The Czech Republic, the western half of the former CzechoSlovakia, is better known for its beer than its wine. However, it produces both in respectable quantities.
Czech wine production flourished in the early years of the 21st century. The government offered large subsidies for planting NewVineyards and modernizing obsolete wine-making equipment.
These measures, which were Part of the country's preparation for EU membership in 2004, were managed by the new Wine Fund of the Czech Republic.
Since then, the Czech wine industry has made considerable progress in terms of quality and quantity. Czech wines now compete in (and win) wine competitions throughout Europe and the United States. In 2011, for example, the country's contingent at the San Francisco International Wine Competition won 80 medals, led by a Grape/sauvignon">Sauvignon Blanc from Moravia that won the category.
Wine production in the Czech Republic is divided into two distinct worlds. The Moravian wine country in the Southeast is prolific and densely planted. Bohemia, in the Northwest, is characterized by smaller, more traditional family vineyards. The fragmented vineyards of Bohemia are located north of Prague in the Litomerice and Melnik regions.
Pinot Gris is a grey grape variety mutated from Pinot Noir. It has its origins in Burgundy, where it is called pinot-beurot in reference to the colour of the grey robes worn by the monks of the region. Established in Alsace since the 17th century, pinot gris was called tokay until 2007. It is made up of bunches of small berries that vary in colour from pink to blue-grey. It is particularly well suited to the continental climate because it is resistant to the cold in winter and to spring frosts. This variety also likes dry limestone soils with plenty of sunshine in the summer. Pinot Gris is well suited to late harvesting or to the selection of noble grapes, depending on the year and the concentration of sugars in the berries. Pinot Gris wines are distinguished by their aromatic complexity of white fruits, mushrooms, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, etc., and their great finesse. In the Loire Valley, pinot gris is used in the Coteaux-d'Ancenis appellations. It gives dry or sweet wines with pear and peach aromas.
red wines from the region of Czech Republic go well with generally quite well with dishes of lamb, pork or mature and hard cheese such as recipes of lamb tagine with preserved lemons and onion compote with..., flamenkuche express or my godmother's sausage salad.
On the nose in the region of Czech Republic often reveals types of flavors of non oak, oak or red fruit and sometimes also flavors of spices, tropical fruit or black fruit.
