260 261

Czech Republic and Slovakia Western Balkans are clean and fresh, but the country’s unique
combination of Mediterranean climate and
indigenous grapes such as Shesh i Bardhë,
Pules, and Debine for whites and Shesh i Zi,
Kallmet, Vlosh, and Serina for reds are ripe for
A wine prospector in these cultured but Rot and Müller Thurgau (from Lechovice, high sugar levels and full flavours. According to If few wines of more than local interest come of Smederevo south of Belgrade gives its name to development. The requisite expertise has tended
A
B
battered countries 20 years ago would have Rakvice, and Šatov) and Muškát Moravskỳ the latest (2009) wine law, combining German from the regions on this map today it is for the white Smederevka grape, producing scarcely to come from Italy. A
B
found very little. But the Czechs and Slovaks (Moravian Muscat) also have a certain following. and French principles, wines are divided into political reasons rather than geographical memorable off-dry whites, but a few producers Montenegro became an EU candidate in 2010.
are becoming wine drinkers again. Quality has Moravian reds are not usually so interesting, three quality levels defined mainly by ripeness ones. On the latitude of Italy and similarly are making more interesting wines from Riesling, Its wine industry is small, with 10,600 acres
risen with quantity. Little is exported yet, but although Svatovavřinecké and Zweigeltrebe and yield. The finest wines are denoted DSC diverse and mountainous, the western Balkans Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon. (4,300ha) of vines dominated by one winery:
the potential is there. Bohemia, the hinterland (Zweigelt) from the Velké Pavlovice subregion (Districtus Slovakia Controllatus). have equally propitious conditions for vines. In southern Serbia, the most invigorating 13 Jul-Plantaže. With 5,708 acres (2,310ha), it
of Prague, across Germany’s eastern border from and Frankovka from Kobylí, Bořetice, and Dolní In general, the warmer climate and deeper, They have ancient histories of winemaking and reds are made from the local Prokupac grape, is claimed to be the largest single vineyard in
Sachsen (Saxony), has about 1,800 acres (720ha) Kounice are better than most. fertile soils of southern Slovakia are more suitable the many native grape varieties that inevitably while the Oplenac subregion, situated in the hilly Europe. A good 70% is planted to Vranac, a deep-
of vines, mainly along the right bank of the Elbe. for reds, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, result. Albania apart, they formed the short-lived Šumadija region along the Velika Morava River, coloured, tannic red variety that has real character
The region makes light wines, supplying Prague’s slovakia Frankovka, and the new crossings. The less fertile, Yugoslavia. As they emerge from years of political is increasingly good at Riesling, Sauvignon, and ageing potential. The other important local
cafés, most notably of Pinot Noir at Mĕlník, Wine was traditionally more important in stonier soils of the Malé Karpaty hills, which lie strife they are offering glimpses of rich wine- Chardonnay, Frankovka, and Pinot Noir. grape is Krstač for whites. The wine industry,
B
C Svatovavřinecké (Austria’s Sankt Laurent) at Slovakia than the Czech Republic, land of Pilsner, in a sweep eastwards from the capital Bratislava, making potential. Until the disintegration of Yugoslavia, Kosovo’s including the first private producer, Sjekloća, is B
C

Roudnice, and Ryzlink Rỳnskỳ (Riesling) at Velké but the total area of Slovak vineyard halved to are more suitable for such white wine grapes as Mountainous Bosnia and Herzegovina was wine industry was maintained largely by exports based around Lake Skadar.
Žernoseky. Kosher wines are produced at Most. 37,000 acres (15,000ha) between 1980 and 2010. Silvaner, Veltliner, Welschriesling, Riesling, once an important vineyard of Austro-Hungary. of Amselfelder, a sweet red blend for the German Even further south, on the border with Greece,
Moravia, with 44,000 acres (18,000ha) of Progress – bringing, for example, malolactic Chardonnay, and various Muscats. Some memorable full-flavoured, dry, apricot- market. A Serbian blockade put paid to wine the hot winelands of the Republic of Macedonia
vineyard, makes by far the majority of Czech wine fermentation, oak ageing and lees contact – is A handful of big Slovakian producers tend to scented white wine is still made of the now-rare exports for many years. Rahovec (Orahovac) is the (not to be confused with the Greek region) are
from vineyards just over the border from Austria’s changing the picture. Sweet Icewine and straw make distinctly ordinary wines, while hundreds Zilavka around Mostar. But the dominant grape main wine area, claiming 54,300 acres (22,000ha) making much better wine now that the industry
Weinviertel, concentrated south of the capital wine, made from dried grapes, have been revived. of small winemakers grow their own grapes in tiny today is the much more ordinary dark-skinned of vines. The largest winery here, StoneCastle, is in private hands. There are around 80 wineries
Brno. The warm limestone slopes of the Palava White wines predominate, with international vineyards, mainly for their own consumption. Blatina. The civil war of the early 1990s left less privatized in 2006 and advised by international and three wine regions, of which Povardarje,
hills here are locally famous for their flora. The grapes (Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Most of the best wines emerge from medium-sized than 9,900 acres (4,000ha) of vineyards, mainly consultants, clearly has exports on its agenda. or Vardar Valley, is by far the most important.
most successful wines of the Znojmo subregion as well as Cabernet Sauvignon and various wineries such as Mrva & Stanko, Karpatská Perla, in Herzegovina to the south of Mostar. Albania’s ancient wine industry managed Vranac grapes dominate; white wines are
C C
D are zesty Sauvignon Blancs from well-equipped Pinots) in the forefront. But winemakers and and Elesko. One of relatively few exported Slovak Wine production in Serbia (Srbija) has a to survive Ottoman rule, then the communist often distilled into brandy. The biggest (and D

