Mikulov (photo: CzechTourism)

South Moravia is the part of the country best known for its vineyards and fine wines. The largest and most famous wine festivals take place here. The medieval wine producing town of Mikulov (www.mikulov.cz) invites all to attend the Pálava wine festival taking place Sept. 7 – 9, 2007. The historical centre and the town’s natural amphitheatre will be brought to life by three days of music, dance, exhibitions and a traditional feast. The second day of the wine festival begins with a historical procession lead by King Wenceslas IV who will dub several knights and observe their sword fighting skills. Then a large procession in local costume, including carriages belonging to the winemakers and growers, will pass through the town. A medieval arts and crafts market will be set up in the chateau gardens featuring a mock military camp, and in the chateau itself visitors can learn something about regional songs and a little about what it takes to be a sommelier. Pop acts and singers will entertain crowds at the amphitheatre, and on the Sunday the same venue will host an international brass band competition to win South Moravia’s Golden Grape prize. In Znojmo (www.znojmocity.cz) the townsfolk will celebrate the grape harvest Sept. 14 & 15, 2007. King John of Luxemburg with his queen Eliška Přemyslovna will arrive in the town, and a lantern procession and fire show will follow in the evening. A historical market will feature blacksmiths and glassblowers demonstrating their craft, and at the Loucký Monastery there will be a jousting tournament.

The town’s inns and taverns will be open selling wine from large producers and private smallholders. A full programme of music will be rounded off with spiritual music concerts held at several venues including the Church of St Nicholas, decorated specially for the occasion. During the Slovácko wine festival and open days at tourist sights in Uherské Hradiště (www.slovacko.cz) visitors can also attend the national launch of this year’s Days of European Heritage (www.shscms.cz). From  September 8 until 9 you will have the chance to witness the biggest festival of Slovácko folklore, wine and food in the Czech Republic. However, this isn’t just another folk festival but a vibrant celebration involving fifty towns and villages from across the Slovácko region. In addition to the procession and folk craft fair there will also be stands from the various towns and villages set up in historical buildings, a brass band show, street music and dance, rides on a musical boat along the Baťa Canal and evening performances on the cimbál in the wine cellars in Mařatice, some of the most attractive in the Slovácko region.

On the Sunday a wine exhibition is set to take place, and there is free admission to all the events.  The morning of Sept. 1 at the wine festival in Velké Pavlovice (www.velke-pavlovice.cz) is kiddies’ time with folklore taking over in the afternoon. The legendary Hradišťan and Jiří Pavlica will give a performance alongside Jumping Drums, a lively percussion ensemble. The Bzenec costumed wine festival (www.bzenec.cz) promises to be a fascinating event. Visitors’ eyes Sept. 21 – 22 will be drawn towards the colourful traditional Slovácko folk costumes, while their ears will enjoy the folk music and their taste buds rejoice at the local and foreign wines which will remind all comers that they have entered a part of the world where wine has been produced for many centuries. The Valtice wine festival on the main square in Valtice (www.radnice-valtice.cz) will include demonstrations of wine producing customs, and all kinds of wines can be tasted and bought.  (Oct 6, 2007).

A folk procession and evening dances at several different locations around the town will round off the festival.  Bohemia is not far behind Moravia when it comes to celebrating the wine harvest. The single most visited castle in the Czech Republic, Karlštejn (www.hradkarlstejn.cz), just 25km outside of Prague, hosts its own wine festival Sept. 29 – 30, 2007. From dawn till dusk the village below the castle will come alive with numerous events. In addition to tasting all types of the local Karlštejn wine and a roast pork feast, all visitors can look forward to a grand medieval fashion show, period dance lessons, fire-eaters, fakirs, court magicians, a royal jousting tournament, a medieval fair and much, much more.

The highlight of the Karlštejn wine festival will be a historical procession lead by Emperor Charles IV himself.  A three-day-long wine festival with music and many interesting events is also held in the town of Mělník (this year Sept 21–23, 2007, www.melnik.cz). Charles IV can also be seen at the Mělník festival with his entourage. In honour of his visit, a firework display will light up the sky above the town. If you like the cheery atmosphere of the wine festival, why not visit Mělník Chateau as well (www.lobkowicz-melnik.cz) for a wine tasting session in the 14th-century wine cellars open year-round. The town of Kadaň in North Bohemia (www.mesto-kadan.cz) has also renewed its wine festival tradition.

At the St Wenceslas wine festival (Sept. 29, 2007), which takes place at the Franciscan Monastery, you will have the opportunity to taste this year’s wine and learn a bit about the winemaking process.  Another wine festival with a longstanding folk tradition will take place in Strážnice (www.straznice-mesto.cz) (Sept 8, 2007); head for Litoměřice’s (http://info.litomerice.cz) wine festival Sept. 22, 2007 and for Znojmo Sept. 28 – 29, 2007 (www.znovin.cz). Wine producers also like to show off their wares in Prague – for example at the Troja wine festival (Sept. 15.–16, 2007) which takes place in the botanical gardens (www.botanicka.cz). T

he wine producing region of South Moravia also offers visitors the chance to see the vineyards and wine cellars by bicycle. Ten wine producing areas are linked by the network of Moravian wine cycle routes (www.vinarske.stezky.cz, www.nadacepartnerstvi.cz) which give tired and thirsty cyclists the chance to enjoy countless rural wine cellars. For detailed information on wines from Bohemia and Moravia log on to www.wineofczechrepublic.cz.