St. Martin’s Wines Rides Again!

This year 98 winemakers applied for permission to use the St. Martin’s wines trademark (Svatomartinské víno), supplying a record 310 wine samples for sensory evaluation. On the basis of evaluation by an independent commission, this year 238 St. Martin’s wines from 90 winemakers were approved for release on the market with a total volume of up to 1,750,000 bottles. The most heavily represented of the varietals is Müller Thurgau with 74 samples, followed by St. Laurent with 62 samples, Blauer Portugieser with 51 samples, the varietal Moravian Muscat for the first time this year with 21 samples, Frühroter Veltliner with 18 and the cuvée with 12 samples.

Besides the logo of St. Martin on a horse on the label, another unmistakable identifying mark of St. Martin’s wines is the uniform foil capsule on the neck of the bottle. The manufacturers of the foil capsules are permitted to supply only as many capsules to individual manufacturers of St. Martin’s wines as corresponds to the quantity of St. Martin’s wine produced. This way the Wine Fund of the Czech Republic as the trademark owner keeps control over how much and what kind of St. Martin’s wines are being marketed by which winemakers.

“Consumers also need not worry about the screw tops on bottles of St. Martin’s wines, because they are permitted as well and are able to preserve the wine’s high quality. The important thing is that both kinds of foil capsules bear the ‘Svatomartinské 2010’ inscription,” says Marek Babisz, the chief sommelier of the National Wine Centre, regarding screw tops on St. Martin’s wines, to which some people perhaps still are not accustomed.

The first opening of bottles of new St. Martin’s wines takes place each year on the Feast of St. Martin (11 November) at 11 a.m. at ceremonies in Bohemia and Moravia, in wine bars and in restaurants all over the country. It is also taking place with increasing frequency in homes. The biggest tasting of St. Martin’s wines in the country and the ceremonial toast with the year’s St. Martin’s wines will be held on 11 Nov. starting at 11 a.m. by the Wine Fund of the Czech Republic, once again in Brno at Freedom Square (Náměstí Svobody). You can attend other St. Martin’s events in Bořetice, Kutná Hora, Kyjov, Uherské Hradiště, Židlochovice, Mikulov, Bzenec, Čejč, Hovorany, Hustopěče, Němčičky, Šardice, Vlatice, Velké Pavlovice and Zbiroh, as well as in Prague and many other cities and towns.

As was the case last year, St. Martin’s wines and St. Martin’s celebrations will again reach beyond the borders of the Czech Republic. A St. Martin’s tasting will also take place on 11 November in Bratislava, Slovakia, and this year for the first time, St. Martin’s wines will be opened in far-away Tokyo as well.

St. Martin’s wines are the first wines of the new vintage. These fresh, fruity wines may have matured for only a few weeks, but already by then they will have acquired their distinct character. The winemakers recommend drinking these young wines by Easter, in order for them to keep their pleasing freshness.

The trademark “Svatomartinské víno” was registered in 1995, and since 2005 it has been the property of the Wine Fund of the Czech Republic. This year for the sixth time, the Wine Fund together with the National Wine Centre will be organizing the promotion of these wines under a uniform logo. The “Svatomartinské víno” trademark may be used by all winemakers registered in the Czech Republic that meet all of the strict criteria. The evaluation that served as the basis for the awarding of the “Svatomartinské víno” trademark took place at the National Wine Centre in Valtice on 21 and 27 October.

For more information about St Martin’s wines and winemakers’ events, visit the websites www.wineofczechrepublic.cz and www.svatomartinskevino.cz

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