Wine in April? It's a great complement to spring salads, for example. And entice day trippers to check out our wineries.

According to a well-known proverb, we should still be behind the furnace in April. But who would want to stay there when the sun's rays tempt us to take a number of trips, for example a walk in the vineyards? Let the national sommelier Klara Kollárová inspire you with the wines she has selected from the Wine Salon, i.e. from the hundred of our best wines for this year, the ones that best match April. She has prepared the ideal wines for a light spring meal and there are also tips for your first wine tours.

jaro

Strong April trinity: wine, herbs and young vegetables

What colour comes to mind when you say April? Probably green. Everything is coming back to life. Parks, meadows and forests are awakening in a thousand shades of green. Spring is in full swing. And to make matters worse, green often dominates our food. April gastronomy is a kind of resurrection of freshness. We encounter tender, juicy young vegetables in the form of spring onions, crisp radishes, field greens, spinach and even watercress.

Veltlínské zelené 2021, VOC Růžové hory, dry, Vinařství U Kapličky s.r.o.

(Velkopavlovická sub-region, Zaječí, Vinice Skadar line, 12,5 %)

'Lighter and fresher wines like Veltliner Green, which is spicy, medium-bodied, with a pleasant harmonious acidity, are perfect for fresh spring dishes. For example, try a wine from the new VOC Růžové hory, which marks the place of origin of the grapes in the municipalities of Rakvice, Přítluky and Zaječí," recommends national sommelier Klára Kollárová.

Purchase: Vinarskecentrum.cz

Price: 329 CZK

Veltlínské zelené 2021, VOC Znovín, dry, Znovín Znojmo, a.s.

(Znojemská sub-region, Krhovice, Skalka line, 13 %)

"Light dishes made from seasonal spring ingredients will perfectly complement wines like Veltlínské zelený. We have known those from the Znojmo area for a long time, as it is the oldest VOC wine with original certification in the Czech Republic. The wine is expressive and fragrant, pleasant and friendly in taste. A prototype of VOC as it should be," describes the national sommelier Klára Kollárová.

You can buy: Vinarskecentrum.cz

Price: 220 CZK

Sauvignon 2021, dry, late harvest, Vincúr

(sub-region Slovácká, Mutěnice, Mutěnská hora, 13 %)

'A distinctly dry Sauvignon from the small Mutěnice winery, which farms only 2 hectares of vineyards, offeringattractive aromas with notes of passion fruit, blackcurrant leaves, gooseberries and a hint of herb. The palate is juicy and full-bodied, with a long persistence. The wine is also gastronomically interesting thanks to its pronounced dryness. It is a good complement to fresh vegetables, leafy salads with chicken or turkey,' advises national sommelier Klára Kollárová.

Buy: Vinarskecentrum.cz

Price: 249 CZK

Spring wine tours to Moravia

Do you know how many wine sub-regions we have in our country? Six in total. Four are in Moravia (Mikulovská, Slovácká, Velkopavlovická and Znojemská) and two in Bohemia (Litoměřická and Mělnická). There is no doubt that wine regions are picturesque. In some wineries, you can take a walk right among the vineyards or enjoy the immediate surroundings, which are dotted with hiking trails. And of course, we mustn't forget the hospitality of the local winemakers who have cellars full of the bounty of their vineyards.

Ryzlink vlašský 2021, dry, late harvest, Vinařství Mikrosvín Mikulov a.s.

(sub-region Mikulovská, Perná, Březí, Mikulov, Bergrus track, Ořechová hora, Za cihelnou, 13,5 %)

"If you are planning a trip to Moravia, do not forget to visit the Mikrosvín Mikulov winery, which holds the title of Champion of the Wine Salon 2022. The wine has a typical expression of dried herbs with a combination of ripe fruit. The taste is based on a firm citrus flavour and juicy minerality so typical of our walnuts," recommends the national sommelier Klára Kollárová.

You can buy Šampion only in the Wine Salon in Valtice

Riesling 2018, dry, selection of grapes, Vinné sklepy Skalák

(Slovácká sub-region, Nechvalín, Borový čtvrtě, 13,5 %)

"If you want to visit other interesting corners of Moravia, we recommend Vinné Sklepy Skalák with its pleasant guesthouse and great wines. The riper 2018 Riesling has a petrol aroma with hints of lime blossom and citrus. On the palate it is juicy with a long aftertaste of dried apricots, lime and lime tea. The wine shows the potential of this royal variety and its longevity," explains national sommelier Klára Kollárová.

Purchase: Vinarskecentrum.cz

Price: 335 CZK

Riesling 2021, dry, grape selection, Ing. Miroslav Volařík

(Mikulovská sub-region, Dolní Dunajovice, Zimní vrch, 13,5 %)

'This Riesling is from the beautiful Mikulov region. It offers a pronounced fruitiness and freshness and a pleasant residual sugar, which suits Rieslings better than other varieties. The wine has attractive aromas of white flowers, ripe apricots and white peaches. The palate is distinctly fruity, with mineral undertones and a touch of lime acidity on the finish. The finish is pleasantly long and rich, ideal for light fish dishes or salmon ceviche,' explains national sommelier Klára Kollárová.

Purchase: Vinarskecentrum.cz

Price: 289 CZK

The quality of our wines is also confirmed by awards from international competitions. Last year, Moravian and Czech winemakers won a record number of medals - a total of 1292, including the titles of champions, i.e. the best wines of the competition.