STATUTES OF “Great Wines of Great Vineyards, z.s.”
ASSOCIATION

Part I. Introductory Provisions

• The Association of Great Wines of Great Vineyards, z.s. (hereinafter referred to as the Association) is a voluntary non-profit Association of natural and legal persons who are producers or growers according to Act No. 321/2004 Coll. on Viticulture and Winemaking and on the Amendment of Certain Related Acts (Act on Viticulture and Winemaking) as amended (hereinafter referred to as the Act), interested in the production of wines of the highest quality above the requirements given by the Act under to the following principles and conditions.
• The registered office of the Association is: 691 86 Perná 181. The correspondence address is Vinařství Dvořáček LTM, s.r.o., 696 19 Mikulčice No 93.
• The Association is a legal entity and is established for an indefinite period of time.
• The Association was established on 1 July 2018, registered on 16 August 2018 at the Regional Court in Brno, Section L, Insert 25135, ID No.: 07315767.

Part II. Subject of activity

• The Association brings together growers and producers according to the Act for the purpose of producing wines of selected varieties from selected, further designated vineyard tracks of all wine sub-regions of the Moravia wine region and the Bohemia wine region of the highest quality, which can rightfully bear the designation “Great Wines of Great Vineyards” (hereinafter referred to as VVVV). These wines are produced under the following strict growing and production conditions determined by the Association. The members of the Association are growers under the law who have registered selected vineyards of selected varieties in the individual wine sub-areas of both wine regions and who are also producers under the law.

• The main objective of the Association is primarily:
• to evaluate the quality potential of the best vineyard sites in Moravia and Bohemia;
• to produce wines defined by their ‘terroir’, where quality and origin are linked;
• ensure the future of the unique wine landscape in Moravia and Bohemia;
• restore respect for excellent dry wines;
• to ensure the protection and distinctiveness of ‘Great wines of great vineyards’ by means of a registered trademark of the Association;
• to supervise the compliance of all members of the Association with the detailed rules of the VVVV production set out in point 3 of this paragraph;
• to inspect the vineyards selected for the VVVV wines of the Association members during the growing season and before harvest, focusing mainly on the quality of the grapes and on measures affecting yields;
• inspect the VVVV wines of the members of the Association at tastings before and after bottling;
• to carry out a physical inspection of each winery of a member of the Association every five years at the latest, focusing on the appearance and equipment of the properties so that they also present an image of high quality standards for VVVV wines, but also on the availability of qualified staff to manage the viticultural and winemaking work, including marketing, in the wineries of the members of the Association;
• ensure that the two-layer classification of VVVV wines is respected by the members of the Association:
• “Great Vineyards” – the best vineyards in Moravia and Bohemia and narrowly defined best plots in them, the top of the pyramid, distinctive wines with exceptional aging potential, traditional varieties best adapted to a particular place in a given area,
• ‘Premium vineyard’ – prime vineyards in Moravia and Bohemia with distinctive characteristics, optimal conditions for vine growth proven by long-term cultivation, traditional varieties of the area.

• Basic conditions and parameters of the VVVV:
• wines made from grapes from selected plots of selected vineyards planted with traditional varieties for the locality: Rhine Riesling, Pinot noir and Pinot blanc in all sub-regions of both wine-growing regions – Moravia and Bohemia. In addition, there is one variety for each sub-region of the Morava wine-growing area: ‘Vlachian Riesling’ for the Mikulov sub-region, ‘Green Veltliner’ for the Velke-Pavlovice and Znojmo sub-regions and ‘Chardonnay’ for the Slovacko sub-region;
• vineyards treated at least according to the principles of a higher level of integrated production, without mineral fertilizers, without the use of herbicides, only the use of humified forms of organic fertilisers (vermicompost, compost) is permitted;
• vineyards ideally on a slope, if on flat land, then on poorer soils, with a density of at least 6 000 shrubs per hectare; a lower number of shrubs per hectare may be accepted in the case of a vineyard for ‘premium wines’, provided that the vines are 33 years old or more (‘Christ years’);
• ‘large’ and ‘premium’ wines to be produced only from balanced harvests, i.e. minimum number of harvests before grape harvest for ‘large wines’ according to the scheme: row width in metres times ten, minimum vineyard age for ‘premium wines’ according to the scheme: row width in metres times ten;
• a maximum yield of 50 hl per hectare, alternatively a reduction in yield so that the final result from a single vine is a maximum production of one 750 ml bottle of wine;
• barrel training, ideally barrel fermentation, minimum barrel ageing of 6 months for white wines and 12 months for red wines;
• hand harvesting of the grapes is a prerequisite, as is full physiological ripeness of the grapes;
• all VVVVs must meet the conditions for wines in the classified wine category in accordance with the Law;
• alcoholic fermentation using neutral, pure yeast cultures, other than saccharomyces species or by spontaneous fermentation;
• malolactic fermentation using pure cultures of bacteria welcomed;
• prohibited practices are: cryomaceration, thermoflash, use of enzymes, chips and bonificators (tannins, beautifiers, etc.),
• all wines are dry, meaning glucose and fructose total less than 4g/litre,
• white wines may be released for sale no earlier than 1 September of the year following the harvest, red wines no earlier than 1 September of the second year following the harvest,
• the details of the hierarchy and parameters of the VVVV wines are set out in the table annexed to these Statutes, which also forms part of the Statutes of the VVVV Wine Evaluation Competition. The conditions of the VVVV wines (great wines of great vineyards), PVVV wines (premium wines of great vineyards) as well as the wines of the basic categories VVV (wines of selected vineyards) and VV (wine of the winemaker) will be continuously updated and refined by the Board of the Association in the form of this table, which will always be published separately on the Association’s website in its current form.

