Vinařství Plenér Sylván 2023

In 2016, old friends Dominika Černohorská, a winemaker, and Ivo Marek, an orthodontist, were reunited, and began fulfilling their dream of owning a winery. They purchased vineyards on the slopes of Pálava, at the westernmost edge of the Carpathian Range, which arcs through Eastern Europe.

Here in South Moravia, where 94% of Czechian wine is produced, the duo grow local varieties like Ryzlink-Vlašský, Frankovka, and Sylván, alongside Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling. They tend their limestone soils with a gentle hand, practicing holistic organic viticulture. The wine are bottled unfiltered, with only minimal sulphur added.

Vineyards in Pálava date back to Roman times. After years of repressive communist government, the Iron Curtain fell in 1989, and Czechoslovakia was peacefully disolved into Czechia and Slovakia in 1993. This, and Czechia's subsequent entry into the EU, has sparked a revival of historical grape growing areas, with a wave of passionate young Czech vignerons using modern and traditional techniques to make high quality wine.

Sylván, known as Sylvaner in German-speaking regions, is a high-yielding grape that can produce neutral wines. However, given the right site and careful attention, it can make subtle, textural wines with a distinctive earthy character. The 2023 Plenér Sylván was spontaneoulsy fermented with indigenous yeast, before ageing in stainless steel, and oak barrels with acacia heads, producing a balanced wine with freshness and texture. This wine shows green apple, citrus, and fine herbs.