The name says everything: Slobodne Vinarstvo means 'free winemaking,' and for sisters Agnes Lovecka and Katarina Kuropkova, the freedom to farm and vinify as they choose was hard-won across generations.
A Century of Family History
The family's roots in Zemianske Sady, a village an hour south of Bratislava in the Danubian Lowlands, stretch back to the early 20th century when great-great uncle Maximilian grew grapes alongside wheat, corn, and tobacco. The land was seized during communist rule -- both brothers who farmed it had participated in the Slovak national uprising against Nazi forces, and one died in the conflict. The ownership papers survived hidden behind a wall under a staircase for decades, until 1989.
Rebuilding from the Ground Up
After reclaiming the property in 1992, the family spent the next two decades patiently restoring the soil, the ecosystem, and the winemaking knowledge. Agnes named one of their Rieslings 'Interval' in tribute to her grandfather Eduard's passion for music theory. Slobodne was officially launched as a winery in 2010. By 2016, the estate had transitioned fully to organic farming, and shortly after joined a biodynamic collective operating across Austria and the surrounding region.
Skin Contact, Amphorae, and Open Ferments
Agnes and her partner Andrea, along with Katarina and Miso Kuropka, run 17 hectares of mixed varieties including Gruner Veltliner, Riesling, Blaufrankisch, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, and the rare Slovak variety Devin. All wines ferment spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Whites often undergo skin maceration; vessels include Georgian amphorae, Hungarian oak, and Czech acacia barrels. No commercial enzymes, no heavy intervention.
A Voice for Slovak Natural Wine
Slobodne has become a reference point for natural wine drinkers curious about Central Europe's quiet revolution. Their wines carry the earthy, mineral tension of the Carpathian foothills and the emotional weight of a story that spans war, communism, and reclamation. Each bottle is, in a real sense, an act of continuity.
