11th November is the traditional day when the first bottles are opened and the wine lovers could try the wineof this vintage for the first time. We call the wine Saint Martin’s wine.
The tradition of celebrations in honour of the first bottles of Saint Martin’s wine to reach the market dates back to the time of Emparor Josef II, when the custom was to drink a toast with new wine on Saint Martin’s Day. This was the day on which the wine makers who had worked for the larger farmsteaders ended their service. They arranged the terms for their work for the coming year over a glass of the first wine from the autumn harvest to wash down a feast of roasted goose and cake.
Only some selected vine varieties can bear the Saint Martin’s label.
White wines: Müller Thurgau, Moravian Muscat and Frühroter Veltliner.
Rosé wines: Blauer Portugieser, Saint Laurent and Zweigelt
Red wines: Blauer Portugieser, Saint Laurent
The most traditional dish which pairs well with Saint Martin’s wine is roast young goose with read and white cabbage and bread dumplings.
Saint Martin’s wines have a magic to them. Although they have only had a few weeks to mature, that short time is enough for them to mellow and acquire their own distinctive character. They are young, wild, refreshing, light in colour and with a fruity hints to the flavour.
You can enjoy Saint Martin’s wines at many events all over the Czech republic, for example:
Svatomartinský košt Brno, nám. Svobody
Slavnost svatomartinských vín v Karlštejně – http://www.karlstejnske-vinobrani.cz
Svatomartinské slavnosti a pečená husa na Náplavce v Praze – http://www.svatomartinskeslavnosti.cz
Bzenecké sklepy při svíčkách Bzenečtí vinaři
Svatomartinský přípitek LVA