Richard Stávek
Richard Stávek is one of the pioneers of natural wine in Moravia, starting to produce in the mid 1990’s. Richard is a constant tinkerer and farmer of all sorts. He has begun drying wood staves that were used to make barrels for the world-renowned Austrian barrel-maker, Stockinger. He also makes honey and goat cheese, and farms all sorts of crops, not just grapes. He farms 15-hectares of land, with 4.5-hectares of grape vines featuring some little known indigenous grape varieties, where most of his wines are field blended.
Enjoy a quick introduction story on Richard and his wines
Mladý Boček — Back to the top
Mladý means young, and Boček is the name for this plot. Richard planted these vines in 2012 as an experiment to see how the local grape varieties performed. He has been very pleased with the result from these extremely young vines!
Age of Vines: 4 years old
Yields: 80hl/ha
Soil:Loam with sandstone subsoil
Varieties: 40% Rubinet/60% Sevar
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested and whole bunches are fermented in 400 and 800-liter wood tanks for about 10 days with only indigenous yeast. The grapes are foot stomped after fermentation completes, where it then spend 10 months in elevage in 600-liter barrels, with battonage performed during the first 5 months about 1-2 times per month. The wine has zero sulfur added and is unfiltered and unfined.
Oranžák — Back to the top
Oranžák means orange, for this orange wine made from a field blended vineyard.
Age of Vines: 42-45 years old
Yields: 8hl/ha
Soil: Loam with sandstone subsoil
Varieties: Veltlinske zelene, Veltlinske cervene rane, Ryzlink vlašský, Ryzlink rýnský, Neuburské, Tramín, Muškát moravský, Rulandské bílé, Muller-Thurgau
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested and whole bunches are fermented in 400 and 800-liter wood tanks for about 10 days with only indigenous yeast. Skin maceration takes place for those 10 days of fermentation. The grapes are foot stomped after fermentation completes, where it then spend 10 months in elevage in 600-liter barrels, with battonage performed during the first 5 months about 1-2 times per month. The wine has zero sulfur added and is unfiltered and unfined.
Odmery — Back to the top 
Single vineyard cuvée of old-vine Pinot blanc and Chardonnay with tiny yields – only about a thousand bottles come from this hectare (=2.47 acres).
Grapes: dominantly Pinot blanc with a little bit of Chardonnay (5-15%)
Vineyard: Odměry, 1ha plot on loess. Northern, north-east and east exposure
1 ha. Planted in 1977, farmed organically (certified) by Richard himself.
Making of: Grapes are hand-harvested and whole bunches are fermented in old open-topped barrels for ~20 days with only indigenous yeast. The grapes are foot-stomped after fermentation completes, and the wine then spends 10 months in old 600-liter barrels, with regular batonnage. Little to no sulfur added at bottling, unfiltered and unfined.
Personality: vivid and textural! Beautiful bright orange hue, pronounced mineral notes mingling with citrus fruit and a bit of spice. Great tannic structure and refreshing acidity make this wine a real treat.
Bakon — Back to the top 
This wine is produced from vines that grow wildly on top of trees and some the winery buildings. Richard only makes the wine every 3-4 years because usually most of the grapes are eaten by birds.
Total Production: 450 bottles
Age of Vines: 50 years old
Yields: 20 hl/ha
Soil: Loam with sandstone subsoil
Varieties: Baco Noir (An American-European hybrid grape variety)
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested and whole bunches are fermented carbonically in 800-liter wood tanks for about 1 week with only indigenous yeast. The grapes are foot stomped after fermentation completes, where it then spend 1 months in elevage in 400-liter barrels, with battonage performed during the first 5 months about 1-2 times per month. The wine has zero sulfur added and is unfiltered and unfined.
Cervenisko — Back to the top
Total Production: 400 bottles
Age of Vines: 45 years old
Soil: Loam with sandstone subsoil
Varieties: Blaufrankisch, St. Laurent, Blauer Portugieser, Zweigeltrebe, Andre, Cabernet Moravia
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested and whole bunches are fermented in 500-liter open topped wood tanks for about 10 days with only indigenous yeast. The grapes are foot stomped after fermentation completes, where it then spend 10 months in elevage in 225-liter barrels, with battonage performed about 6 times. The wine has zero sulfur added and is unfiltered and unfined.
