Mikulov Wine Trail - sunny Italy under the Pavlov Hills

In Jevišovka, a colonization settlement founded in the 13th century at the confluence of Jevišovka and Dyje rivers, the Moravian Wine Trail together with the Greenways Prague–Vienna enters the Mikulov wine region. In terms of vineyard area, it is the largest Moravian wine region with the most extensive vineyard complexes. The origins of winemaking in the region under Pálava date back to the time of Roman legions. Especially the white wines from the Pálava surroundings stand out for their exceptional quality, varietal character, and wide range of flavors. Typical varieties for the Mikulov area are Grüner Veltliner, Green Veltliner, and Pinot Blanc. Jevišovka, a settlement heavily tested for centuries, is today a renovated and hospitable village and the start of a section that will delight lovers of nature, architecture, and distant views.

Following third-class roads, purpose-built asphalt roads, and dusty field paths, the perfectly marked Moravian Wine Trail heads toward Mikulov. Drnholec and Novosedly, two of the largest wine villages in Moravia, offer not only a display of cellar buildings with their variety and richness but also a unique example of the development of rural ecclesiastical architecture from the Romanesque to the Baroque era. After Drnholec and the bridge over the Dyje, the route turns to Novosedly, where the educational wine trail Stará hora begins. Eleven panels placed in the vineyards provide information about the history and current state of vine growing in Novosedly, the varieties planted in the local vineyards, winemaking, wine laws, and proper wine tasting. You can immediately test the acquired knowledge in practice. The wineries Marcinčák and Kovacs from Novosedly are among the most renowned in the region.

Further south, up to the Czech-Austrian border, the trail continues to Nový Přerov. From the settlement, which until recently separated two worlds and is now a cycling mecca, the route climbs to Přerov Hill. It runs on a quality asphalt road with views of vineyards whose foothills are adorned by original, modest, and stylish cellar façades from the 1930s. The far views from Přerov Hill are soon replaced by a shaded forest path leading to the edge of Dobré Pole. The surface of the next section, a seven-kilometer-long road to Mikulov, is among the worst on the trail: dusty field road, uneven panels, and remnants of asphalt full of potholes. At the end, a view awaits you of the breathtaking panorama of the town cherished by the sun on the southern slopes of the Pálava hills. The ancient Mikulov with its castle, Dietrichstein tomb, and interesting Jewish quarter is not only a crossroads of cultures but also a town of wine. Ideal natural conditions, excellent vineyard locations, and the experience of dozens of generations of winemakers give the wines here an outstanding reputation.

With Mikulov behind you, the Moravian Wine Trail climbs uphill on a quiet third-class road toward Klentnice. Before ascending to the height of 350 m a.s.l. through the Pavlov Hills, it passes the Kočičí Skála limestone cliff, offering a view of the Stolové Mountains massif with the ruins of Sirotčí hrádek, Děvín, and Děvičky. From the highest point before Klentnice, it then descends to Pavlov, a Baroque wine village on the shore of the Novomlýnské reservoirs. Water also connects the last two settlements of the Mikulov wine magistrale. Dolní Věstonice, known for its archaeological exhibition, was famous in the past not only for the finding of the corpulent Venus but also for the developed winemaking by the Habán settlers. The trail is led to Strachotín by the bridge between the Lower and Middle reservoirs of the waterworks. Behind the Strachotín cellar colony comes a romantic section with a grove along the pond and a gentle rise to the important wine village of Pouzdřany, known primarily for the production of straw wines. Besides wines, Pouzdřany boasts the Gothic parish church of St. Nicholas, a preserved Renaissance house, and a unique steppe. Train connections to Brno and Břeclav are available from here as well.