Bancroft

Nestled in the rain shadow of the Czech Moravian Highlands, in the Znojmo subregion of Moravia, sits Thaya. In a country more known for brewing, this is the most important viticultural area of the Czech Republic and winemaker Jakub Smrčka has been building the name for himself and for Thaya over these last few years. Having produced his first vintage in 2011, when he was only 20 years old, he came to Thaya passionate about the terroir of his homeland. Although not from a winemaking family, his is from one that is full of cooks and so Jakub understands the role wine plays on the dinner table. His rule is simple yet bold: each vintage must be a little better than the previous one. Thaya is the Celtic word for ‘Dyje’, which is the name of the charming, winding river that runs through the vineyards in this part of Moravia, which is not more than an hour from Austria’s Kamptal. 

The winery owns and farms 105 hectares of vineyards in the vicinity of Podyjí National Park; these vineyards have been known since Roman times for their unique, sunny location.  In the vineyard, Thaya farm with respect for nature. They practice IPM and organic farming, planting herbs and nutrient-rich legumes between rows. The beautiful state-of-the-art winery is located just 2km from the entrance to the national park and also houses a gastronomic restaurant and a wellness hotel, with wine at the heart of it all. The soils have granitic subsoil and topsoils of loess with a mixture of calcareous clays; these are great for growing varieties like Grüner Veltliner (locally known as Veltlinské Zelené), Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.

The region has high diurnal differences, resulting in a long and slow ripening season. Cold winds from the north provide an additional respite in the summer. Jakub’s efforts and expertise were recognised by the local Winegrowers’ Association in 2021 when he was named Winemaker of the Year. He employs modern winemaking techniques with a focus on cooler temperatures and reductive winemaking, keeping the wines fresh and lively and limiting the need for intervention. All wines are vegan-friendly and the premium ranges are partly or wholly fermented in a mix of smaller and larger oak barrels, made by François Frères.