Porta Bohemica is a natural winery founded in the village of Velké Žernoseky in 2010, focused on dry, spontaneously fermented wines from the Bohemian Central Highlands.
Our grapes grow on a mix of volcanic and marlstone bedrock, in the particular microclimate above the river Elbe.
Winegrowing in Velké Žernoseky is documented from the mid-13th century, but vines have been cultivated around Litoměřice since the days of Duke Spytihněv II, that is since 1057.
The name of the winery, Porta Bohemica – the Gate of Bohemia – is inspired by the natural geological formation our vineyards look out on.
Hand work in the vineyard is the most important step on the way to natural wine. We keep spraying to the necessary minimum. The grapes are picked by hand, crushed or foot-trodden, and the mash then rests on the skins for several days. The must ferments spontaneously. Over the winter the wine stays in the cellar – among other vessels in oak barrels and in qvevri – and matures without further intervention. That gives the wine a free path to express its variety and its place of origin.
The aim is a harmonious wine with the juicy acidity so characteristic of our region. Our main varieties are Müller-Thurgau, Riesling and Pinot Noir. We also grow Roter Veltliner, Grüner Veltliner, Chardonnay, Traminer and Saint Laurent.
Our wines are poured in wine bars and restaurants in Prague, Roudnice, Tábor, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Oslo, New York and Montréal.