Wine wandering

South Moravia was always synonym for a rich and fertile region, which even today, when the pressure of global cultural trends is huge, has a genuine and impressive folklore strongly linked with a diverse range of quality Moravian wines and unforgettable taste of traditional regional cuisine.

It is agricultural tradition, countless numbers of active winegowers and vineyard lines, which along with plenty of sunshine and the diversity of soil create favorable conditions for the growth of wine and potentional wine tourism in South Moravia. Vineyards, wine cellars and wine cellar lanes have always made unmistakable character of the Moravian, or Slovácko´s countryside and in the Word, you actually hardly find another region where it would stand so many family wine cellars and small vineyards.

Just like that it is in Podluží and Hodonínsko regions. Wine, live wine traditions and wine tourism are an integral part of every village of this southernmost part of Moravia. Our invitation to visit our undeniably odd area is not only in the form of this text, that is about wine and those who produce it and take care of it, but also in the form of a folklore and wine events in Podluží and Hodonín. Slovácko subarea, where Podluží and Hodonínsko form its the most southern part, with flatlands and slope vineyards on the terrain fault to the Kyjovka river, lies in the southeast of Moravia and has very diverse natural conditions. This sub-area covers 115 villages, 8627 farmers and 4534 ha of vineyards. Right here, the most diverse enviromental conditions can be found.

From the dictionary of wine-grower

Unless stated otherwise, the drink „wine" is made from grapes (Vitis vinifera). If there is other fruit used for the production, it has always to be used the name „fruit wine". Another common mistake in terminology is an incorrect labeling of grapes as a „wine" - it is necessary to distinguish grapes (fruit - fruit of the grapevine) and wine (drink made from the grapevine).

Winemaking process

The basic raw material for the wine production are fresh grapes. The harvesting of grapes, in our conditions, starts from the end of August (very early varieties) and finishs in the end of November (late varieties). There are some exceptions in harvesting during winter months, in freezing temperatures, for ice wine production.

Removing of stems and seeds

As soon as possible after the harvest , stems and seeds are separeted from the grapes. This process is called „odzrnení - removing of grains". (because the old designation of the grapes is „grain"). Thus separeted grapes are called as „wine mash".

White wines production

For white wines, the mash is pressed very early. This time can range from several minutes up to several hours. Most of the time the mash macerates for 3 to 6 hours, and that is for better extraction of aromatic substances, which are stored in the skin of the grapes.

Red wines production

The red wine production differs from white wines. The mash is pressed once it was leavened together with skins. In fact, in the skin there is concentrated colouring, that is extracted through the fermentation to the mash.

Pink ( Rosé) wines production

With the pink wines, the mash of blue grapes is left several hours in order to evoke a partial release of the red dye from the skins. Then the mash is pressed and further processed as with white wine.

Pressing

The must and pressed skin of grapes called „matolina" are separeted by pressing. Must yield percentage generally ranges from 60 to 80%. After pressing, the must is usually defecated. If the red wines sugar content is increasing, this is done immediately after removing of seeds and stemps, so that the added sugar ferments with the mash.

Fermentation

For white wines, the must leavens right after pressing. For red wines, the mash leavens (it is so must together with skins). The fermentation can occur either spontaneously or by using special yeast strains. Fermenting must is called „burcák". For red wines, there is often made, after the main fermentation, so called malolactic fermentation, That is a process where tarttasting malic acid, naturally present in grape must, is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid.

Vinification

Vinifi cation is the process of handling of wine from fermentation to preparation for bottling. This is particularly bottling, sulphuring, clarification and filtration.

