For wine lovers with a bit of wanderlust, visiting vineyards is a perfect fall excursion. Many producers are more than ready to receive travelers.

One of the most notable attractions for Czech oenophiles is Znojmo, near the Austrian border in southern Moravia. This is a region renowned for its zingy white wines, especially those made from the Sauvignon Blanc and Grüner Veltliner grape varieties. Daylong excursions begin in the historic setting of Loucký klášter, the huge Premonstratensian monastery not far from the town center, with its vinotéka and cellars where stacks of bottles mature slowly.

There are plenty of surprises for jaded wine travelers. For example, one can visit the cruciform cellar in Přímětice. This unique cellar, built in the shape of a cross, is the largest of its type in the world (and it has excellent acoustics). On warm days, one can ride around town in the open-air street train or cycle through the nature park above the River Dyje, then on to a vineyard called Šobes, reckoned to be the best vine-growing site in the country. Here a hut offers a selection of wines made from Šobes grapes, including its famed Riesling.

The highlight of Znojmo's wine trails must surely be the Painted Cellar, dug deep into the ground in the border town of Šatov. Its walls are decorated with paintings by a one-armed artist who went blind in the process. Šatov itself is a treasury of Europe's past, including two wartime bunkers — one referred to as Hitler's, the other as Stalin's. At the Moravian Cellar, one can enjoy a range of local wines and food accompanied by traditional folk music, and the fun may go on long into the night.

Winery of the month

Nové vinařství

Opened with a flourish last year after a huge investment and the construction of a vast, state-of-the-art winery (Dům Na Výsluní) south of Brno, Nové vinařství — literally "New Winery" — is determined to make a splash. The operation includes a total of 102 hectares (252 acres) in two newly planted sites, Langewarte in Nový Přerov and Slunečný vrch near Drnholec. Nové vinařství shows a commitment to high quality achieved initially through careful work in the vineyards and low yields. The maiden 2005 vintage came onto the market this year totaling 10 wines, all white and all blends (or cuvées) with names such as Gabriel, Cygnus, Ardea and To'No, the latter made in cooperation with photographer Tono Stano. Two wines, Phantom and Travesty, are made exclusively from black grapes. Another novelty is the use of screw-top closures on the tall, distinctive bottles. Although not well-received by the public here, twist-off caps are almost standard for easy-drinking wines in countries such as New Zealand. And what of the wines themselves? Something must be going right, since medals have already started flowing in from prestigious contests.

November events diary

Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé. Well, almost. Quality wine has always existed in the Beaujolais region in southern Burgundy, but what really put the area on the map was Nouveau, invented by the self-styled king of Beaujolais, Georges Duboeuf, in the 1970s. The young, barely fermented wine is made via a method known as carbonic maceration, lending a soft and fruity character — perfect for immediate consumption. Sadly, the good old days when bars and restaurants across the world vied to be the first to celebrate a liquid breakfast (even parachuting crates of fresh wine in) are long gone. Nowadays the bottles are delivered well in advance, with the proviso that they not be opened until midnight on the third Thursday of November.