Czechoslovakia
Since its 1992 break into the countries we know today, the wine scene of the Czech Republic and Slovakia has been on a slow march towards quality and international recognition. Like most Eastern European countries, the vine goes back to at least Roman times and likely earlier, following a similar trajectory to most other European countries (small farms providing wine for themselves and monasteries producing in larger quantities for the church) up until communist rule fractured the pastoral nature of production and commodified vineyardland. Post-Velvet Revolution both countries have implemented quality standards and borrowed heavily from Western European wine knowledge to begin down the path towards delicious wines of place that are now being discovered and spread across the world by enterprising importers, of which Wisconsin luckily has a few! Both wineries featured this month are available to us because of Wisconsin importer/distributors venturing out into these remote wine regions, finding small family operations making wonderful wines and bringing those wines to us here in the midwest. So here's to Jess and Neil of Triglav Wines in Milwaukee and Jeremy Johanski of Swiss Cellars in Madison! Cheers!
Vinné Sklepy Kutná Hora
As detailed information on Czech wine doesn’t go too much further than what I wrote above, Neil kindly provided a nice little rundown of the winery for us:
Based in the historic town of Kutná Hora, the winery has been producing wines for generations. Today, it is guided by winemaker Lukaš Rudolfsky, who has taken the estate in a bold direction: biodynamics. Under his leadership, the winery became the first and only in either the Czech Republic or Slovakia to achieve Demeter certification for both biodynamic farming and winemaking. When we visited in February 2025, it was clear this commitment runs deep. Lukaš explained that they maintain a 100-meter buffer between their vineyards and neighboring farmland or roads, ensuring their vines are shielded from pesticide drift and vehicle exhaust. In the vineyards, he showed us how the surrounding forests slow rainfall, feeding the soils with a steady, clean flow of water.
Inside the cellar, their meticulous standards were just as evident. Before stepping in, we had to spray and clean our shoes—a measure to prevent bacteria or contaminants from entering. Lukaš’s cellar was immaculate, in stark contrast to some we’ve encountered on our travels. We’ve seen everything from pristine, orderly spaces to damp, moldy caves—and we’ll let you guess which tend to produce wines of greater finesse.
Lukaš and his team believe Bohemia is the new Burgundy—so much so that they wear it on their shirts. After tasting, we understood the conviction.
Geonczeol
Headed by Attila Geonczeol, Geonczeol Winery, located in the far south of Slovakia on the Hungarian border, is one of many emerging small wineries producing outstanding fine wines in this tiny central European country. The Lower Garam region they work in is one of the best for winemaking in Slovakia, it straddles the Garam and Ipoly river valleys as they rush down into the nearby Danube, which creates a natural border with Hungary. With the excellent climatic conditions these valleys provide paired with loess soils that are very friendly for grape-growing, Geonczeol is able to work entirely organically in their vineyards and maintain high levels of control throughout the winemaking process. Very few inputs are needed to create exceptional terroir-driven wines from a host of different grape varieties, both international and indigenous. Our white wine this month, Karcsa, is primarily Leanyka, a grape native to this part of the world that gets very little attention but is handled with perfection here. The red grapes they work with are mostly the classic Central European Saint Laurent and Blaufrankisch, with a bit of Dornfelder mixed in.
Back to the Karcsa - this is the premier wine of the estate, only made in excellent vintages. It sees extended oak aging and lees contact to create a wine with serious body and backbone. We had this wine open over the course of an evening and it continued to develop more and more beautifully in the glass each time we came back to it. We plan on aging a handful of these bottles and coming back to them in 5-10 years to see what kind of fascinating stuff happens with this wine.
The Laurentum represents a classic Czechoslovakian style red, fresh and able to pair with a wide range of dishes. The weightier Saint Laurent is opened up with a little bit of Dornfelder, upping its approachability.
These should be four perfect wines to transition us into what looks to be a lovely Northwoods fall - enjoy them and we’ll see you soon!
Vinné Sklepy Kutná Hora - Pinot Noir
Kutná Hora, Bohemia, Czech Republic
The Grapes
100% Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes
Aromatic crushed rose petal and plush red fruit on the nose, very elegant and approachable raspberry and cherry on the palate wrapped up in perfectly balanced tannin and acid. Long finish with the floral aromatics lingering.
Pairing Suggestions
Let’s throw a traditional Czech dish out there: Výpečky, or oven-roasted pork belly bites.
Can it Age?
We could see this wine aging gracefully for a number of years, but it’s drinking quite wonderfully at the moment.
Vinné Sklepy Kutná Hora - Saint Laurent
Kutná Hora, Bohemia, Czech Republic
The Grapes
100% Saint Laurent
Tasting Notes
Rich, heady purple and dark fruit (plum, blackberry) and spicy notes on the nose, these translate to the glass with a touch of black pepper. Subdued acid and integrated tannins make for an enjoyable brambly finish.
Pairing Suggestions
Another traditional Czech dish perfect for the coming fall: Houbový Kuba, or mushroom barley casserole.
Can it Age?
We recommend drinking this one right away!
Geonczeol - Karcsa
Juznoslovenska (Southern Slovakia), Slovakia
The Grapes
50% Leanyka, 30% Welschriesling, 20% Gruner Veltliner
Tasting Notes
Very complex nose with meyer lemon, honeysuckle and hints of barrel aging (cinnamon, clove), layered palate with juicy lemon, fresh herbs, creamy texture, and a little bit of nuttiness in the finish.
Pairing Suggestions
Staying on the traditional theme: Chicken Paprikash’s deep flavor should work perfectly with a complex white like this.
Can it Age?
Yes! We think this wine could age wonderfully for up to 6 years.
Geonczeol - Laurentum
Juznoslovenska (Southern Slovakia), Slovakia
The Grapes
70% Saint Laurent, 30% Dornfelder
Tasting Notes
Fresh, vibrant raspberry and black cherry with a touch of black pepper. More juicy than the previous Saint Laurent due to the inclusion of Dornfelder, a very fruit-forward grape. On the palate the fruit stays front-and-center with a pop of tart cherry and wild raspberry and some heavier earthy aromatics.
Pairing Suggestions
Pork Stew with Spiralled Pasta (we recommend spicy ground pork from Chickadee Hills Homestead)
Can it Age?
Likely for a few years but this is drinking very well right now!
