Vintage 2026
The heat ripened the grapes nicely. Some wines are seriously interesting, others light and easy to drink. So far it looks as if they will all finish fermenting earlier than usual, so there will be plenty to compare, glass by glass: so many rich flavours and aromas.
Young wines are lovely for how wild they are and how they keep changing. They’re in the last stretch of fermentation, and the ones that are done can hold on to a few bubbles. They’re unfiltered, sometimes cloudy, full of primary aromas: the fruit and flower notes that come straight from the grape and open up as the wine ferments. In a few months they will be completely different.
Common questions
- What are young wines?
- Young wines are this year’s harvest, still in the barrel. Wine is beautiful at every stage. You just need to understand it - and the winemaker will be happy to explain it, right there at the barrel. There’s nothing quite like a young Hibernal or Muscat.
- Do you pour cloudy wines too?
- Of course - that’s nothing unusual for a young wine.
- Is there somewhere to sit, and can I bring children and animal friends?
- Yes, there is seating in the cellars, press houses and gardens. The mood is family-friendly and neighbourly, and children are welcome. Your animal friends will enjoy the outdoor seating, but most cellars are off-limits to them.
- What about food?
- Bring a snack, you’ll get hungry after a few samples. At Vinařství Medek you can buy a platter of cold cuts.
- Can I get a beer somewhere?
- Definitely. Just nearby is our Derfla pub U Kovaříků.
- What should I wear?
- Layers and comfortable shoes, and you’re ready for anything. If the weather turns, you’ll find cover at every winemaker’s.
- Will there be any heating?
- Some winemakers can put the heating on. Even so, we’d recommend dressing warmly.
- Does it really end at 8 pm?
- Eight is more of a rough guide. We’ll keep going as long as the fun and the wine keep flowing.
- Where do I park?
- At the church car park, just above Vinařství Medek.
- Can I take wine home?
- Yes, every winemaker sells whole bottles. Bottles from Vinařství Medek can also be collected on Sunday between 10 and 11 am, by arrangement.
- How is this different from the spring Derflanské otevřené sklepy?
- Quite a lot, in fact. In spring you are in the gardens with a picnic basket, tasting finished wines, a celebration of the start of summer. In November you stay more in the cellar, among the barrels and demijohns, tasting only the promise: how the vintage is shaping up and how its wild beginnings taste. A different mood, the same winemakers.
