Jan Culik: Brains behind Bottled Alive & a leading figure of the new generation of the Czech Republic food & wine scene

Jan culik is a long time karakterre friend and the light behind Czech Republic’s new generation food & wine scene. he is the founder of one of our favourite events, Bottled Alive in tabor - also the country’s most prominent wine festival and place to seek out the smallest and the most handcrafted regional wine there is.

a student in international relations, jan calls himself a localist with a global outlook. Very early in the regional natural wine scene, Jan has stood as the leading promotor of small growers and their efforts to again shine a light to once a well known wine region. he’s been the guide to us in the outside world when it came to wines and food in czech and slovak republics.

jan is also a successful restauranteur, now behind luznice bakery and vycep pub in tabor, as well as Alma in Prague. he’s also a wine buyer for the alma wine import company.

we talk to jan days before bottled alive that takes place in his native town of tabor on 19 january 2024.

hey jan, thanks for talking to us. let’s go straight to the point. What are you most proud of?

Certainly my daughter Nola. but professionally i am most proud of the project Vivid vineyards (Pestrá vinice). We organised a conference dedicated to trees planted in the vineyards and diversification of vineyards in general. It was attended by 70 winemakers and they loved it. Using my legacy in the wine industry for improving the landscape we live in makes lots of sense to me.

How do you cultivate your community?

I like to sell wine/bread/beer/food etc. products that can contribute to the place where it was produced. I like to connect with like-minded people from different fields.

What do you do about the fact that a hyped but otherwise perfectly fine winemaker from a hyped but otherwise perfectly fine region sells his wine for 25 euros and then that same bottle goes for 20-30 times the amount online and/or on the grey market?

personally i have not had so much experience with such a situation. But i think it is inevitable. It is a destiny of any "hyped" product.

One place you could eat at right now, anywhere in the world? And what are you currently drinking?

I would love to eat sourdough bread from local grains with good speck from free-range pigs in a random Moravian wine-cellar. But it does not exist. All the food is mostly highly processed and industrialized. It is my next mission - bring together locally produced wine and food.

How do you keep healthy with all that food and wine?

Recently I discovered the importance of everyday's exercise for my physical and mental health. Running, biking and swimming are my most favourite.

Intermittent fasting 23/1 with one high protein meal 1/2 of week from Monday to Wednesday works for me.

Where would we be without social media? Are you worried about AI (artificial intelligence)?

Probably doing the same things but with lesser impact. I am pretty keen on AI. I particularly appreciate its benefits in learning and translating. It can also have positive consequences in our industry/bubble.

What do you not have in life yet?

A Winery.

What’s your Sunday routine?

I like not to work at all. Doing trips (excluding wine visits) with my family. Being father, husband, brother, son, son-in-law and a grandson.

thanks jan!

marko