Veselý Red — Back to the top
One of Richard’s signature wines, a classical field blend of traditional local red varieties from his tiny old vineyard called Veselý (“merry” in Czech). The yields are naturally low, giving only about 1000 bottles per year.
Grapes: Blaufrankisch, St. Laurent, Blauer Portugieser, Cabernet Moravia, Andre, Zweigelt
Vineyard: Veselý, a 0.3hectare plot planted in the 1980s. Sandy soil, southwest exposure, farmed organically (certified) by Richard himself.
Making of: Grapes are hand-harvested and whole bunches are fermented in open-topped wood tanks for about 14 days with only indigenous yeast. The grapes are foot-stomped after fermentation completes, and the wine then spends 10 months in old barrels of various sizes, with regular batonnage. Zero sulfur added, unfiltered and unfined.
Personality: wine with a beautiful soul. Treat it to some breathing time to let it speak fully and enjoy its evolution in the glass and bottle as the evening progresses…
Veselý Orange — Back to the top
The expression of white varieties growing on Richard’s signature plot, a tiny old vineyard called Veselý (“merry” in Czech) complanted with many locally traditional white and red grapes. The yields are naturally low, giving only about 1000 bottles per year.
Grapes: field blend of Welschriesling, Gruener Veltliner, Traminer, Muller Thurgau, Neuburger, Pinot blanc, Malvasia
Vineyard: Veselý, a 0.3hectare plot planted in the 1980s. Sandy soil, southwest exposure, farmed organically (certified) by Richard himself.
Making of: Grapes are hand-harvested and whole bunches are fermented in open-topped wood tanks for about 14 days with only indigenous yeast. The grapes are foot-stomped after fermentation completes, and the wine then spends 10 months in old 100-, 200- and 600-liter barrels, with regular batonnage. Zero sulfur added, unfiltered and unfined.
Personality: beautiful, serious skin-contact wine that deserves time and focus – decant and enjoy all the taste and structure dimensions unfolding in your glass and mind!
Medovy Muskatek — Back to the top 
The original idea for this wine was inspired by mead (honey+water), but using Muscat juice instead of water. Medový = honeyed in Czech; the amount of honey is tiny and its sugars go through fermentation with the grapes, so the wine remains dry and refreshing, just with an extra flavor dimension.
Grapes: all sorts of Muscat and Muscat-based hybrids such as Moravian Muscat, Muscat Ottonel, Muscat yellow, Muscaris, Muscana, Mery, Bluttenmuskateller
Vineyard: Veselý, Novosády. 0.3 ha in total sandy, clay with south-east, south exposure.
Young vines, farmed by Richard himself, certified organic.
Making of: Grapes are hand-harvested and whole bunches are fermented in open-topped wood tanks for about 7 days with only indigenous yeast and a little bit of local honey. The grapes are then foot-stomped, and the wine then spends 10 months in old 100-, 200- and 600-liter barrels, with regular batonnage. Zero sulfur added, unfiltered and unfined.
Personality: aromatic, floral, juicy, a touch wild and very very fun. Chill well and enjoy on its own or explore the pairing possibilities.
Pet Nat Vol 2 — Back to the top 
Total Production: 1000 bottles
Age of Vines: 7 years old
Yields: 50-60 hl/ha
Soil: Loam with sandstone subsoil
Varieties: Sevar and Rubinet
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested and whole bunches are fermented in 380, 500 and 800-liter open topped wood tanks for about 10 days with only indigenous yeast. The grapes are foot stomped after for a semi-carbonic fermentation. Just before fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred to bottle to finish fermenting in bottle as a pet nat. Zero sulfur added.
Spigle-Bocky — Back to the top 
Total Production: 1000 bottles
Age of Vines: 42 years old
Yields: 2000 bottles/hectare
Soil: Loam with sandstone subsoil
Varieties: Frankovka, Saint Laurent, Blauer Portugieser, Zweigeltrebe
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested and whole bunches are fermented in 350-800-liter wood tanks for about 14 days with only indigenous yeast. The grapes are foot stomped after fermentation completes, where it then spend 10 months in elevage in 600-liter barrels, with battonage performed 6-7 times. The wine is unfined, unfiltered, and has zero sulfur added.
