Porta Bohemica
Photos by www.weare.cz
Quick facts:
Location: Velké Zernoseky, Northern Bohemia, Czech Republic
Owner & Winemaker: Ales Svatos and his wife Simona
Vineyard Area: 4.43 hectares, estate-owned
Vineyard management: practicing organic
Soils: Calciferous alluvial sediment, volcanic basalt
Main varieties: Muller-Thurgau, Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Saint Laurent
Winemaking: Manual harvest, spontaneous fermentation only. No fining, no filtration, little to no SO2 at bottling.
Annual production (approx.): 8,000 bottles
Fun facts:
- Before his recent retirement, Ales used to work as a scientist, working on etological/chemical research at the Max Planck Institute in Jena, Germany.
- The winery started in 2008 as a hobby project, when looking for a new passion for his “second career”. Aleš got lucky and found a tiny wood cabin surrounded by a small vineyard and a fantastic view of the valley of the Elbe river beneath
- This small estate lies in a picturesque national reserve called Porta Bohemica, “the Door to Bohemia”, a very unique hilly landscape of ancient (inactive) volcanos, forests and vineyards surrounding the meandering river, just north of the Czech capital of Prague.
- Ales’s wife Simona is a French teacher and a big lover of French culture and food, meaning that, when harvesting with or visiting them, you’re always in for a tasty treat prepared by her!
Enjoy a quick introduction story on Aleš, his beautiful place and wines
Muller Thurgau — Back to the top
Total Production: 2000 bottles
Age of Vines: 40 years old
Soil: Calciferous Alluvial Sediment
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested and destemmed, and ferment with indigenous yeast in 2000-liter open topped stainless steel tanks. The wine remains in contact with the skins for 2 days, and is then pressed and racked and remains in the stainless steel tanks for about 10 months of elevage on the lees. The wine is bottled without filtration or clarification, with an addition of a minimal dose of sulfur.
Pinot Gris — Back to the top
Total Production: 300 bottles
Age of Vines: 15 years old
Soil: Calciferous Alluvial Sediment
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested, pressed and fermented in 500 liter fiberglass tanks for about 2 weeks without temperature control. The wine is moved to 225 liter used wooden barrels for about 12 months of elevage. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered and has zero addition of sulfur.
Charpin — Back to the top
Total Production: 600 bottles
Age of Vines: 10 years old
Soil: Calciferous Alluvial Sediment and volcanic soil from basalt
Varieties: 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested, pressed and fermented in 600 liter fiberglass tanks for about 2 weeks without temperature control. The wine is moved to 225 liter used wooden barrels for about 12 months of elevage. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered and has zero addition of sulfur.
Pinot Noir — Back to the top
Total Production: 600 bottles
Age of Vines: 15 years old
Soil: Calciferous Alluvial Sediment
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested, pressed and fermented in 225 liter used barrels for about 2 weeks without temperature control. The wine rests in barrel for 22 weeks after fermentation is complete. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered and has zero addition of sulfur.
Müvé — Back to the top
Varieties: 80% Muller Thurgau, 20% Pinot Noir
Age of Vines: 15 years old
Soil: Calciferous Alluvial Sediment
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested, pressed and fermented in 1000 liter open topped barrels with 2 hours maceration on the pinot noir skins. The pinot noir and muller is combined after 4 weeks and then bottled with some unfermented juice to continue the bottle fermentation to finish as a petnat. The wine is unfined, unfiltered, and has zero sulfur added at bottling.
Tramin Orange — Back to the top
Varieties: Gewurtztraminer
Age of Vines: 15 years old
Soil: Calciferous Alluvial Sediment
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested and macerate on the skins for 4 months in 600 liter open topped barrels. The wine spends 11 months on the fine lees in 225 liter barrels and is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with a small addition of sulfur.
St. Laurent — Back to the top
Varieties: St. Laurent
Age of Vines: 15 years old
Soil: Calciferous Alluvial Sediment
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested, destemmed and pressed. The wine ferments on the skins with manual punchdowns 3 times a day in 600 liter open topped barrels. The wine spends 11 months in 225 liter barrels and is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with a small addition of sulfur.