6 tips for going on a wine tour in South Moravia
Sonberk
Offering a beautiful view of the Pálava Mountains, the Sonberk vineyard and winery has quickly become a favourite destination for visitors to wine-growing Moravia, as well as being a popular venue for weddings and cultural events.
With a striking modern building designed by renowned Czech architect Josef Pleskot, Sonberk specialises in premium white wines, for which it has won awards around the world. During the season, it is open daily, with no advance reservation required for tastings at the wine shop. Guided tours or guided tastings with commentary must be reserved in advance.
Válka Winery
Nosislav, along with the nearby Výhon Nature Park, is vastly underrated. Whilst it may not be among the most sought-after locations in wine-growing Moravia, a stop at the winery run by Karel Válka and his family, who produce a variety of primarily dry wines from their 8 hectares of vineyards, is well worth it.
In addition to wine, you’ll likely leave with grape jelly, grape juice, and all sorts of other products. You can shop without an appointment on weekdays and Saturday mornings, and you might even be treated to a small tasting. Larger guided tastings and gatherings must be booked in advance.
Krásná Hora Winery
Krásná Hora, a seven-hectare biodynamic winery with most of its vineyards located in the vineyard tract of the same name, focuses primarily on traditional French grape varieties and imbues them with a unique local character. The winery building, designed by architect Tomáš Havlíček of the Létající inženýři studio, is among the finest to be found among small Moravian producers.
Half of Krásná Hora’s production is now sold abroad, often to top Michelin-starred restaurants. It’s a good idea to make an appointment in advance for a tasting, a tour of the winery, or to make a purchase.
J. Stávek Winery
The J. Stávek Winery in Němčičky specialises in fortified and liqueur wines that can boldly compete even with famous international rivals. It has also earned an excellent reputation for its rosé wines. In fact, Jan Stávek has written a book on both topics.
At the winery, they’ll be happy to let you taste wines from both bottles and barrels. If you’re interested, they’ll also offer a crash course in winemaking, that includes a tour of the vineyards and an introduction to winemaking techniques. You can purchase wines on weekdays without an appointment, but tastings and gatherings must be booked in advance.
U Vrbů Guesthouse and Winery
This family-run business, owned by Jan Vrba, his wife Radka, and their three daughters, offers not only wines made from organically grown grapes but also accommodations in their own guesthouse, which features a small wine cellar. Their eldest daughter, Libuše — the Czech Republic’s champion in sparkling wine blending — studied viticulture and enology, and today she is responsible for their wine production.
They’ll be happy to let you taste their wines, explain the winemaking process, and sell bottles directly from the cellar. They also host tastings and gatherings for large groups, for which the Vrbas even prepare the meals themselves.
Špalek Winery
This organic winery, located on Kraví Hora near Znojmo, became famous for its Šaler liqueur wine and was among the first to overcome the stigma surrounding branded wines and blends with its excellent Cuvée Gryllus.
Today, they produce a wide range of excellent wines as well as apricot nectar; you can purchase them every weekday at their location in Nový Šaldorf, even without an appointment. Tastings are held in one of the wine presses that has been converted into a tasting cellar.
