Burčiak can be white or red. (source: Martin Pavelek)
Slovak winemakers have begun selling burčiak from the 2025 vintage. Production officially started on 15 August, in line with tradition, as the weather meant there was no need for an exemption to allow earlier sales, unlike in recent years. The first burčiak on the market comes from the Iršai Oliver grape, while the main harvest and large-scale production will follow in September.
“At present we are launching the first harvests of the Iršai Oliver variety. In reality, however, the burčiak season only begins in September, when varieties such as Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, and later Dunaj and Blaufränkisch are harvested in earnest,” said Jaroslava Kaňuchová Pátková, executive director of the Slovak Association of Vine Growers and Winemakers, as cited by the SITA newswire.
The association expects yields to be higher than in the past two years, when production was up to 30 percent below average. Winemakers hope this year’s harvest will bring around 30 to 32 million litres of wine.
Burčiak has a long tradition in Slovakia. By law, the name applies only to drinks made exclusively from grapes grown in Slovakia, harvested in the same year, and sold between August and December. The legislation is designed to protect both consumers and producers, ensuring that burčiak retains its freshness, flavour and character as a seasonal product.
“I recommend that consumers always buy burčiak from a winemaker who runs a longer campaign and produces a quality product. This also means having a regular supply of fresh grapes,” Kaňuchová Pátková added.
True burčiak is a fermenting drink with the aroma of grapes and yeast. It should not have a brown or deep orange colour, which would indicate ageing, oxidation or added sugar.
