Our winery
Villa Vino Rača was established in May 2004 following a legal transformation of the Rača agricultural cooperative, whose roots reach back to 1949. Our vines grow on the warm, sun-drenched southeastern slopes of the picturesque Little Carpathians. The interplay between our vineyard soils and the character of individual V. vinifera varieties is reflected in the unmistakable originality of our white and red wines. Grape yields are limited, and during harvest we carry out a berry-by-berry selection. Our winemaking follows the principles of modern enology. Pneumatic pressing, must clarification, and temperature-controlled fermentation using our own Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains are standard in our production process.
When grapes reach perfect ripeness and are hand-picked into small crates, our winery — the only one in Slovakia — uses a sorting table where each cluster is inspected once more and any damaged berries are removed to guarantee flawless quality in the final product. The result of these rigorous procedures are perfectly balanced wines with a clean aroma, distinct varietal character, and a fresh, smooth palate. Thanks to these qualities, Rača wines are cherished even by the most discerning connoisseurs and lovers of this drink of kings.
History
The vine-growing and winemaking company Villa Vino Rača, a. s., derives its name from the original designation of the village — Villa de Récse, first recorded in 1322. Viticulture in this area dates back to the time of the Roman legions, who settled along the Danube.
Over the centuries, Račianska frankovka — a red wine — became the most famous product from Rača. According to a royal charter issued by Maria Theresa in 1767, it was recognised as a drink worthy of the royal table. Modern research has shown that Račianska Frankovka modrá is rich in resveratrol, which has very beneficial effects on human health thanks to its antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
The original cooperative, founded in 1949, was a major grape supplier for Vinárske závody Rača (Rača Wine Works) until the late 1980s. However, the grapes lost their identity and origin in anonymous bulk wines.
In the early 1990s, the cooperative gradually stopped selling grapes and began building its own processing facilities. Market demands called for a shift to bottled production and modernisation of the winemaking process.
Rača – The Frankovka capital
In the southeastern heart of the Little Carpathians lies a treasure that has shaped the character of Slovak viticulture and winemaking for centuries. From Celts and Slavs to German, Jewish, and Croatian settlers, the vineyards of Rača have preserved their uniqueness. Despite the growth of the capital city, the finest vineyards have survived intact, providing grapes for wines of world-class quality.
Račianska frankovka is our flagship wine. It is an iconic wine that perfectly reflects the genius loci of our vineyards. Račianska frankovka is made from the Frankovka modrá variety with an exclusively Rača pedigree. Frankovka was also loved by Maria Theresa, who in the 18th century granted it a decree allowing Račianska frankovka to be served at the Viennese imperial court. Our Račianska frankovka comes from the Krivé vineyard plot, spanning 4.86 hectares on weathered granite bedrock. This vineyard is among the finest sites for growing Frankovka in Slovakia.
Palugyay
The Palugyay family story
The Pressburg firm Palugyay and Sons was one of the most renowned wineries in Austria-Hungary in the second half of the 18th century. The Château Palugyay brand became a household name in the highest circles of society and among the ruling elite worldwide.
Jacob Palugyay (1818–1886) began his career as an innkeeper at Železná studníčka. In 1857, he leased the hotel “At the Green Tree” (today’s Hotel Carlton) and turned it into a gastronomic destination known as far as Vienna and Pest. Through his passion and business talent, he gradually built a successful winery with the title of Imperial-Royal Court Supplier. Palugyay wines were prized for their quality and were delivered to the royal courts of Europe, to overseas expeditions of the Austrian navy, and to distant lands: Mexico, East Asia, India, China, Japan, the Americas, and Australia. As a point of interest, in Romania the firm covered 28% of total wine imports.
Château Palugyay wine was also served on the ill-fated voyage of the Titanic. The winery was housed in a building on the customs line of old Pressburg. Today, the Palugyay Palace is home to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic. The Palugyay cellars featured the most modern technology, steam equipment, and even a “wine pipeline” running directly to the railway station. The wines were awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Franz Joseph (1873) and gold medals at world exhibitions (Vienna, Paris, Brussels, Melbourne).
The Palugyay brand has survived to this day under the wings of Villa Vino Rača. These are the most noble wines produced by our winery.
Shop PalugyayAwards
Domestic and international awards
Villa Vino Rača takes pride in a diverse range of wines that satisfy even the most demanding wine lovers. Five wines from the Exclusive collection hold the Quality Mark award. Our most exclusive Palugyay collection represents the absolute pinnacle of our winemaking, where every bottle is proof of precision and passion for wine. A limited edition are our naturally sweet wines — ice wines and raisin selections. We humbly appreciate how our wines gain recognition at home and abroad, which motivates us to believe that our winery has matured to a quality worthy of the highest awards.
The first international award was won by the Rača cooperative back in 1959 at a wine competition in Austria for Frankovka modrá, vintage 1958. Since then, Villa Vino Rača has built a strong position on the domestic and international wine scene, winning more than 1,250 awards at prestigious competitions. Among the most notable are: Terravino, Mundus Vini, Mondial du Rosé, AWC Vienna, Vinalies Internationales Cannes, Mondial des Vins Blancs Strasbourg, Bacchus Madrid, Sakura Japan Women’s Wine Awards, China CEEC Wine Awards, and the National Salon of Wines of the Slovak Republic.
