Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WINE
Grapes have been grown in the Czech lands since the 14th century, when Charles IV
imported vines from Burgundy; their descendants are still thriving on the slopes be-
neath Mělník Chateau.
The standard of Czech wine has soared since the fall of communism, as small pro-
ducers have concentrated on the quality end of the market. Although Czech red wines
- such as the South Moravian speciality Svatovavřinecké (St Lawrence) - are mostly
pretty average, Czech whites can be very good indeed. The varieties to look out for
are Veltinské zelené (Grüner Veltlin), Rýnský ryzlink (riesling) and Müller-Thurgau.
Tanzberg and Sonberk are both excellent winemakers.
For about three weeks each year from the end of September to mid-October, you
will see shops and street stalls selling
burčak
. This is 'young wine', freshly extracted
grape juice in the early stages of fermentation. It is cloudy yellow in appearance and
innocently sweet in flavour, more like a soft drink than a wine. But beware - it con-
tains 5% to 8% alcohol.
Later in the year, as winter sets in, you'll notice the
svařák
stalls appearing in the
streets. Short for
svařené vino
(mulled wine),
svařák
is red wine heated and flavoured
with sugar and spices.
SPIRITS
Probably the most distinctive of Czech
lihoviny
(spirits) is Becherovka. Produced in
the West Bohemian spa town of Karlovy Vary, famous for its 12 sulphurous, thermal
springs, the bitter, herbal liqueur is often served as an aperitif, and is increasingly
used as an ingredient in cocktails.
The fiery and potent
slivovice
(plum brandy) is said to have originated in Moravia,
where the best brands still come from. The best commercially produced
slivovice
is R
Jelínek from Vizovice. Other regional spirits include
meruňkovice
(apricot brandy)
and juniper-flavoured
borovička
.
The deadliest locally produced spirit is absinthe. While it's banned in many coun-
tries, in part because of its high alcohol content, absinthe is legal in the Czech Repub-
lic. Unfortunately, connoisseurs of absinthe consider Hill's absinthe - the biggest-
selling brand of Czech-made absinthe - little better than highly alcoholic mouthwash.
However, it does form the basis of an evil cocktail that was popular among clubbers a
few years ago - the H-Bomb (Hill's mixed with Semtex, a Czech brand of energy
drink).
