MATOUŠ FORMAN

WINE-MAKER & SOMME-LIAR

I have been dedicated to wine for over 15 years. I worked as a sommelier in leading restaurants in Prague and Munich, and my knowledge and sensitivity for wine have earned me several awards that I value greatly. In 2021, I received the prestigious title of Best Sommelier of the Czech Republic, followed a year later by Sommelier of Slovakia, and—especially meaningful to me as a native Prague local—the title of Sommelier of Moravia in 2022.

In 2020, however, I fell completely in love with vineyards and winemaking itself. I completed two harvests in the vineyards of ZILVAR Winery in Prague and, in 2022, undertook hands-on production training at THAYA Winery in Znojmo. In 2023, I embarked on a six-month internship in Napa Valley at Clos Pegase Winery, where I learned many of the techniques and approaches I use today in crafting our wines.

Today, I am on my own path. Together with my friend Walter, we founded a small winery in Polešovice. Our goal is to create structured, fresh, and clean wines that reflect our local terroir, pair beautifully with Czech cuisine, and bring genuine joy to every one of our customers.

NOVÉ HORY

LOAM / SANDSTONE / BLACK SLATE

Our 2.5-hectare vineyard offers the most stunning views of the White Carpathians and the entire Vienna Basin. It is our youngest vineyard, located just west of Polešovice, and the vines were planted here in 2016. Although situated 245 meters above sea level, the name "Hory" comes from the historical mountain law.

The vineyard is marked by a striking entrance arch, built by the former owner, Josef Soják. The soils consist mainly of loam with large sandstone stones, and during planting we discovered black slate a meter underground. We grow Riesling, Grüner Sylvaner, and the blue variety Dunaj here. This vineyard is also the setting for our winemaker's dinners under the stars.

MÍŠKY

LIMESTONE / SHELLS

Our "Grand Cru" of Polešovice. This is the oldest documented vineyard, first mentioned in 1454 in the records of the Cistercian monastery in Velehrad, under whose authority the vineyard fell at the time.

The soils here are limestone with remnants of marine life, which give the wines excellent minerality and a fresh character. The vineyard faces south and is situated directly on the slope between the church and our cellar, ensuring the grapes receive perfect sunlight on both sides of the rows. We have 0.25 hectares here, planted with Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc.

VINOHRADY

CLAY / SAND / GRAVEL

Our vineyard located outside of Polešovice, specifically to the south in Moravská Nová Ves. These vineyards came to Walter through his work in agriculture. The area has a long-standing reputation for Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and it's no wonder—the soil is perfectly suited for Bordeaux varieties.

The vineyard consists of heavy clay with pockets of sand and gravel. Out of the total 20 hectares, we process only a small fraction of the grapes ourselves; most are sold to other winemakers, including several well-known names in Moravia.