Mutēnice, Czech Republic
Jaroslav Tesarik started the winery as a pursuit of leisure, something to give himself exercise since he “doesn’t do sports.” It’s more common than you think, though — many people from the village own a small vineyard plot, making this a much more likely hobby. The area around Mutēnice in particular is renowned among local Czech wine lovers for producing wines of their own.
Outside of the main towns you’ll spot little clusters and settlements of personal cellars, with Mutēnice itself having a community of over 550 personal winemaking operations. It’s no wonder, then, that Jaroslav’s 1.5-hectares of organic vineyard are spread out over 8 different plots, tucked among the softly rolling hills northwest of the town.
Vineyards of clay and loess soils are planted with the usual central European varieties (Muller-Thurgau, Neuberger, St. Laurent, Gewurtztraminer, Riesling and Rotburger, with a couple rows of Pinot Blanc & Noir) and are often made up of just a few rows. His family helps out in the vineyard and with winemaking, with his wife, Pavlina, and children also inspiring the label artwork. Jaroslav has been selling his wine since 2015, and his winemaking style evokes a youthful energy, with all bottles sealed under crown cap.
~2021 ALBA TILIA~
A blend based on Riesling with some Sauvignon Blanc and Welshriesling, macerated for 6 days before going into neutral barrels for a year.
Light skin-contact, without overt extraction – flavours and aromas of grapefruit pith, apricot jam, honeysuckle flowers, white tea, beeswax.
ALBA TILIA 12 x 750ml | SKU #454171 | $36.73
~2021 ALBA MIXTURA~
A white blend of Gruner Veltliner, Riesling and Pinot Blanc, aged in neutral oak barrels (225L & 400L) for a year before bottling.
Slightly cloudy with a lemon yellow tint, this wine has a refreshing light texture with floral and fruity aromatics. Think freshly cut lemon and orange slices, underripe pear, quince, and herbal liqueurs. High acidity with a slightly saline twang.
ALBA MIXTURA 12 x 750ml | SKU #433769 | $24.32
~2021 ALBA ROSALES~
A blend that falls somewhere between rosé and orange wine, with Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc fermented on the skins for 3 weeks. The wine is then racked into neutral 225L barrels to age for a year prior to bottling.
Enticing peach-hued wine flows, and pours with sweet fruit notes of white peach, kumquat preserves, and ripe apricot. Over time, you can taste melon, delicate green herbs, and a touch of saltiness.
Alba rosales 12 x 750ml | SKU #454160 | $36.73
~2021 RUFUS~
A field blend of older plantings, with a mix of white and red grapes – usually Riesling, Blaufrankisch, Pinot Blanc, and some other unknowns added to the mix.
The grapes are picked and processed together – foot-stommped, and co-fermented in neutral barrels. After 2 weeks the wine is racked and placed back into 225L & 400L neutral barrels to age for. a year.
This wine has a luminious ruby colour and lightly-bodied, tongue-tingling quality to it. Aromas of plum, fresh blackberries, and rose invite you to sip, and sip some more.
RUFUS 12 x 750ml | SKU #454163 | $24.32
~2021 RUBRA MIXTURA~
St. Laurent and Pinot Noir mingle here, dancing along your palate in this fresh, juicy red. Macerated & fermented for 18 days, then racked into neutrals barrels to age for a year before bottling. Smells and tastes like blackberry, cherry, strawberry compote, rosewater, and rosemary. With a nice spicy finish, we prefer this wine ever-so-slightly chilled.