• The Association coordinates the activities of its members and protects their legitimate interests. It shall maintain good relations between its members on the basis of understanding and mutual assistance.

• Another objective of the Association is economic activity closely related to the main objective of the Association in accordance with the registration in the Trade Register, in particular the purchase and sale of wines meeting the categories of VVVV wines, the organisation of their tastings, evaluations, competitions, shows and exhibitions, lectures, presentations and consultancy activities related to the main objective of the Association, the organisation of enogastronomic events, wine pairing and others.
• The Association cooperates with state and local government authorities within the scope of its activities. In this cooperation, it promotes the economic, professional, legal, business and other interests of its members.
• The Association strives for the progress and modernisation of viticulture and winemaking, organises educational awareness-raising activities, ensures the promotion and dissemination of information on VVVV, organises lectures, competitions and exhibitions in the field and carries out checks on producers and VVVV wines.
• The Association strives to protect the environment, the landscape and nature by producing healthy wines from grapes of the highest quality above the requirements of the Law.

Part III. Membership

• Only an individual of good character over the age of 18 years or a legal entity whose long-term excellent quality of wines has been recognised in the Czech Republic and abroad, which meets the conditions of VVVV production and which is recommended by one of the founders of the Association or a member of the Board of the Association may become a member of the Association. Membership cannot be applied for.

• If the potential new member meets all the conditions of the Association, the Board of the Association will decide on the admission. Membership in the Association shall commence on the date on which the Board of the Association adopts the decision on admission, unless this decision also provides for a later date. Membership does not pass to a member’s successor in title. The Board of the Association decides on the admission of a new member by a simple majority of votes, each member of the Board has one vote, the chairman of the Association has two votes.

• Membership in the Association shall lapse:
• by voluntary withdrawal,
• exclusion,
• dissolution of the Association,
• death of a member,
• dissolution of a member.

• A member may voluntarily resign from the Association upon written notice of resignation delivered to the President of the Association.

• The expulsion of a member from the Association shall be decided by the Board of the Association by a simple majority of votes, each member of the Board has one vote, the chairman of the Association has two votes. Against the decision of the Board to expel a member, the member may file a written complaint to the General Meeting of the Association within ten days from the date of delivery of the written copy of the expulsion decision. The complaint shall have suspensive effect, i.e. the expulsion decision against which the complaint has been lodged shall not be binding until the General Meeting has decided on the complaint. The General Meeting shall decide on the complaint at its next meeting. No appeal may be lodged against the decision of the General Meeting.

• A member of the Association may be expelled:
• for violation of the VVVV wine production policy,
• for gross or repeated violation of the general ethical rules or the rules of coexistence within the Association,
• for non-payment of the stipulated dues according to the terms of these Statutes,
• for gross violations of the rules of wine production according to national and EU regulations,
• in the event of a final conviction of a prison sentence for a deliberate crime,
• if he/she violates the Statutes or other regulations of the Association or acts contrary to the interests of the Association.

• Membership in the Association shall always expire on the last day of the calendar month in which the expulsion decision was issued.

• The Board shall inform the General Meeting of the Association of the admission and expulsion of members of the Association at its next meeting.

