Slovácko wine sub-region

 

From history to the present day

The past of Slovácko is closely tied to the activity of the Salonika missionaries, Cyril and Methodius, who arrived in Moravia in 863. The requirement of wine for liturgical purposes led to the expansion of the vineyard area and the mission of Cyril and Methodius only underlined its meaning.

You will still find traces left by the Salonikan scholars in Modrá and Velehrad, for example, renowned pilgrimage sites, in Uherské Hradiště-Sady or in the Slavonic walled settlement in Mikulčice. On the way around Slovácko you will note that the neat rows of vines are an expression of the landscape-forming component. The dark green vines stand out while in the background the aureate fields of rape, sunflowers and cereals can be seen.

In the archives belonging to the town of Hodonín is an invaluable document, stating that instead of falling under the monasteries and rulers all matters pertaining to wine are governed by the landed gentry. For more than 75 years from the beginning of the 16th century the Hodonín estate belonged to aristocrats from Lipá. In March 1555 Pertold of Lipá confirmed to Hodonín the free sale of wine and forbade the serving of foreign wines.

The exquisite brand wine, Bzenecká lipka, is made from Ryzlink rýnský (Riesling) from the best vineyard tracts in and around Bzenec. The name of this brand, meaning Bzenec Lime Tree, reflects the delicate and lush mellow scent of linden flowers with honeyed tones, as well as the ancient lime tree that has grown for centuries in the château park. From the wine commune of Blatnice pod Svatým Antonínkem comes another excellent brand wine Blatnický roháč {blend of Ryzlink Rýnský (Riesling), Rulandské bílé (Pinot blanc) and Sylvánské zelené (Sylvaner)}.

Grape varieties

Wines from the northernmost wine regions in Europe are sought out by wine connoisseurs for their special beauty and unmistakable character of tightly knit and breezy acidity and extractive material with a prolonged finish. These excel particularly in the Slovácko sub-region. The spectrum of varietial wines is as similarly colourful and diverse as the local folklore.

The higher lying vineyards give wines that are fresh in character, with a smooth acidity and pronounced aromatic substances. Rulandské bílé (Pinot blanc), Rulandské šedé (Pinot Gris), Sylvánské zelené (Sylvaner, Silvaner) as well as Veltlínské zelené (Grüner Veltliner) and Chardonnay, all thrive in the White Carpathians, while from the higher stony parts comes a very fine Ryzlink Rýnský (Riesling), In Kyjov and Uherské Hradišťě, in the most northern outpost of the Moravian wine region, early-ripening grape varieties are planted in great abundance, such as Müller Thurgau and Muškát moravský (Moravian Muscat), the latter having been crossed in the Wine Research Centre at Polešovice. The most planted red varieties are Modrý Portugal (Blauer Portugieser), Rulandské modré (Pinot Noir), Zweigeltrebe, Svatovavřinecké (St. Laurent) and Cabernet Moravia, the last named having been crossed and developed in Moravská Nová Ves.

Vineyards - soils and climate

A wide varietal composition and a landscape of great diversity, given the diverse soils and microclimates of the Slovácko sub-region, will be greatly appreciated by those wine aficionados who are in search of the individuality and the strong sense of terroir this noble beverage offers.

The southern part of the sub-region is composed of Podluží and Mutěnice, warm and dry lands with light soils in the valleys of the Morava and Kyjovka rivers. From here the White Carpathians rise to the east, whose subsoil composition of limestone sediments alternating with the layers of sandstone, clay and limestone give the wines from this area their unique character. The soils of the vineyards here are heavy, deep and water-retaining, which makes them favourable especially during dry years, when the vines receive uninterrupted nourishment which is then manifested in the greater roundness of the wines. Wines from the hilly terrain around Kyjov and Uherské Hradiště, where the vineyards are planted on the sunny south-facing slopes, have their own particular northern nature, and during ripening the most important role is played by the difference in altitude, the difference between windward and leeward slopes and the incidence of dry and warm autumnal winds which hasten the berries to ripen.

