Young wine, old tradition – why Svatomartinské hits Czech tables early in 2025
The feast of St. Martin was still a few days away, but bottles of Svatomartinské — or St. Martin’s wines — were already on sale across Czechia. This year’s record-early launch was made possible by a rule change allowing sales to begin before November 11. The Czech Wine Fund says the move reflects market realities while preserving tradition.
Czech winemakers move up the launch of St. Martin’s wines
The new regulation allows sales to start on the Friday preceding the holiday whenever November 11 falls between Saturday and Tuesday. When the date comes later in the week, the official release remains on the eleventh itself.
According to Zdeněk Vičar, director of the Czech Wine Fund, the change was intended to align tradition with consumer habits.
“The board of the Wine Fund decided to make use of the weekend preceding St. Martin’s Day because Svatomartinské wine is a highly seasonal product and every weekend plays a major role in sales. When the rule fixed the start of sales on November 11, it often happened that the wine appeared in wine shops and restaurants a little earlier anyway. But we had no real tool to control or influence that,” he explained.
A centuries-old celebration of the new vintage
St. Martin’s wines are the first wines of each year’s harvest — fresh, light and fruity. They mature for only a few weeks but already show distinct character. Winemakers recommend enjoying them young, ideally before Easter, when they still retain their crisp freshness.
The idea of celebrating new wine on St. Martin’s Day goes back centuries. Records mention the custom as early as the court of Emperor Joseph II in the 18th century, when early November marked the end of harvest work and the start of the quieter Advent season.
The modern Svatomartinské brand was revived in 2005 by the Wine Fund, inspired by France’s Beaujolais Nouveau. That first year, 31 wineries produced about 125 thousand bottles. Today, around two million bottles reach the market annually, enjoyed not only in Czechia and Slovakia but even as far away as Japan.
Strict rules and official tastings
To bear the Svatomartinské label, a wine must meet demanding standards. It can only be made from approved Czech grape varieties such as Müller Thurgau, Moravian Muscat, Saint Laurent or Blauer Zweigelt, and must pass a blind tasting by an independent committee at the National Wine Center in Valtice. Each wine is scored for clarity, aroma, taste and overall harmony — and since 2019 must reach at least 80 points out of 100 to qualify.
“Svatomartinské is a young wine, but unlike other young wines it must go through what we call an ‘official tasting’ — a professional evaluation by a tasting committee at the National Wine Center in Valtice. The wines are sampled and scored, and to bear the Svatomartinské label they must achieve at least 80 points out of 100,” Vičar said.
Balancing commerce and tradition
Some critics fear that starting sales earlier could weaken the symbolic link between Svatomartinské and the feast of St. Martin — traditionally celebrated with roast goose and a glass of the year’s first wine. Vičar insists that the essence of the custom remains intact.
“That’s certainly one of the opinions that came up. The eleven-member board of the Wine Fund had a long discussion and ultimately agreed on this solution. Still, the traditional festive opening of Svatomartinské wines on November 11 at 11 a.m. will continue — for example, on Brno’s Freedom Square, and I’d like to invite everyone to join,” he said.
Supporting all Czech winemakers
Even though some producers prefer to sell their “young” or “first” wines outside the official Svatomartinské label, the Wine Fund views that diversity as healthy for the industry.
“The mission of the Wine Fund, as defined by law, is to support the sale of all Moravian and Czech wines. As Margaret Thatcher once said, ‘When the tide rises, it lifts all boats.’ Every bottle sold helps,” Vičar noted.
A toast to the harvest
This year’s Svatomartinské wines are expected to offer the familiar range of crisp whites, delicate rosés and smooth ruby-red wines — each a toast to the harvest just past and to the festive season ahead. As always, the first official toast will take place at eleven o’clock on the eleventh of November.
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Czechs determined to enjoy Saint Martin’s festivities despite soaring prices
This coming Saturday, Czechs all around the country will be celebrating Saint Martin’s Day, which falls on November 11.