Part IV. Rights and obligations of a member

• A member of the Association has the right to:
• participate in the activities of the Association,
• elect and be elected to the bodies of the Association,
• decide on the activities of the Association through the Association’s bodies,
• request the convening of a General Meeting of the Association under the conditions set out in these Statutes.

• A member of the Association is obliged to:
• observe the internal regulations of the Association and comply with the decisions taken by its bodies,
• pay the established dues,
• comply with the internal regulations of the Association governing the production of VVVV wines,
• comply with the applicable legislation on viticulture and winemaking,
• protect the property of the Association,
• protect the reputation of the VVVV and its producers.

Part V. Bodies of the Association

• The bodies of the Association are:
• General Assembly,
• the Board of the Association,
• the chairman of the Association, who is the statutory body of the Association,
• the president of the Association.

• The General Assembly is the supreme body of the Association. All members of the Association participate in the General Meeting, each having one vote.

• The General Assembly, on the basis of a proposal by the Board of the Association, approves the Statutes of the Association and other internal regulations of the Association, including their additions and amendments, unless their adoption is not entrusted to the competence of the Board of the Association.

• The General Meeting decides on the dissolution of the Association and on the appointment of a liquidator.

• The General Assembly approvew the annual financial statements of the Association and ensure their publication in the form of a statement of income and expenditure and a statement of assets and liabilities.

• The Annual General Meeting shall be held at least once a year and shall be convened by the President of the Association at least 15 days before the date of the meeting.

• The invitation to the General Assembly shall be sent electronically to members at the email address last notified by the member to the Association. The invitation shall include the place, date, time and agenda of the General Meeting.

• In urgent cases, the Board may convene an extraordinary General Meeting at a shorter notice before the General Meeting. An extraordinary General Meeting must also be convened if at least half of the members of the Association so request. The extraordinary General Meeting must then be convened within one month of the date of receipt of the request. The request must state the reason for calling an extraordinary General Meeting.

• The General Meeting and the Extraordinary General Meeting shall be capable of deliberating in the presence of an absolute majority of all the members of the Association. In the event that half an hour after the scheduled start time an absolute majority of the members of the Association are not present, the General Meeting shall be quorate in the number of those present.

• At the beginning of the General Meeting, a chairman, a recorder and a verifier of the minutes are elected. The agenda of the General Meeting is then approved after any additions or changes. A change to the agenda of the General Meeting from the agenda in the invitation shall require the approval of a majority of the members present.

• The General Meeting shall decide by vote. A resolution of the General Meeting is adopted if two-thirds of the members of the Association present at the General Meeting vote in favour of it.

• The approval of a two-thirds majority of the votes of all members of the Association is required for the adoption of a resolution to amend the statutes, to remove the president of the Association, to dissolve the Association and to appoint a liquidator.

• Elections and voting at the General Meeting may be secret or public. The form of election or voting at the members’ meeting shall be proposed by the Board of the Association. Unless the General Meeting decides otherwise, voting shall be in the manner proposed by the Board of the Association.

• In extraordinary situations, upon the decision of the President of the Association, the General Assembly of the Association may also act and decide on specific matters of the Association in a “per-rollam” manner. In this case, the above-mentioned provisions on the date of convening the General Meeting, sending the invitation, etc. shall apply to the extent appropriate. In the case of a per-rollam vote, the time limit for a member’s statement is set at 4 calendar days, including the day of receipt of the e-mail requesting the decision or statement. The absence of a Society member’s position after the expiration of the time period set for response/reaction shall be deemed “approval” of the proposal sent. The approval of a two-thirds majority of all members of the Association is required for a decision to be taken by the General Meeting of the Association “per-rollam”.

• Minutes shall be taken of the General Meeting of the Association. The minutes shall include a list of those present at the General Meeting. The minutes shall be signed by the chairman, the verifier of the minutes and the recorder.

• The board of the Association is the executive body of the Association, which is accountable for its activities to the General Meeting. The Board shall be elected by the General Meeting of the Association for a period of five years. The term of office of the first Board of the Association ends on 31 December 2024.

• The Board is composed of five members and elects the Chairman of the Association and the President of the Association from among its members.

• The Board of the Association shall in particular:
• ensure the activities of the Association and manage its property;
• impose obligations on the members of the Association within the scope of the subject of the Association’s activities;
• determine the amount and due date of contributions and ensures their collection;
• if necessary, propose to the General Meeting of the Association amendments to the internal regulations of the Association;
• maintain the administration and the list of members of the Association;
• decide on the formation and termination of membership of the Association.

