The Napa Valley of Czechia

You don’t need to go to Napa, California or Bordeaux in France to taste amazing wine. South Moravia, which is located in the southern region of Czechia, is well known for its "wine- making" culture. 

South Moravia lies in the most southern region of Czechia bordering with Slovakia and Austria; it's around 260 kilometres south of Prague and only 90 kilometres from Vienna, Austria. South Moravia is known for its hot summers, picturesque castles, UNESCO heritage landmarks and reserves, magnificent hills and most importantly its wine making.    

Some of its most famous towns and villages particularly known for their vineyards and wine making, and definitely worth a wine tour visit are Mikulov, Pavlov hills, and Valtice. Tours of those vineyards include visiting the majestic hill sites, picturesque wine cellars and of course tasting some of the finest Czech wines. What else could you ask for?! 

I highly recommend visiting Mikulov and its beautiful Baroque castle, which hosts a large exhibition about wine making, and a gigantic wine barrel- which you don’t see everyday. The Palava grape is the symbol of this region. In Mikulov a three-day festival is organised in September, before the harvest of the grapes. This year the festival will take place from 6 to 8 of September 2019, and will include an historical market, people dressed in traditional folklore costumes and, of course wine tasting from various local producers. The festival includes other fun activities, such as concerts, exhibitions, contests and much more.    

Mikulov

692 01 Mikulov, Czechia

From Mikulov you can already get an incredible view of the Palava Hills, which are also part of the UNESCO Reserve. The vineyards in these hills date back to the 13th century and should definitely be on your bucket list. At the peak of the hills you will come across Pavlov village, which is surrounded by wine trails and stunning greenery. This area is popular amongst families and visitors for hiking, cycling and outdoor adventures. For the cyclists amongst you, the region has more than 1000 kilometres of wine trails, which are really worth exploring during the warm months of spring and late summer. 

Palava Hills

Pálava Protected Landscape Area, Czechia

Sonberk vineyards have grown in popularity, and thus a few years ago their local winery became one of the best wineries in Czechia. If you love white wine then you will definitely enjoy some of their most remarkable wines with a fruity flavour and a touch of spice including Palava, Traminer, Riesling and Pinot Gris. Cheers!   

Sonberk

Sonberk 393, 691 27 Popice, Czechia

In case you have extra time and would like to explore the wine region further, then make your way to the small town of Valtice, where you can visit the country’s wine salon. At the wine salon you will have a chance to taste the best 100 Czech wines- carefully picked through a tough competition, which takes places every year.   

Valtice Wine Salon

Zámecká, 691 42 Valtice, Czechia