ZWAn — Back to the top 
Total Production: 1000 bottles
Age of Vines: 20 years old
Yields: 50-60 hl/ha
Soil: Loess and loam
Varieties: Zweigeltrebe and André
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested and whole bunches are fermented in 800-liter wood tanks for about 14 days with only indigenous yeast. The grapes are foot stomped after fermentation completes, where it then spend 10 months in elevage in 600-liter barrels, with battonage performed 8 times. The wine is unfined, unfiltered, and has zero sulfur added.
Divy Rysak — Back to the top
Ryšák (= ginger-haired in Czech) is the traditional local name for an old-school style of wine made with both red and white grapes. The skin contact with the white grapes gives the wine a bit of an “orange” character but the red grapes give it a pinkish hue thus the wine drinks like rosé.
Grapes: field blend of many red and white grapes, grown together on several vineyards
Vineyard: blend of different plots around the Němčičky village. Loam, sandy soils with south-east, south, south-west exposure, all farmed organically (certified) by Richard himself. The average age of vines is 45+ years
Making of: Grapes are hand-harvested and whole bunches are fermented in open-topped barrel for about 2–3 days with only indigenous yeast. The grapes are foot-stomped, and the wine then spends 1 year in old acacia barrels of various size, with regular batonnage. Zero sulfur added, unfiltered and unfined.
Personality: wild and tasty! Loads of fruit and juiciness – a rosé that drinks easily, but offers a bit more serious matter for discussion too, up to you…
Varieties: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: 1ha plot of loess/clay, south-west exposure. Planted 2005, certified organic and farmed by Richard himself.
Making of: Grapes are hand-harvested and whole bunches are fermented semi-carbonically in open-topped wood tanks for about 10 days with only indigenous yeast. The grapes are foot stomped and pressed after fermentation completes, and then spend 10 months of elevage in 600-liter barrels, with battonage performed 6 times. The wine is unfined, unfiltered, a bit of sulfur added before bottling.
Ryzlink Vlašský — Back to the top
Single-vineyard Welschriesling from Kolberg, one of Richard’s signature old plots. In vintages that he doesn’t deem great enough to produce the “first wine”, the winemaker chooses to “declassify” it and sell it not as Kolberg, but as a varietal wine instead.
Grape: Welschriesling
Vineyard: Kolberg, Němčičky. 0.4ha plot on loess, southwest exposure. Planted in 1974, farmed organically (certified) by Richard himself.
Making of: Grapes are hand-harvested and whole bunches are fermented in an open-topped barrel for about 10 days with only indigenous yeast. The grapes are foot-stomped, and the wine then spends 10 months in old acacia barrels of various sizes, with regular batonnage. Zero sulfur added, unfiltered and unfined.
BFMB — Back to the top
B.F.M.B. stands for “Black Friday for Mlady Boček” – the 2020 vintage saw a very little yield of the Sevar variety (due to spring rains that affected flowering), so the cuvée sports significantly less of it than usual.
Grapes: Sevar 10%, Rubinet 70%, 20% Bakon
Vineyard: experimental fieldblend, planted in 2012. Sandy slopes of Bočky, Veselý / Němčičky, farmed organically by Richard himself.
Making of: Grapes are hand-harvested and whole bunches are fermented in an open-topped barrel for about 10 days with only indigenous yeast. The grapes are foot-stomped, and the wine then spends 10 months in old acacia barrels of various sizes, with regular batonnage. Unfiltered and unfined, bottled with a tiny bit of SO2.
NB: Richard works with many grape varieties that are not so known in the US. Here is a list of those grape varieties, translations of the names to English and/or their backgrounds (courtesy of the Jancis Robinson Wine Grapes Book):
Rubinet and Sevar: Very recent crosses produced for use in the Czech Republic
Veltlinske Zelene: Gruner Veltliner
Veltlinske cervene rane: Veltliner (not the same as Gruner Veltliner, this is a cross between Roter Veltliner and Silvaner.)
Ryzlink Vlassky: Grasevina (aka Welchriesling) aka Riesling Italico
Ryzlink rýnský: Riesling
Neuburské: Neuberger
Muškát moravský: A variety of Muscat bred for use in the Czech Republic
Rulandské bílé: Pinot Blanc
Frankovka: Blaufrankisch
Svatovavřinecké: Sankt Laurent
Modrý Portugal: Blauer Portugieser (an Austrian red grape)
Cabernet Moravia: a cross between Cabernet Franc and Zweigelt created for use in the Czech Republic
André: A cross between Blaufrankisch and Sankt Laurent created for use in the Czech Republic
Zweigeltrebe: Zweigelt