wine.
Alas, no one can confirm the reliability of this legend: it was all too long ago or not. But the wines of the Czech Republic, it turns out, are able to quite adequately compete with the most famous European and world brands.
Born in Moravia
The Czech wine-growing region of Moravia is located farther north than others in Europe, and therefore hardly any thermophilic red varieties are planted here. Slightly more than one percent of all vineyards are devoted to the Cabernet Sauvignon vine, from the fruits of which the wine of the same name and several local ones are obtained. The most famous are "Blue Portugal" and "Zweigltrebe". Moravian red wines have a delicate cherry aftertaste and a deep, intense ruby color. No less famous is the Frankovka red wine from the local variety of the same name.
Czech white wines produced in Moravia are highly competitive in the European market. The white varieties cultivated here are frost-resistant and resistant to pests, and the wines obtained from them are distinguished by their special freshness and delicate fruity notes. Popular brands are Riesling, Müller-Thurgau and Veltinskoe Zelenoe. They are distinguished by perceptible aromas of gooseberry and citrus and light notes of black currant on the palate.
Nevertheless, the main "nails" of the Moravian wine program are the wines "Straw" and "Ice":
- "Ice" wine is made from fruits caught in the first frost. It is distinguished by its extraordinary freshness of taste and amber hue. For its preparation, excellent winemaking skills and a lot of experience are required, because berries that are overexposed even for a few extra minutes in the cold are no longer suitable for making wine. "Ice" wine is uniquely combined with fish dishes and seafood.
- For the production of "Straw" wine, it is required to dry the fruits on reed mats for almost six months, after which the grapes concentrate sugar and extractives. The honey bouquet of aromas and the delicate aftertaste of dried fruits make this Czech wine especially combined with cheeses and game.
