Region: Moravia, Czech Republic
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir (Rulandské Modré)
Body: Medium
Notes: Sour wild cherries, dried cranberries, blood orange peel, damp forest floor, clove, and black tea leaf, with fine-grained, chalky tannins and a vibrant, mineral-clean finish
Pairing: Duck breast with cherry reduction, roasted chanterelle mushrooms, continuous charcuterie boards, seared salmon, or earthy lentil ragù
The Producer
Milan Nestarec is one of the most wildly influential, authoritative rockstars of the central European natural wine movement, based in Velké Bílovice within the Moravia region of the Czech Republic. Stepping into his family’s vineyards at a young age, Milan quickly rejected the heavily manipulated, industrial formulas of the post-communist era to establish a highly expressive, deeply personal worldview channeled through unadulterated grape juice. Managing roughly 8 hectares of certified organic vines rooted in complex loess, clay, and sand soils, Milan treats his cellar with a completely hands-off, transparent ethos. He avoids all fining, filtration, temperature control, and added sulfur, viewing wine as a living medium meant to broadcast pure terroir energy, millennial wit, and absolute drinkability rather than rigid, academic technicality.
The Wine
The 2021 "Podfuck" is a brilliantly provocative, highly scannable wine that plays a clever double-entendre on its name—sounding like a cheeky English phrase, but translating from Czech to mean a "cheat," "prank," or "illusion." This title perfectly captures the wine's identity, as it is a Pinot Noir crafted intentionally in an skin-contact/orange wine style rather than a traditional light red. Sourced from organic, low-yielding old vines rooted in Moravia's premium limestone-rich loess soils, the Pinot Noir grapes are hand-harvested and fully destemmed. Instead of a standard red wine punch-down regimen, the juice undergoes a patient, 3-week spontaneous native yeast fermentation on its skins in neutral vessels to extract a striking, pale coppery-amber hue and subtle, fine-grained phenolics. The wine is then tucked away to mature for nearly two years on its fine lees in large, used oak casks before being bottled strictly zero-zero—unfined, unfiltered, and with no added SO2. The resulting 2021 vintage completely subverts expectations; it masterfully pairs an ethereal bouquet of tart wild berries and savory forest floor with a vibrant, high-toned alpine acidity and a clean, grippy complexity that thrives with a light chill.
Region: Moravia, Czech Republic
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir (Rulandské Modré)
Body: Medium
Notes: Sour wild cherries, dried cranberries, blood orange peel, damp forest floor, clove, and black tea leaf, with fine-grained, chalky tannins and a vibrant, mineral-clean finish
Pairing: Duck breast with cherry reduction, roasted chanterelle mushrooms, continuous charcuterie boards, seared salmon, or earthy lentil ragù
The Producer
Milan Nestarec is one of the most wildly influential, authoritative rockstars of the central European natural wine movement, based in Velké Bílovice within the Moravia region of the Czech Republic. Stepping into his family’s vineyards at a young age, Milan quickly rejected the heavily manipulated, industrial formulas of the post-communist era to establish a highly expressive, deeply personal worldview channeled through unadulterated grape juice. Managing roughly 8 hectares of certified organic vines rooted in complex loess, clay, and sand soils, Milan treats his cellar with a completely hands-off, transparent ethos. He avoids all fining, filtration, temperature control, and added sulfur, viewing wine as a living medium meant to broadcast pure terroir energy, millennial wit, and absolute drinkability rather than rigid, academic technicality.
The Wine
The 2021 "Podfuck" is a brilliantly provocative, highly scannable wine that plays a clever double-entendre on its name—sounding like a cheeky English phrase, but translating from Czech to mean a "cheat," "prank," or "illusion." This title perfectly captures the wine's identity, as it is a Pinot Noir crafted intentionally in an skin-contact/orange wine style rather than a traditional light red. Sourced from organic, low-yielding old vines rooted in Moravia's premium limestone-rich loess soils, the Pinot Noir grapes are hand-harvested and fully destemmed. Instead of a standard red wine punch-down regimen, the juice undergoes a patient, 3-week spontaneous native yeast fermentation on its skins in neutral vessels to extract a striking, pale coppery-amber hue and subtle, fine-grained phenolics. The wine is then tucked away to mature for nearly two years on its fine lees in large, used oak casks before being bottled strictly zero-zero—unfined, unfiltered, and with no added SO2. The resulting 2021 vintage completely subverts expectations; it masterfully pairs an ethereal bouquet of tart wild berries and savory forest floor with a vibrant, high-toned alpine acidity and a clean, grippy complexity that thrives with a light chill.
What is natural wine?
Natural wine is wine made with minimal intervention from the winemaker, using organically or biodynamically grown grapes and without the addition of chemicals or additives such as sulfites. The result is a wine that is unique, expressive, and often has a more complex and nuanced flavor profile than conventional wines. Natural wine is also often associated with sustainable and ethical farming practices, making it a popular choice for those interested in environmentally friendly and socially responsible products.