The future of wine - when winemakers are united
In an industry as complex and traditional as the wine industry, cooperation is not just a business strategy. It is almost a necessity but most of all a pleasure. From vineyard to cellar and from marketing to distribution, every stage of working with wine depends on a balance of skills, experience and innovation. So when winemakers join forces, something truly special can emerge. The importance of collaboration in the wine sector goes beyond mere commercial success - it promotes sustainability, cultural heritage and gives room for new ideas, visions and experiments.
Winemakers have a rich history of community building and today's market condition only encourages associational activity. After the turn of the millennium, the Znojemská Wine Sub-region introduced the first ever appellation system in the Czech Republic - VOC Znojmo - which was finalized in 2009. Similarly, the first VOC appellation system of the Mikulovská Wine Sub-region was under the leadership of the VOC Mikulovsko association, which was established in 2004, and the approval system for the award of this appellation followed not long after the VOC Znojmo in 2011. Since then, other VOC associations have followed suit, and today wine lovers can go to the events of individual associations, such as the popular VOC Znojmo Wine Festival, or to the VOC Festival in Bzenec, where the wines of all the current VOC associations in the republic meet every year.
The VOC associations are now a traditional, but for a long time far from the only collective project of winemakers. For example, the V8 Winegrowers' Alliance was an important chapter, but after seventeen colourful years it ceased its activities in 2023. The Alliance focused on joint pro-export activities and the cooperation of the six member wineries continues under the auspices of the VOC Mikulovsko association. At the same time, new opportunities have arisen and wineries wishing to establish themselves in the export field are also newly linked to the National Wine Centre with its pro-export database. Winemakers from Bohemia and Moravia thus have many opportunities to present their wines around the world and to impress at important events such as even the most famous wine fair in the world - Prowein.
It was at the Prowein fair in Germany that the Young Winemakers found inspiration and brought a whole new wave of thinking about what cooperation between winemakers can look like to the domestic wine scene. Instead of rivalry, the current 12 similar-minded members have decided to follow the path of mutual support. With their necklaces full of wine, they host popular fun events where all the members' bottles shine side by side at the same time. Their themed cases of wine are also famous among customers, showcasing the varied creations of all the members of the group, condensed into one case of 12 bottles. Mixed wine sets have become increasingly popular among winemakers and customers in recent years. A fresh example of this is the collaboration in the form of a comparison set of rosé wines from the winery Plenér of winemaker Dominika Černohorská with the winery J. Stávek, which could be registered on social networks by their fans over the summer. They may also remember various previous joints of forces with other winemakers, with whom Jan Stávek from Němčičky is already well known.
Speaking of social networks, we must not forget the new project of the Dunajovské kopce winemakers' association. Its members, after winning the 2023 Achievement of the Year award in the Winery of the Year competition and publishing an original cookbook, came up with Dunajovské pecky. They have their own Instagram account, and Dunajovské pecky is even available in print and digital form as a magazine. They offer a lot of tips on where to go on a trip, where to relax or have something good to eat. Each place selected deserved to be awarded a "pecka" (stunner) because of the quality of service, the emphasis on localness, and above all the friendly approach and atmosphere. Although the winemakers are behind the project, you won't just find member wineries among the association Dunajovské pecky, but a whole range of places and businesses worth visiting - from campsites to cafés to museums. Wine lovers will, of course, find detailed recommendations for many interesting local wineries and wine bars, and they will also be invited to the Wine Salon of the Czech Republic in Valtice.
In our short summary of how the cooperation between friendly wineries is developing in our country, we have presented only a fraction of all the activities in which the winemakers participate together. And we are really pleased about that! We could go on and on about the energetic events of the Bílovice winemakers, the imaginative work of the individual associations of small and large VOCs, what the Slovak or Blue Mountain winemakers are up to and many other associations with their own local projects and plans. The important thing is that cooperation and openness in our industry is clearly working. It brings not only interesting business opportunities, but also invaluable creativity and a sense of innovation, which shows the uniqueness of wine culture and its social role.