• Aurelius -Wine of deeply yellow-green color and of honey taste, In the aroma we can fi nd the notes of spring honey, pineapple and overripe kiwi.
• Chardonnay - Fresh, fruity and intensive wine of a light yellow color with an aroma reminding of unripe apple or pineapple, watermelon, banana, eventually citrus fruits.
• Moravian Muscat - Wine of yellow-green to golden-yellow color, with aroma of mandarin, banana and other tropical fruit turning into floral tones and sweet smelling taste, with harmonized acidity.
• Müller -Thurgau - A cross-breed of Gutedel and Riesling makes a delicious, often flowery wine with a slight tone of muscat aroma and mild acidity, aroma reminiscent of green apples, lemons, black currants, muscatel or green pepper.
• Neuburger - Wine of light golden-yellow color, flowery and mineral aromas later turning to the fruit and cream aromas.
• Pálava - Aromatic wine of golden-yellow color with a long, full taste and aroma of spices, muscatel and vanilla.
• Pinot Blanc - Variety of French origin, offering a wine with a spicy bouquet, decent almond tones and delicate aromas of green apples, pears or hazelnuts.
• Pinot Gris - Harmonious wine from a variety of French origin, characterized by fullness, smoothness and a long aftertaste of honey-sweet aroma and orange tones.
• Welschriesling - A fresh wine of green-yellow color with a spicy acid, fruit flavors and aromas of currants or gooseberries.
• Riesling - Late maturing variety giving a fine elegant wines with higher acidity and bouquet reminiscent of apple, peach, grapefruit, rose flowers, honey or fresh coffee.
• Sauvignon - Full-bodied wine with a refreshing tones reminiscent of green fruits with aromas of lemon, currants, nettles or breath of asparagus.
• Sylvaner - Wine of yellow-green color with a slightly spicy touch and a higher amount of acids, especially at the beginning we can look for gooseberry tones.
• Gewurztraminer - Wine of intense golden-yellow color with spicy honey aroma and taste, in which we find for example tea rose, honey, sultanas, tropical fruit, violet, ginger or cinnamon.
• Gruner Veltliner - Currently the most widespread variety, the wine is of yellow- green to straw color with aromas of lime-blossom and lightly black pepper and spicy taste.
• André - Dark garnet-ruby color with aromas of ripe blackberries, grounded with firm tannins and acidity in young wines and with certain fullness and sufficiency of fruitiness of mature bottled wines, which increases the fullness and typicalness of red wine.
• Cabernet Moravia - Dark garnet color. Aromatic compounds of blackcurrant, typicall for Cabernet varieties, are associated with the fruitiness and well structured tannins, which give, after bottle mturation, pleasant complex typical for red wines from northern areas.
• Cabernet Sauvignon -Dark garnet colour, sometimes with blue reflections. Typical is the nose of blackcurrants, and, depending on the ripeness of the grapes, even the scent of cherries, blackberries, tobacco, cedar wood or jam. The wine is opulent, having a very lengthy finish, and in cases where the wine has matured in bottle, it has a velvet suppleness. Young wines usually possess aggressive tannins.
• Dornfelder - The wine is of excellent quality, dark red color, fine aromatic smell bouquet and taste. For its intense color, it is ,in Germany, valued as a raw material for enhancing the color of red wines and for aging in barrique barrels.
• Lemberger - Dark ruby colour. In young wines the high acidity dominates over other characteristics. Once over the harder tones of youth one will find spiciness combined with fruitiness and an extractive expression typical of red wines from the northernmost wine regions. In the best vintages wines show a nice and smooth character.
• Merlot - Dark ruby to garnet colouris typical for the variety, and its very attractive sweetish nose of dark cherry or compot which fills out as it matures to include plums, figs and, after bottle-ageing, notes of tobacco, coffee and truffles also makes it very attractive for the majority of consumers. The wines have a supple smoothness and are highly attractive with a long finish.
• Blauer Portigieser - Light ruby colour, with a youthful nose of flowers, are the most typical attributes of these wines. The wine is low in tannins, light, very pleasant to the nose and palate, succulent and harmonious.
• Neronet - Very deep red colour with blue reflections. On the nose one may discern indications of blackcurrant along with cherry. The wine has a medium to full body and lends something of the character of southern wine regions with its expressive tannic structure.
• Pinot Noir - Pale ruby to brick-red colour with a golden rim. Aromatic substances in young wines are those of strawberries, forest fruit, black cherries, and later express themselves as damsons, plum povidl, with a touch of leather, smoke or rotting leaves added. Acidity is soft as are the tannins.
• Saint Laurent -The wines are of dark garnet colour with violet reflections. Their expression of harsh tannins is accompanied by the aromas of morello cherries and blackcurrants. Wines are of medium to full body, after ageing in bottle the aggressive character will change into crispness and then finally into a velvety smoothness.
• Zweigeltrebe - Garnet colour with spicy-fruit palate, having a full nose of sour cherries and other berry fruit. Wines are of differing roundness. In controlled harvests they are more expressive with more complex tannins, giving the wine a smoothness and fine balance.

Wine cellars

The importance of vineculture in the area of Podluží and Hodonínsko is illustrated not only by the cultivated vineyards, but also by maintained wine cellars, wine cellar lanes or wine cellar colonies. Visitors are attracted not only by its picturesqueness, but also by the increasing possibilities to taste local excellent wines and to see the wine cellars.

Among the interesting wine cellar sites belong Nechory settlement, with nearly five hundred wine cellars, near Prušánky. Next, we can mention wine cellar street Zlatý kopecek in Cejkovice, Dubnanská hora near Dubnany, V predních a pod Caganovem in Dolní Bojanovice, Výmol, Zátiší a U myslivny in Moravská Nova Ves, Slavín in Ratíškovice, U cihelny, U myslivecké chaty a Tešické Budy in Mikulcice, Hradíštek in Týnec or wine cellar area U hrište in Hrušky. Naturally, we can not ignore Josefovské Budy in Josefov, Výlety in Moravský Žižkov, or wine cellar streets in Starý and Nový Poddvorov, or wine cellars in Lužice, Tvrdonice, Kostice and in Lanžhot. In the major wine center in Cejkovice, it is possible to visit the 650 m long wine cellar built by Templars, whom this village belonged from the 13th century.

Wine events

In recent years, the day of open wine cellars has become a biggest attraction phenomenon in most wine-growing villages of Podluží and Hodonín. These wine events, held annually in various communities in the fi xed term, are dedicated not only to admirers of cellar architecture or wine lovers, but also to fans of local folklore, regional traditions and gastronomy. The most popular are the open cellars in Cejkovice (June), in Tvrdonice (June), in Nový Poddvorov (June), in Moravská Nová Ves (July), in Hrušky (July) and in Mikulcice (August).

Winery in association with ethnographic traditions can also be learnt by the celebrations of „Mountain driving“ or during the vintage. Mentioned „Mountain driving“ can be
visited every year, for example in Týnec (August), Prušánky( August) or Josefov (August). Vintage is offered in Prušánky (September) and Moravská Nová Ves (September). Another important wine event going on in almost every village is the traditional wine tasting, where local and nonresident winemakers may compare the results of their work in the vineyard.