PUBISHED ON
May 17, 2025
BY
An Unexpected Stopover in the Heart of Moravia
One of the most popular Germany–Romania routes passes through the Czech Republic, specifically the Moravia region. The largest city in the region (and the second largest in the Czech Republic after Prague) is Brno, a city I’ve visited and passed through several times, though rather superficially. Looking more closely, a few years ago as I approached Brno, I noticed some hills in the distance covered in vineyards, but I didn’t make the connection at the time. And as they say… necessity is the mother of invention 
.
96% of Czech Wine Comes From Here
As I mentioned earlier, Mikulov is located in southern Moravia, a region that contributes over 96% to the total wine production of Czechia. Yes… 96%… out of a total of 17,198 ha. (To give you an even clearer picture, Romania has around 187,000 ha of vineyards, ranking 6th in Europe… the fact that we don’t use all that area is another story.) I now understand the importance and fame of the town, but more so for connoisseurs, because, let’s be honest, Czechia is internationally recognized for many things, but wine unfortunately doesn’t make the top (same situation as in Poland).
Mikulov gives its name to the subregion, Mikulovská, and represents 25% of the total viticultural area of Moravia. White wines predominate, of course ,due to the lower temperatures, with native varieties, but also international ones:
- Pálava – named after the famous hill in the area, being a cross between Gewürztraminer and Müller-Thurgau.
- Ryzlink Vlašský – despite the name, this variety has no genetic connection to the famous Riesling (German). It is the most planted grape in the subregion and performs exceptionally on limestone soils, being extremely versatile (I dare say it can resemble a Chenin Blanc). It predominantly features floral notes and green fruits, and depending on various factors (ripening, maturation, etc.), it can develop aromas of tropical fruits and nuts. (note: I encountered the same grape when visiting the Balatonfüred region in Hungary, where it is known as Olaszriesling.)
- Sylvaner – here I tasted the grape for the first time and I probably won’t forget it ever. Just as Cosmin associates certain notes with childhood memories, I experienced a similar feeling. At the first sip, I was transported to Marpod, Sibiu County, in my grandfather’s garden, picking green gooseberries. High acidity, but balanced and very fresh.
As international varieties (but not tasted by us), Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris are also cultivated, and as reds: Frankovka (aka Blaufränkisch), Zweigeltrebe, Merlot, Cabernet Moravia, Pinot Noir, André, St. Laurent, but in quite small quantities.
Where to Grab a Glass?
Despite the small number of inhabitants, Mikulov excels in the wine bar department. We didn’t visit them all (though it would have been awesome 
) but I counted at least 15… literally, every two minutes you’d stumble upon a wine bar. The top ones that stuck in our memory:
- Vinotéka Mikulov – design, variety, and ambiance 10/10 – note that here we managed to try the most variants of Ryzlink Vlašský, thanks to the fact that they have three fridges (white, rosé/sparkling, red) on a card system and you pay for what you consume. It’s like a terrace outside, two tables with bar stools – but mostly served indoors. We really liked it…
- Vinotéka Volařík – short stay, but we noticed just as much variety and here we tried a 2018 Merlot with quite soft tannins and notes of dark chocolate and plums. Quite unusual, I’d say, but very special. Served both indoors and on the terrace outside, but there are few tables.
- Amicii Miei – atmosphere 12/10, I liked it the most. A “she” who handled supplies and orders and a “he” who handled entertainment
, very friendly and interacting with everyone. Music: of course, Italian. Here we tried that Sylvaner. (Note: payment only in cash in crowns… but I negotiated in euros, because that’s all I had .
A Glimpse Into History: The Castle
We had the chance to visit a bit of the castle, their “big” square, and a nearby vineyard whose wines we tasted and which we really enjoyed. We learned from the hotel receptionist (verified online later) that the town has a strong Jewish community and that two families protected the town since the 13th century, namely the Liechtenstein and Dietrichstein families. Starting in the 15th century, Mikulov became the unofficial capital of Moravia, precisely due to the influence of these communities and the seat of the regional rabbinate.
The castle, a baroque gem, built at the end of the 13th century and owned by both families. We only visited the exterior due to time constraints (we arrived after 5:00 PM), but I would have really liked to see the museum inside and the botanical garden. From what I understand, the castle burned twice, but the most devastating fire was in 1945, caused by the German army trying to retreat from the advancing Red Army.
Accommodations
The initially chosen hotel, Tanzberg, a wine hotel located in the former Jewish quarter of Mikulov, actually right next to the old synagogue from 1550 – turned out to be the best choice. I say initially because there were 2 short visits to Mikulov.
Prices were okay – 70 eur/night including breakfast and parking. And although the walls are quite thin, earplugs solve the issue note: they serve mimosas at breakfast.
On the 2nd visit we chose Hotel Radost, equally central and similar price but we paid for parking (located next to the hotel). Everything was extremely new, very clean but the wine fridge in the room was not silent at all so we unplugged it during the night. Basic breakfast and check-in in an apart-hotel system.
Food
We tried several restaurants in the central area during both visits but nothing impressive so I won’t mention them.
Where we actually wanted to go was a bistro restaurant on the Gault & Millau list but it was fully booked and we didn’t have a reservation.In the end we decided to visit the Mikrosvin vineyard, located 10 minutes by car from Mikulov, at the base of the famous “Pálava” hill.
Why Mikrosvin? Because it’s one of the most awarded vineyards in Moravia and I really liked one of their Welschriesling (or “valssky” – probably Ryzlink Vlašský/Welschriesling) that we had tasted the night before.
Mikrosvin wines are powerful and full-bodied, a blend of minerals and spices (quite an interesting blend, right? That’s because the grapes are harvested late, often even affected by botrytis) and the soil is dominated by high amounts of calcium, hence notes of chalk powder.
Mikrosvin offers tastings in the cellar in Dolní Dunajovice but I recommend checking the schedule online before going.