> Directory of winemakers of the Slovácko sub-region
Directory of wine-related tourist destinations in the Velké Pavlovice sub-region:
> winemaking museums
> matters of wine-related interest
> calendar of wine-related events
> Directory of other tourist destinations and services in the Slovácko sub-region on www.jizni-morava.cz

Wine trails in the Velké Pavlovice sub-region:

Kyjov wine trail, Strážnice wine trail, Uherske Hradišťě wine trail, Mutěnice wine trail, Wine trails of Podluží, Bzenec wine trail, Wine trail of the Moravian Muscat grape variety, Wine trail of the Pinot Blanc grape variety

Recommended www pages with tourist information and wine-tourism programmes in Czech and English:

www.slovacko.cz - extensive information portal of the Slovácko region. You will find here plenty of information concerning the history of the region, landmarks, places of natural interest and tourist routes. The web pages contain a comprehensive database of services offered.

www.batacanal.cz - web pages of the Baťa kanál waterway. Information on hiring boats, the weather, the state of the water and tourist programmes. Useful information for all waterfolk and lovers of boat travel.

www.breclav-city.cz - official web pages of the town of Břeclav. In the section on the town you will find information on landmarks as well as places of natural interest. Under tourist information is the contact for TIC and plentiful information on tourist offers and services.

www.hodonin.com - official web pages of the town of Hodonín. In the section "Information for tourists" you will find historcal facts and places of natural interest, details of the Hodonín walking pathways and the surrounding area, information on services.

www.ickyjov.cz - official web pages of the information centre of the town of Kyjov. This provides ample information on offers and services for tourists. There is also a cultural calendar.

www.bilekarpaty.cz - official web pages of the White Carpathian Protected Area. You will find here information on nature reserves and national parks in the area. There is no tourist information on these pages.

www.straznicko.cz - tourist server of the Strážnice area. Apart from news of tourist interest there is plentiful information on those local handicraftsmen from the region, who still maintain their traditional work practices.

www.uherske-hradiste.cz - tourist information server of the town of Uherské Hradiště with plentiful information on opportunities for tourism in the town as well as in its surrounding areas. The pages are constructed in a comprehensive format where you will find a database of landmarks and places of natural interest, a roundup of services offered in the town and a calendar.

Tourism and wine making information centres:

Tourist information centre Baťa's Canal
Zámecká 2, 698 01 Veselí nad Moravou
tel: 518 325 330
e-mail: abk@batacanal.cz,
www.batacanal.cz

Information centre of the town of Hodonín
Národní tř. 36, 695 35 Hodonín
tel: 518 352 577
e-mail: info@muhodonin.cz,
www.hodonin.com

Tourist information centre Břeclav
Nám. T. G. Masaryka 3, 690 81 Břeclav
tel: 519 326 900
e-mail: info@breclav.org,
www.breclav-city.cz

Information centre of the town of Kyjov
Svatoborská 26, 697 01 Kyjov
tel: 518 697 584
e-mail: info@mukyjov.cz,
www.ickyjov.cz

Education and information centre of the White Carpathians
Bartolomějské nám. 47, 698 01 Veselí n. Moravou
tel: 518 322 545
e-mail: visbk@bilekarpaty.cz, www.bilekarpaty.cz

Tourist information centre of the Strážnice area
Předměstí 3, 696 62 Stážnice
tel: 518 332 444
e-mail: straznicko@c.box.cz, www.straznicko.cz

Municipal/ Town information centre and information centre for the region of Slovácko
Masarykovo nám. 21, 686 01 Uherské Hradiště
tel: 572 525 525-7
e-mail: mic@uherske-hradiste.czwww.uherske-hradiste.cz

Region Slovácko
Association for the advancement and development of the tourist trade
Masarykovo náměstí 21, 686 01 Uherské Hradiště
tel: 572 540 303
e-mail: info@slovacko.cz, www.slovacko.cz

Znojmo wine sub-region | Mikulov wine sub-region | Velké Pavlovice wine sub-region