CZECH REPUBLIC - Can't wait for the excellent burčák? The season of our unique product is approaching, and the first kilograms of grapes are harvested unusually early thanks to warm weather. Wineries will produce this year's first burčák from them, which according to law may be sold from August 1st until November 30th. Now they are harvesting the earliest varieties such as Augustovskij, Solaris, Irsai Oliver or Moravian Muscat. They are sufficiently aromatic and therefore suitable precisely for making burčák, which everyone looks forward to who cannot wait for new vintage wine.

Winemakers not only in southern Moravia can start selling this year's first burčák from August 1st, 2026; partially fermented grape must is usually made from very early varieties. First of all, the partially fermented grape must appears at sales stands of varieties Augustovskij and Irsai Oliver. Then they continue with Muscat, which is the most common variety in burčák season. The last burčáks are made from Veltlínský. Among the first wineries that annually offer burčáks include traditionally the shop Vinařská pohotovost of Chateau Valtice – Wine Cellars in Valdice. For adjustment, it uses so-called flotation, during which sediments are removed from the must, improving both color and taste of the burčák. Other than to their own shops wineries do not supply burčáks.

The first winemaker who starts selling his burčák is annually Mr. Miloslav Machuča from Valdice. It is precisely Mr. Machuča who focuses exclusively on making burčák, which he offers from the beginning of August until the end of October. He has stands traditionally at three locations: near Valdice by Apollo campsite between Lednice and Břeclav and by road I/52 close to Novomlýnské reservoirs. One of the first wineries in Znojmo region that traditionally offers burčák is Family Winery Eliška Čeperová and Pavel Matouš in Olbramovice. They make burčáks from Solaris variety. The first kilograms of grapes are also being prepared for harvest by growers on vineyards in Dolní Dunajovice in Břeclav district. There they harvest Irsai Oliver, which is very aromatic and suitable precisely for burčák.

"Elderly milk" or rather burčáks belong to our unique products. We can find it still in limited areas of Austria and Slovakia, but nowhere has it become so popular a part of the end of summer and beginning of autumn as in Moravia or Bohemia. Where will you taste burčák?

Wine and burčáks from open cellars in Mikulčice

Mikulčice invite you on Saturday, August 22nd, 2026 to Open Cellars where this year's burčák and good wine will be served. Visitors can visit and taste wines of local small winemakers at locations Těšická búda (Těšík Hut), Čertovka and in cellar alleys in the area near a hunting lodge house. Moving between cellars, as annually, will be ensured by horse-drawn carriages that run every half-hour from 11:00 to 19:00 hours. Regional specialties prepared by local gourmets will not be missing either. During the day also the winery museum area will open and cimbalom music will play.

Valtické Podzemí – Summer evenings with a cimbalom

Don't miss the traditional weekend evenings and underground experiential tourism at Valtice Underground, where you can enjoy wines from the Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape in a unique labyrinth of historical wine cellars with a total length exceeding 900 meters. Enjoy them accompanied by cimbalom music for dancing and listening (August dates: August 1st, July 7th, August 8th, August 14th, August 15th, August 21st, August 22nd, August 28th, August 29th). Even with the end of the holidays, you don't have to say goodbye to cimbalom and wine; preparations are underway for Burčák and Miss Burčák selection at Valtice Underground (September 11th), Valdice Pumpkin Festival (September 18th and 19th), Music Harvest in Valtice Underground (September 25th), or the Valdice Wine Harvest (October 2nd and 3rd).

Čejkovice Open Cellar Day

In Čejkovice, a municipality with the third-largest vineyard area in the Czech Republic, another edition of the Čejkovice Open Cellar Day is being prepared for August 29th, 2026. Come taste excellent Moravian wines in a pleasant environment within wine cellars. A number of winemakers and winery companies will participate in this event; you can taste their wines directly at their cellar estates. The walking tour through the open wine cellars will begin on Saturday at 10:00 AM and continue until 7:00 PM. An evening talk with a cimbalom will take place from 8:00 PM in the courtyard of the castle, within the Víno Sýkora company area.

Burčák Festivities at Vinařství U Kapličky in Zaječí

At the beginning of September, from September 4th to 6th, 2026, all burčák lovers are invited to the traditional Burčák festivities in the village of Zaječí. Vinařství U Kaplička will offer a tasting of local wines and this year's burčák, traditional entertainment with cimbalom music, sampling and sales of smoked meats and cheeses from local producers. The tasting at the New Cellar includes more than 30 wine samples and several types of burčák, along with smoking meat and cheese tastings and sales; a welcome bread with crackling spread is served as an appetizer, plus a glass bearing the winery's logo as a souvenir, unlimited consumption of wines and burčák. Cimbalom music will play for dancing and listening.

Journey After Burčák Through the Blue Mountains

The Voluntary Association of Municipalities in Modré Hory invites all walkers and cyclists to an autumn journey among vineyards and cellars with a taste of burčák. This event takes place on Saturday, September 5th, 2026; it starts from the outdoor area of Ekocentrum Trkmanka in Velké Pavlovice. You can look forward to both burčák and wine tastings. The journey is suitable for cyclists as well as pedestrians. Along the way, you will pass through South Moravian municipalities: Velké Pavlovice, Bořetice, Němčičky, Kobylí, and Vrbice. Don't miss this 19th edition of this increasingly popular Blue Mountains event. As the name suggests, it is a journey (not only) between vineyards from one stamping point to another. You will "collect" stamps in the map (which is part of the package), and at each stamping location you will receive 0.5 dl of burčák free for tasting. Whether you choose cycling or walking depends solely on you; it's not such difficult terrain either. At individual stamping locations, refresh yourself as much as your throat desires. If you are skilled enough to visit almost all the stamping points (preferably by 4:00 PM), you will receive a "memorial certificate".

 Znojmo Burčák Tour 

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On Saturday, September 5th, and Sunday, September 6th, 2026, the Znojmo Burčák Tour cycling race will take place. A rich supporting program for all participants is free of charge, offering fun with or without a bike. This is "Kolo pro život" (Cycling for Life), the largest series of mountain bike races for the general public. You can purchase your starting package in advance or on-site.

The Tour de Burčák will traditionally conclude at the Loucký Monastery complex in Znojmo, where a folklore program with local specialties, including fresh "burčak" (unfermented grape juice), and of course, a popular raffle with valuable prizes will be offered.

kudyznudy.cz / gnews.cz

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