GG_N50_FR

CZECH REPUBLIC
DISCOVERY
MAŇÁK WINERY: MAGICAL VINEYARDS FULL OF PROMISE
The Czech Republic is only about one-third self-sufficient in wine. This of course has a
significant impact on prices, especially for cheaper wines – a small national winery can
never fully compete with large-scale, cheap imports. The raw material here is simply too
rare for the resultant wine to sell for two or three euros. Winemakers will certainly focus
even more on the production of higher quality wines, which, despite higher production
costs, will be more profitable. The raw material will be more abundant given more efficient
new plantings, and therefore an increase in export interest can also be expected.
CZECH WINES HAVE REACHED MATURITY
AND ARE ON THEIR WAY INTO THE WORLD
Export ambitions are somewhat hamstrung by the very wide range of varieties. However,
this too will undergo considerable changes through new plantings. Winemakers heading
to Western Europe are not the only ones to have started switching their varieties to the
most characteristic and best-suited ones in each region because only high quality, individuality
and uniqueness can bring success faced with extremely strong international
competition. All of this goes hand in hand with a strong emphasis on an environmental
approach to farming and production, including an even higher proportion of resistant
varieties.
Wines from the Czech Republic will be increasingly present in European restaurants
and wine shops and at least elementary knowledge of them will be a prerequisite in
any advanced wine company. The Czech Republic has undoubtedly reached a very solid
level in terms of winegrowing, but its development is far from over. As emerging plans
and visions for the next decades bring new promises, it will be important to follow their
implementation. Watch this space…
WINTER 2022 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
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