Krasna Hora

Krasna Hora - "Beautiful Mountain" - is run by the Vybiral family in southeastern Moravia, Czech Republic, on the 49th parallel (the same latitude as Alsace and Burgundy). Grandfather František arrived in Bulhary in 1945 and was taught to make red wine by the last German villager who hadn't been expelled; he planted the estate's first vines in the early 1960s under the communist regime. Marek Vybiral Sr. took over the cellar and vineyard in 2001. The current brand and new facility were established in 2010. Ondřej Dubas (Marek's nephew) handles cellar operations - he and his cousin Mikuláš dropped out of oenology studies to learn winemaking from local legend Aleš Gala.

Around fourteen hectares across four villages - the Krásná hora slope in Starý Poddvorov (about 5.5 ha, the estate's heart, first planted by Cistercians in the thirteenth century), Babušák (7 ha, the most recent acquisition), plus smaller plots in Lužice and Ratíškovice. Biodynamic since 2014, organic practices throughout. Yields controlled at roughly 1.3 kilograms per vine. Herbal teas, composts, no synthetic chemistry.

The core focus is French varieties rather than the Austrian/Germanic palette typical of some Moravian producers: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris - alongside Gewürztraminer, Riesling, and a bit of Zweigelt and St. Laurent. The Blanc de Noir Sekt (zero dosage, extended lees) was originally Zweigelt-based, now Pinot Noir. Wines aged in oak on fine lees. Annual production in the tens of thousands of bottles.

Czech Winery of the Year at the 2018 New York International Wine Competition. Krasna Hora is part of the small Czech quality-wine movement that most of the international market hasn't noticed yet.