cellars at Novỳ Šaldorf and Nové Bránice, and also their customers have recently become interested wines is the crisp, dry Château Belá Riesling made chequered history. The Turks did their best to rout fixation with volume at all costs, but its vineyards improving) producer Tikveš crushes around 25%
Veltínské Zelené (Grüner Veltiner) and Riesling in new Slovak crossings, bred to ripen early with by Egon Müller of Germany near Stúrovo. the vine; the Hapsburgs positively encouraged today total a mere 9,900 acres (4,000ha). Wines of the country’s harvest.
from Satov. Ryzlink Vlašskỳ (Welschriesling), it. Today Serbia claims to have even more
Chardonnay, and the two white Pinots are vineyards than Croatia, – around 148,000
the flagship wines of the Mikulov subregion. Very little Czech and Slovak wine is acres (60,000ha) – but certainly not Ö S T E R R E I C H 265
The northern part of Slovácko grows Riesling, exported, but these labels show a keen all in production. If Serbia succeeds Maribor M A G YA R O R S Z Á G
Zagreb
while the southern part is better at reds such appreciation of drama and typography in joining the EU, however, there 165 S L O V E N I J A
P O D R AV J E ZAGORJE-
MEÐIMURJE
(HUNGARY)
HORGOŠ
Beograd

as Frankovka (Austria’s Blaufränkisch). The on a wine label. The wines are light, will have to be a vineyard census and Z A P A D N A PRIGORJE- PALIĆ Tiranë
264 Ljubljana POTISJE
dry, and white. K O N T I N E N T A L N A BILOGORA
ˆ
Subotica
aromatic white Moravian crossings of Traminer updated wine laws. Production is still I TA L I A P O S AV J E H R VAT S K A I S T O Cˇ N A S U B O T I C A - COKA
D
PLEŠIVICASava Zagreb KONTINENTALNA HORGOŠ D
E
dominated by five large industrial Koper
PRIMORSKA
POKUPLJE MOSLAVINA
H R VA T S K A
Osijek VOJVODINA
E

Karlovac
wineries, but some of the output of SLAVONIJA
Slavonski
HRVATSKO
PODUNAVLJE
Novi Sad
HRVATSKA Rijeka Dunav Vukovar VRŠAC
Km 0
1:3,650,000
50 100 Km
the now 40-plus smaller producers Poreč ISTRA HRVATSKO
PRIMORJE
(Danub
Brod
e)
SREM B A N AT
BELA R O M Â N I A
FRUŠKA GORA DELIBLATO
Miles 0 50 Miles is genuinely encouraging. Krk KOZARA Beograd
CRKVA
DEUTSCHLAND H R VAT S K A UKRINA (Belgrade)
Labe

Liberec
The northern autonomous (CROATIA) Banja Luka MAJEVICA BEOGRAD Smederevo
SUMADIJA-
POCERINA-
Velké
Žernoseky province of Vojvodina shares the Pag P O D G O R A V E L I K A M O R AVA KRAJINA
Most a B O S N A I
Žalhostice Litomericeˇˇ
L I T O M Eˇ Rˇ I C E Roudnice nad Labem
Jiz
er
POLSKA
boheMia, Moravia, and sLovakia climatic extremes of the Pannonian Plain PRIMORSKA
H R VA T S K A HERCEGOVINA
S R B I J A OPLENAC Svetozarevo N
(SERBIA) TIMOK

