Basic information about the Czech Wine Salon - wine competition
Wine Salon of the Czech Republic – National Wine Competition and permanent tasting exhibition
The Wine Salon – National Wine Competition of the Czech Republic, is the biggest of all the competitions within the range of the National Wine Competition and links together all the sub-region nominational competitions. The competition is organised by the National Wine Center under the auspices of the Czech Grape and Wine Producers' Association. The competition itself is followed by a year-round public wine tasting Salon - an exhibition of the best hundred wines, located in the cellars of the state chateau in Valtice.
System of evaluation and selection
Each year, around 1,500 wines are evaluated in this competition. The registered wines are assessed by a specialised independent tasting committee of our best wine tasters. In the first round the best 400 wines are selected, out of which the best 100 wines are chosen during the second, final round and these are awarded the Gold medal of the Wine Salon of the Czech Republic in line with the conditions in the competition statute. At the same time the committee selects the best wine overal, giving it the title 'Champion' and the category winners and then confers the prize for the best collection of wines. Other wines in the final four hundred are awarded the Silver medal of the Wine Salon of the Czech Republic, which is conditional on their having achieved a minimum of 84 points out of a possible 100 in the final round. Awards received from this highest national wine competition are very prestigious, both for the selected wine, and for the winemaker who produced it.
Schedule for the evaluation of wines for the Wine Salon – National wine competition of the Czech Republic
- July–August: sub-regional nomination rounds
- October: evaluation of the first round
- November: evaluation of the second (final) round
- End of January and beginning of February: award ceremony and opening of the new year's tasting exhibition.
Where to go for wine in Moravia? Where to go for wine in Valtice?
Come and taste our best wines in the wine tasting exhibition of the Wine Salon in the Valtice Chateau!
After the selection of the Wine Salon collection, these wines are purchased in the quantity specified in the statute and stored in the cellars of the National Wine Centre. There, they are available for the public to taste any of the wines stored there. The wines stored in this exclusive wine tasting salon are intended to educate visitors about wine and to promote and support our wineries by giving the general public, including international visitors, the opportunity to taste our best wines in one place and in dignified conditions, while learning all the relevant information about each wine and the winemakers whose wines are presented in the Wine Salon of the Czech Republic.
Wine Salon of the Czech Republic – a permanent tasting exhibition in the Valtice Chateau
Is open all year round except for January, when the next vintage is being prepared and stocked. Each wine has its own presentation box in which the bottles are stored. At the same time, the box contains a complete description of the wine, including analytical data, sensory characteristics, as well as a profile of the wine's body, structure and aromatic profile. The wines stored in this way can also be purchased, but only a limited number of bottles are available and, particularly towards the end of the season, the sale of some wines may be restricted in order to maintain the availability of the wine for tasting. The wine cellars of the Wine Salon also include an educational exhibition about our winemaking and wine-growing regions, the Czech Wine Hall of Fame, and a reception area with a shop selling gift packaging for bottles, wine literature, tasting glasses, sommelier's supplies, snacks for wine, etc.
► Opening hours, tasting programs
► Download: Information booklet of Czech Wine Salon (pdf, 22 MB)
► Contact (reception of the wine tasting exhibition of the Wine Salon): tel. 519 352 744, e-mail: salonvin@vinarskecentrum.cz
Statute of the competition – year 2024 (in Czech)
Champions of the Wine Salon – National Wine Competiton, from the year 2011 to the current year
- Year 2024: Welschriesling (Ryzlink vlašský), late harvest, 2022, batch no. 10/22 (Morava, Mikulovská sub-region, wine commune Dolní Dunajovice a Březí, vineyard Dunajovský kopec a Ořechová hora) – Vinařství Tichý
- Year 2023: Welschriesling (Ryzlink vlašský), Flower line, late harvest, 2021, batch no. 109 (Morava, Mikulovská sub-region, wine communes Perná, Březí and Mikulov, vineyards Bergrus, Ořechová hora, Za cihelnou) – VINAŘSTVÍ MIKROSVÍN MIKULOV a.s.
- Year 2022: Chardonnay barrique EGO No. 79, grape selection, 2019, batch no. 9428 (Morava, Slovácká sub-region, wine commune Vracov, vineyard Klínky) – Zámecké vinařství Bzenec s.r.o.
- Year 2021: Pinot blanc (Rulandské bílé), late harvest, 2018 batch no. P/PB/18 (Morava, Znojemská sub-region, wine commune Hnanice, vineyard U Chlupa) – THAYA vinařství
- Year 2020: Pinot noir (Rulandské modré), grape selection, 2017, batch no. 7235 (Morava, Mikulovská sub-region, wine commune Dolní Dunajovice, vineyard Zimní vrch) – Zámecké vinařství Bzenec, s.r.o.
- Year 2019: Pinot blanc (Rulandské bílé), Collection 1508, late harvest, batch no. 7319 (Morava, Slovácká sub-region, wine commune Vracov, vineyard Klínky) – Zámecké vinařství Bzenec, s.r.o.
- Year 2018: Welschriesling (Ryzlink vlašský), late harvest, 2016, batch no. NV220 (Morava, Mikulovská sub-region, wine commune Klentnice, vineyard Bavorsko) – NOVÉ VINAŘSTVÍ, a.s.
- Year 2017: Welschriesling (Ryzlink vlašský), late harvest, 2015, Collection 1508 Reservé, batch no. 5309 (Morava, Slovácká sub-region, wine commune Hovorany, vineyard Zadní díly) – Zámecké vinařství Bzenec, s.r.o.
- Year 2016: Merlot, grape selection, 2012, batch no. 367/12 (Morava, Mikulovská sub-region, wine commune Brod nad Dyjí, vineyard Brodské stráně) – CHÂTEAU VALTICE - Vinné sklepy Valtice, a.s.
- Year 2015: Pinot blanc (Rulandské bílé) EGO No. 75, grape selection, 2013, batch no. 3038 (Morava, Slovácká sub-region, wine commune Vracov, vineyard Klínky) – Zámecké vinařství Bzenec, s.r.o.
- Year 2014: Ryzlink rýnský, late harvest, 2011, batch no. 1075 (Morava, Slovácká sub-region, wine commune Vracov, vineyard Klínky) – Zámecké vinařství Bzenec, s.r.o.
- Year 2013: Chardonnay, late harvest, 2011, batch no. 1045 (Morava, Slovácká sub-region, wine commune Vracov, vineyard Klínky) – Zámecké vinařství Bzenec, s.r.o.
- Year 2012: Welschriesling (Ryzlink vlašský), grape selection, 2009, batch no. 677 (Morava, Mikulovská sub-region, wine commune Dolní Dunajovice, vineyard Kraví hora) – Vinné sklepy Valtice
- Year 2011: Grüner Veltliner (Veltlínské zelené), grape selection, 2009, batch no. 9042 (Morava, Mikulovská sub-region, wine commune Dolní Dunajovice, vineyard Malý Sluňák) – Zámecké vinařství Bzenec, s.r.o.
Catalogues for download (pdf)
- Catalogue 2024
- Catalogue 2023
- Catalogue 2022
- Catalogue 2021
- Catalogue 2020
- Catalogue 2019
- Catalogue 2018
- Catalogue 2017
- Catalogue 2016
- Catalogue 2015
- Catalogue 2014
- Catalogue 2013
- Catalogue 2012
- Catalogue 2011
- Catalogue 2010
- Catalogue 2009
- Catalogue 2008
- Catalogue 2007/06
- Catalogue 2006/05
