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.
Merlot noir is a grape variety that originated in France (Bordeaux). It produces a variety of grape specially used for wine making. It is rare to find this grape to eat on our tables. This variety of grape is characterized by small to medium sized bunches, and medium sized grapes. Merlot noir can be found in many vineyards: South West, Languedoc & Roussillon, Cognac, Bordeaux, Loire Valley, Armagnac, Burgundy, Jura, Champagne, Rhone Valley, Beaujolais, Provence & Corsica, Savoie & Bugey.
red wines from the region of Czech Republic go well with generally quite well with dishes of veal, pork or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of flank steak with shallots in red wine sauce, quiche lorraine or aiguillette of duck normandy style.
On the nose in the region of Czech Republic often reveals types of flavors of red fruit, oak or black fruit and sometimes also flavors of non oak, earth.
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