• The Board of the Association shall meet as required. Meetings shall be convened by the President of the Society or any other member of the Board. The members of the Association shall be informed of the meetings of the Board of the Association, the agenda and the outcomes of the meetings by electronic means as decided by the Board of the Association.

• The Board decides by voting at the meeting or outside the meeting in the form of “per rollam”. A decision is adopted if a majority of the Board members present are in favour of it. Each member of the Board has one vote, the President of the Association has two votes. In the case of a per-rollam vote, the period for the expression of an opinion by a member of the Board of the Association shall be set at 4 calendar days, including the date of receipt of the email requesting the decision/opinion. The absence of an Association Board member’s opinion after the expiration of the response period shall be considered as “approval” of the proposal sent.

• The President of the Association is its statutory body, represents the Association externally and acts on its behalf.

• Persons authorised by the Chairman of the Association on the basis of a power of attorney shall act for the Association within the scope of their authorisation. These powers of attorney are always issued by the President of the Association in accordance with the decision of the Board of the Association.

• Signing on behalf of the Association is done by the Chairman of the Association attaching his/her signature to the name of the Association with an indication of his/her function. In addition, persons acting on the basis of a power of attorney shall attach to the document to be signed a power of attorney authorising them to act on behalf of the Association.

• The President of the Association is an honorary position, which is assigned to a member of the Association with extraordinary results in the field of wine production, viticulture, in enology with uncommon successes in international wine competitions, with extraordinary merits in the development of viticulture and winemaking in the Czech Republic, including extensive publishing activities in these fields, with a number of innovative and experimental practices, on the proposal of one of the founders of the Association. The President of the Association is thus the guarantor of the quality and expertise of the Association and its members. The President of the Association is a member of the Board of the Association.

• On the proposal of the Chairman of the Association, Doc. Ing. Miloš Michlovský, DrSc. was elected the President of the Association

Part VI. Principles of management

• The Association acquires property from the following sources:
• membership fees,
• property income,
• donations from natural and legal persons,
• contributions and subsidies from public sources,
• income from economic activities related to the main activities of the Association.

• The Board manages the funds of the Association. The Board is responsible for the management of the Association’s funds to the General Meeting of the Association.

• The Association shall be liable for its obligations up to the amount of its assets. Individual members of the Association shall not be liable for the obligations of the Association with their assets.

• In the event of termination of membership in the Association, the dues paid shall not be refunded to the member. Exceptionally, in cases worthy of special consideration, the Board of the Association may decide on the refund of the dues paid to a member.

• In the event of the dissolution of the Association, the assets and liabilities shall be distributed among the individual members of the Association. The liquidation of the Association shall be carried out by a liquidator appointed by the General Meeting.

Part VII. Contributions

• The initial membership fee of 10.000,- CZK (in words: ten thousand Czech crowns) shall be paid by the member of the Association within 10 days from the date of acceptance.

• The annual membership fee for the current year shall be paid by each member of the Association in the amount of CZK 10,000.- (ten thousand Czech crowns) always by 15 January of the current year at the latest, while the annual membership fee shall be paid for the first time for the year following the year of admission.

• For extraordinary reasons, the Board of the Association is entitled to oblige members of the Association to pay the special-purpose contribution, which is due within the time limit specified in the notice to pay the special-purpose contribution sent to all members of the Association.

• The amount and due date of the entrance fee, the annual membership fee and the special-purpose contribution may be changed by the Board of the Association by its decision.

• All membership fees shall be used to ensure the object of the Association’s activities. Contributions may also be used to support the meetings of the bodies of the Association and to cover related necessary expenses.

Part VIII. Conclusion

• The provisions of these Statutes, unless expressly prohibited by the Civil Code or any other law, shall prevail over the provisions of the Act or the Civil Code, and the provisions of those laws, if different from the provisions of these Statutes, shall not apply.

• These Statutes were adopted by the General Meeting of the Association on May 30, 2023, are valid and effective as of the same date, and are the complete version as of that date.

• The Annex to the Statutes forms an integral part thereof: Hierarchy and parameters of VVVV wines.

In Mikulčice, 18 December 2024

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Ing. Lubomír Dvořáček, Ph.D. Chairman of the Association Great Wines of Great Vineyards, z.s.