(Manfred Klimek / Editorial team)
Natural wines no longer need a justification. They need context. And that is precisely what Moravia is currently providing like hardly any other region in Europe. Between Znaim/Znojmo, Mikulov and the hills of Kraví Hora, a wine-growing landscape has been taking shape over the past ten to fifteen years; one that was not born out of protest against conventional, industrial wines, but out of a desire for precision in the new, curiosity and a remarkable joy in drinking. Natural wine not as a counter-model, but as something truly unique in its own right.
Two names epitomise this: Milan Nestarec and Martin Vajčner.
Milan Nestarec has long been a fixture on the international natural wine scene – thanks to his unwavering consistency. Nestarec’s wines often seem playful, at times almost ironic, yet in the glass they are remarkably serious. Reduction in the cellar, old vines, plenty of time, minimal intervention. The result is wines with an inner tension that speak less of fruit than of texture, temperature and energy. The magnificent TRBLMKR 2021, for example (100% Neuburger, with a small amount of Malvasia included in the cuvée in some vintages) – the white label, deliberately understated – epitomises precisely this: no assertions, no explanations, but a remarkably distinctive wine with that coveted Coche-Dury ‘snap’ on the palate. On the nose, a hint of Almdudler, then broom, quince, a hint of stone fruit, very faint but present: incense, more raspberry, a touch of turmeric, and a hint of the scent of suede boots. On the palate, incredibly easy to drink. Critics often describe Nestarec’s style as ‘glou-glou with depth’ – a term that actually does him an injustice. His wines are easy to drink – but that doesn’t make them run-of-the-mill. They demand attention, not approval.
Martin Vajčner works on a much smaller, more personal scale, almost quietly. His wines – such as the Veltliner Znojmo–Kraví Hora 2023 with the black label – show just how clearly this region can think when given the chance. Kraví Hora, literally ‘Cow Hill’, is not a spectacular name, but a precise site: cool nights, wind, chalky soils. Vajčner’s Veltliner embodies this without any grandstanding. No Austrian carbon copy, no exaggerated aromatics, but something in a league of its own: taut, salty, with a spiciness more reminiscent of herb stalks and wet stone than the typical Veltliner pepperiness. Natural wine without cloudiness as a principle, without dramatic oxidation as a pose. Internationally, Vajčner is increasingly recognised as one of those winemakers who demonstrate that ‘low intervention’ does not automatically mean ‘high volatility’.
What unites them is less a stylistic approach than a philosophy: grape varieties take a back seat, whilst the terroir takes centre stage. Many estates in Moravia now work with PIWIs – fungus-resistant grape varieties, bred to drastically reduce the need for plant protection. Unlike in some other regions, the wines here are not overloaded with aroma; instead, the aromas are deliberately restrained. The result is wines with a surprising calmness, often cool, sometimes austere, almost always invigorating. This is precisely why they pair so well with food – and precisely why they are so easy on the palate.
Moravia is not necessarily a romantic wine region – in that respect, it resembles the neighbouring Austrian Weinviertel. Moravia is a workshop. And perhaps precisely for that reason, it is currently one of the most interesting laboratories for established natural wine in Europe: less ideology, more drinkability. Less posturing, more precision. Nestarec and Vajčner are no exceptions – they are both the aftermath and the harbingers.