A Day in Moravia
This was arguably one of the best trips I have ever had in the Czech Republic! Some people in this part of Moravia have personal wine cellars where they make their OWN WINE! (WHAT?) I thought it was soo cool and so I would like to share the highlights of my experience with you!
Me in their personal cellar tasting samples!
The wine was great, very flavorful and delicious. Here they brewed everything from Chardonnays to Pinot Grigio (honestly, I”m not sure what’s different about those wines, I just know that I like them).
Our awesome guide/the wine maker
He took the wine straight from the barrels into our tiny tasting glasses, for quick and efficient sampling.
I will also note that the cellar is not covered with a carpet on the walls and ceiling, but is instead covered in mold! But the good type that controls the temperature and humidity of the cellar. I was a little alarmed at first, but then I touched and it felt like velvet! It’s a tradition to put coins into the moldy ceiling as a token of good luck so that you come back. So it almost looked like twilight because the mold is pretty dark and the it is glittered with shiny coins from the past 30 yrs.
How does one go about making wine? I don’t know…and I am still not sure, but I know that they don’t step on grapes with their feet anymore:
This is where they put the fresh grapes for crunching but not for munching!!
then…
Then it goes here!
It is placed in another cellar (yes, they have two private cellars).
The best part of having your own wine cellar?
Private Tasting!
But the fun continued into the garden:
Similarly to the wine, we had a hand-to-mouth mentality:
Step One:
In the Hand
In the Mouth
Repeat:
Peach Tree
… you get the idea
After a hard day of tasting wine and picking fresh fruit and vegetables then snacking on them, we were hungry! Time for an old-school Moravian lunch:
Behold- yet another feast!
In the tub on the left is home made pork fat, then there are some waffle chips, pork knee, bread, home made cherry kolacky, home made pickles, mustard and of course some wine.
I thought the pork fat and organic garlic spread was particularly delicious:
My plate yumm!
Did you happen to notice that cool glass of water next to the plate? Even the water has a story, it came from the well that’s in their backyard.
At the pump!
Luckily, it was not hard work but it was definitely worth it.
What's around the road bend?
More beautiful Czech lands…
—
Yesterday I had an interview with Svihadlo’s own Vincent Richards who is originally from Jamaica but has lived in Prague for the past 20 years. It was nice meeting up with someone from a similar cultural background! I will write more about my interview and my participant observation that will take place tonight at Lali Bela. This weekend, I am going to an outdoor sound system gathering in the countryside. That too, should be interesting. And later this month, I plan to attend another gathering of Czech Rastafarians…
All the Best!
