Wine

Bratislava has a long viticultural tradition. Already Ondrej III. he granted the city the privilege of collecting taxes from the vineyards, which brought in considerable revenue. In 1767, Empress Maria Theresa recognized Frankovka blue from this region as a drink suitable for the imperial table.

However, the most typical for Bratislava are local wineries locally called viechy, after the wreaths on the doors. Red & white ribbons symbolized the sale of red & white wine. Their greatest boom has been in the previous century, but today’s generation brought their revival in the form of five modern bars with an unmistakable atmosphere throughout the city. From their website you will learn that:

“Who hasn’t been to Montmartre hasn’t been to Paris,
who was not in the Prater, was not in Vienna,
whoever was not in Hradčany was not in Prague
and whoever was not under Viecha was not in Bratislava.”

In the city center you will find many more charming places where you can taste wines from the surrounding region but also from all over Slovakia and abroad. Try the National Wine Salon of the Slovak Republic, where you can taste a selection of the best Slovak wines, which are selected by oenologists, sommeliers and winemakers in the highest Slovak wine competition. There is only one more such place in Europe.

A short distance away, another unique experience awaits you in the form of a Wine Tasting in the Dark. You lose your sight for a moment and your other senses become fully activated. Your tongue will recognize the finest textures and your taste buds will become extra sensitive. In the absolute darkness of a medieval old-town cellar without disturbing sensations, you will discover flavors that you have only read about on labels so far.

The Bratislava wine-growing district is part of the Small Carpathian wine-growing region, where the Slovak version of Chardonnay, Pinot blanc, Noir and Gris is produced as well as Savignon, Gewurztraiminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Albernet, St. Laurent, and Zweigeltrebe.

Unique to the region are Silvánske zelené, Devín, Milia, Noria, Dunaj, and Hron grapes The latter are Slovak grape varieties cross-bred to thrive in the unique Slovak climate and soil.

• In addition to the Devín castle, great way to experience Devín is traditional local currant wine made from red and black currants that were grown on the slopes. Fans of sweeter fruit wshould not miss it out.
• Rača, a northern suburb of Bratislava, produces the wonderful red wine Blaufrankisch/Lemberger known as Frankovka. Forever linked to Empress Maria Theresa, who was so impressed with its medicinal qualities and gave Rača royal privileges to reward the region for producing this rich, full-bodied, red wine.