Velika
Three very different wine regions can be with Hungary to the north. Welschriesling
ˆ ˆ
Louny Melník
ˇ SJEVERNA
Cacak
Ohre
ˇ Chlumcany
Č E C H Y
DALMACIJA DALMATINSKA JABLANICA Z A P A D N A Mor NISAVA
ˇ associated with what lies just over their respective is common here, but Pinots of all three colours Sarajevo KNJAŽEVAC
ˆ ˆ
ZAGORA av
Karlovy Hradec Sibenik CACAK M O R AVA a
(B O H E M I A) Králové borders with Sachsen in Germany, Weinviertel Konjic Niš
E
Vary M Eˇ L N Í K currently offer most promise. The vineyards with Split
TREBISNJICA
LISTICA
KRUŽEVAC
E
ounka Labe (Elbe) in Austria, and northern Hungary (including Mostar ALEKSINAC LESKOVAK
NIŠ
Praha the best potential (and a long history) are on the
F F
Be r SREDNJA I
N I Š A V A - Leskovak
Tokaj). Moravia is now the most productive,
M

JUŽNA DALMACIJA TREBISNJICA

(Prague) Kutná Hóra
or

MOSTAR JUZNA
Karlštejn Fruška Gora, the hills that relieve the flatness of
av

Hvar
Mzˇe e since Slovakian viticulture shrivelled. Stolac M O R AVA
ic

Vis CRNA GORA

KOSOVO
ˆ
ˇ E S K Á
C Sáz Ostrava Vojvodina along the Danube north of Belgrade. Korcula B Â L G A R I YA
aR E P U B L I K A
av (MONTENEGRO)
ˇ
Plzen Starý
ra Mljet
Podgorica K O S O Priština Vranje
The countryside here is very similar to that
a

Plzenec Od
v

Dubrovnik
Vlta

Olomouc AMSELFELD VRANJE

of inland Croatia, to the west, while the sandy KUMANOVO KRATOVO
Sv

Mora

CRNA GORA
a

a Prizren
Becˇv PCINJA-
ratk
la v

PIJANECKI
Skopje
Tábor M O R A V A Subotica-Horgŏs and Cŏka wine regions in the OSOGOVO REBUBLIKA
Úh

Skadarsko
a

va

ˆ
Jihlava Jezero Shkodër Kukës SKOPJE
KOCANI M A K E D O N I J A
Otava (M O R A V I A) 1:6,800,000 TETOVO TITOV
áh far north are both geographically and culturally

3
Ond

VELES
ˆ
V Žilina

26
VELKÉ
T a t r y Poprad
Km 0 100 200 Km KICEVO STRUMICA-
Dolní Kounice Brno PAV L O V I C E
P O V A R D A R J E RADOVISTE
Top

SLOVÁCKO Prešov
much more Hungarian than Serbian, and the
av

Krujë PRILEP TIKVEŠ

la

Miles 0 100 Miles

a

ˇ Nové Bránice Kobylí

Ceské ZNOJMO Miloticé Polešovice S L O V E N S K Á R E P U B L I K A PELAGONIJA-
ˇ
Budejovice
Boretice
Lechovice Velké Pavlovice
ˇ Blatnicé
é Ta t r y Horná
wines distinctly Magyar in character. The town Durrës Tiranë POLOG
í z k
Velké Bzenec d Košice OHRID GEVEGELIJA-
N Znojmo Rakvice Bilovicé Strážnice Trenˇín
c Prievidza N
BITOLA
a

F VALANDOVO F
Ohrid ELLAS
v

Pavlov Secovce
ˇ Elbasan
Vlta

G G
Nový Šaldorf Šatov Mikulov Skalica S H Q I P Ë R I S Ë PRESPA (GREECE)
ty

Moravská Banská Moldava VÝCHODOSLOVENSKÁ

M I K U L O V Valtice tr Much of the wine produced in (ALBANIA)
pa

i ˇ
a

Breclav
ˇ Nová Ves N n Bystrica nad Bodvou Cerhov Královsky
Hro
Korçë
ar

K
ÖSTERREICH M a l é Smolenice ˇ
Topolcany
Rimavská
TOKAJ Chlmec the terrain mapped here travels Vlorë
Zlaté Slovenské Streda International boundary
M A L O K A R PAT S K Á Hlohovec Moravce
Sobota
Nové Mesto nad Bodrogom without a label, either straight
ˇ
Castá Krupina
Modra
Trnava NITRIANSKA STREDOSLOVENSKÁ
from vineyard to table, or in bulk Province boundary
International boundary Praha
Sered’ Nitra
Racaˇ
Pezinok
Senec Vráble
Levice Vel’ký from one of a handful of large BANAT Wine region
Bratislava Krtiš Butrint
ČECHY Wine region Bratislava Šahy industrial producers. Both these
M A G YA R O R S Z Á G BITOLA Wine subregion
Z NOJMO Wine subregion
Du
na JUŽNOSLOVENSKÁ
Nové Zámky
wines are grown in the south,
j( (HUNGARY)
Da Dunajska but there is no reason why Land above 1000 metres
Váh

Strekov
Melník Wine town/village nu Streda Hurbanovo
be
) interesting wine should not be Area mapped at larger
Stúrovo 165
Land above 1000 metres Komárno made in the north too. scale on page shown

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