Sklep Grébovka is a highly recognized winery in the middle of Prague, focusing on exclusive local wines since 2009. The production of grapes was taken from the vineyard called Havlíčkovy sady (Gröbovka), which is about 1.6 hectares; it belongs to the Municipal District of Prague 2. Managed by Iveta Bulánková and Pavel Bulánek, Sklep Grébovka continues the proud tradition of centuries and cultivates eight kinds of grapes.
Wine production in Prague dates from a period far earlier than King Charles IV, who is said to have attentively promoted vineyards during the 14th century. As early as the 13th century, vineyards were to be found in Vinohrady, Vršovice, and Nusle-the district grew into an important wine region. Charles IV outdid himself by issuing laws that greatly extended the vineyards around the town and secured its survival for centuries to come. Today's Havlíčkovy sady vineyard is located on the southern slopes of today's Gröbovka Park; it was restored at the end of the 19th century thanks to Prague industrialist Moritz Gröbe.
The new era of Sklep Grébovka winemaking began on the initiative of Prague 2 in 1992, due to its cultural and agricultural importance as an historic vineyard. Antonín Tureček, a master winemaker from the Vinohrady region, played a very important role in its rehabilitation process. His management brought the vineyard replanting with both traditional Czech varieties like Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Müller Thurgau, along with the new varieties: Dornfelder and Hibernal. His maximum efforts lay in uniting traditions with modern novelties, which in turn led to the current success of this vineyard.
A big achievement was the building of a production cellar on the spot in 2009, where-after several years-the grapes were processed and wine produced on the vineyard site. It was also that which made the Vinohrady wine return to the table of locals and appear in front of sommeliers throughout the region. The wines, produced with skill and attention in Sklep Grébovka, have earned recognition since then among the professional community, with a prestigious gold medal that was bestowed upon the Blue Portugal variety in 2009.
Today, the management of Iveta Bulánková and Pavel Bulánek supports Sklep Grébovka traditions in regard to Prague winemaking, but modern techniques are also involved. Their wines are made with the best grapes, prepared with care for quality, which has won the hearts of many consumers. Sklep Grébovka is surely an exceptional place for wine amateurs seeking to taste real Prague with its centuries-long winemaking tradition, with its picturesque surroundings of Gröbovka Park, and the historical atmosphere of the vineyard.
