Velké Pavlovice wine-growing subregion
The region where red wines are born in Moravia.
The soils and subsoil rich in sandstone, clays, and marl (a mixture of clay and carbonate) give these wines plenty of minerality, while the warm wind and magnesium in the soil are especially beneficial to red varieties – the Velkopavlovická subregion is commonly known as the Moravian “treasure trove of red wines”. In particular, the varieties Frankovka and Modrý Portugal thrive here.
The largest winegrowing community of this subregion (and also the whole Czech Republic) is in Velké Bílovice, registering over a thousand winemakers.
Other important communities include Velké Pavlovice, Hustopeče, Rakvice, Zaječí, Bořetice, and Vrbice. The latter community is home to a unique colony of wine cellars under the hill Stráž, while the cellars are built in a sandstone massif up to seven floors above each other. They are characterized by stone facades with gothic arches.
Total area of vineyards: 5,143 h (27.5 % of the area of vineyards in the Czech Republic), number of winegrowing communities: 75