Between the pipes and the vines: When MND leaders also lead the vineyard
This report brings you the first part of the interesting winemakers who work in our group. We start in Čejkovice, where father and son, Jiří and Petr Št'avík, cultivate their lines. Petr works in MND as the head of the mechanical department and Jiří is the manager of the Dambořice storage facility.
They devote their free time to vines, they have a total of 0.65 hectares and an annual production of three to five thousand bottles. Of course, we met in their cellar where, after a short tour, we sat down to talk about everything related to wine.
Jiří belongs to the fourth generation of winemakers from his family living in Čejkovice. His great-grandfather was a founding member of the Templar Cellars wine cooperative in the 1930s, which is now very well-known, as its wine is encountered by customers in practically every supermarket. However, this is not the ambition of most local winemakers, who produce wine artisanally and in small volumes. Just like father and son Juice. Their wine can be tasted almost exclusively in their cellar, where they organise tastings, and also at festivals in Čejkovice. Readers of Report now also have the opportunity to win their wine in a mystery at the end of the magazine.
"Even though it's not easy, we continue the tradition somehow. If Jirka hangs it up one day, I won't be angry. It's very time consuming and it's just farming. You're at the whim of the weather and you're tied to the land. Everyone has a romantic view of it, but it's hard work," says Peter.
May, when we meet, is still relatively quiet. Later, it gets hectic. There are activities that have to be done at a certain moment and as quickly as possible.
"We always have to agree within the family on who is going to do what. The plans for the weekend are then clear. June and July are the busiest. We only take on part-timers for vintage or bottling, we couldn't do that within the family," says Petr. He plans to retire in three years, so he will have more time for the vineyard. But it's a physically demanding job that can't be done indefinitely.
Both Šťavíks are, of course, very busy. "You have to have a love for the wine, otherwise we would have given up a long time ago," Jiří emphasises. Of course, there were times in his youth when he didn't consider working in the vineyard to be his favourite activity, but there were bright sides. "A side effect of working in the vineyard was that I had the keys to the cellar from the age of 16...," he laughs. "But of course I wondered from time to time if I wanted to continue. The final decision was made when I finished college and we were talking about what to do next. In the end, we decided that my dad and I would do it together," he adds.
They have wine on two sites, for a total of 2,300 heads. They grow a variety of varieties, six whites and three reds. They also make a frizzante from one white. "It's such an asset of South Moravia that it offers a whole range of varieties." Petr emphasises.
None of the Šťavíks have a wine education, practical knowledge is passed down from generation to generation. Just as they have for centuries before. And judging by the number of diplomas and awards they receive for their wines, they do it well. They have won several times at the MND basket. Their wines have also won the title of champion of the variety at the competition in Čejkovice. "That was probably the biggest success, because over a thousand samples are exhibited here," says Jiří proudly.
Wine is simply part of the culture and tradition of South Moravia and its quality has gone up tremendously here. "We are able to compete with Austria, Germany and France in white wines. And good wine can be made even in an amateur environment, you just need to give it enough care and love," adds Petr Št'avík.
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