Jurák & Son

A glimpse to our family winemakers’ tradition

It was not I or my father who had the inspiration to first start to grow vines or build a wine cellar. There is a tradition in viniculture in our family. Let me introduce you to a line of my ancestors to briefly outline the circumstances connected to our winery.

Josef Sedláček was the first post-war major of Hustopece city, regarded as a reputable and modest man, and also my great-grandfather. A wine cellar, dating back to the 18^th century, is where our wine has been made since 1940, which was bought by Josef Sedlacek from František Pollak. Pollak had to leave Hustopeče during the massive, forced transfer of Germans after World War II. During the life of my great-grandfather, this cellar was one of the biggest wine cellars in Hustopeče, being divided into several parts which were hired out to other winegrowers. After my great-grandfather died, the wine cellar was inherited by his daughters. The only memories of this period are two barrels, still in use today, and one small brandy barrel.

Jaroslav Polomini was Josef Sedláček’s son-in-law and my grandfather. Jaroslav and his wife bought back the wine cellar from my grandmother’s sisters in an inheritance procedure, however the equipment was lost during this process. As a result, my grandfather had to equip the wine cellar again. A lot of wine equipment used was brought from a wine cellar located in Velké Pavlovice, another famous wine town, where my grandfather used to live before he moved to Hustopeče. Polomini raised a vineyard in Hustopeče, where my first vinicultural and winegrowing steps started. I will never forget the tasting of my first wine which my grandfather gave to me in the wine cellar located under our house when I was five years old. I owe a lot to my grandfather for moulding me into the winegrower and wine maker I have become today. I remember him kindly and I often talk to him in our wine cellar whilst thinking how he would appraise the wine which I make, if he could taste it.

Petr Jurák is Jaroslav Polomini’s son-in-low and my father. His interest in winegrowing appeared when he was a young boy. The surroundings he lived in were very prosperous, as he originates from another significant wine town, Židlochovice. My father also helped a local winegrower with the work in both the vineyard and the cellar during his secondary studies. He felt an inner impulsion to study viniculture in those days, but his father forced him to study medicine instead. However, wine was still a major part of his entire life. After my grandfather died, a question about the future of the wine cellar arose.  It was my parents who prevented the cellar from being sold and it was this milestone where the history of Jurak & Son Winery started to form. Thanks to my grandfather I experienced wine and thanks to my father, I learned how to make wine.

Lastly, let me introduce myself. I am the Son, Pavel Jurák. After my unsuccessful medicine studies, I graduated from college and the University of South Bohemia in Česke Budějovice, both as a qualified radiologic assistant. In eight years of working in the health service, I decided to leave this interesting field of work to begin to grow and make my own wine, full-time. This began in the year 2009.  Although I gave up my time in the medical branch, I believe I will get back into it, at least marginally one day again.

You may be disappointed because I have not yet provided you with any praise of my ancestors’, my own craft or an evaluation or reward towards our wines. You have not read any superlatives so far, however you will not find them on this entire website. This is not how we present ourselves. I can compose poets on our wines or our old wine cellar might be a delight to wheedle you into wanting to taste our wines, but you may be ultimately disappointed. The way we function is that you visit us first, taste our wines and then evaluate them for yourself. You can create a picture about our winery by yourself while we talk, eat and drink, and then you will eventually decide whether to come back and drink our wines with us ever again. We can say we produce and offer delicious high-quality wines, but the main judgment is yours gustatory receptors.