Sonberk
Café · Czechia
Checked
Sonberk is a winery above Popice near Mikulov, its wood-glass-concrete building designed by architect Josef Pleskot. It is known for its terrace overlooking the vineyards toward the Pálava hills, free tastings of its Riesling and Pálava wines, and a cellar master who was the Czech Republic's first producer of straw wine. For cyclists it is a stop on the Mandloňová stezka (Almond Trail) route from Hustopeče, a popular place to pause for a glass of wine with the view.
On a warm afternoon the real draw here is the ground out front: you're welcome to roll a blanket onto the lawn in front of the winery and take in Palava for a while, wine in hand. Merlot, Traminer and Pinot Gris round out a range that keeps regulars coming back beyond the estate's better-known bottlings. Vines have grown on this exact hillside since Roman times, continuously since at least the 13th century, when the slope carried the name Sonnenberg, sunny hill. The reputation goes back centuries: this hillside's wine was already prized at royal courts long before Sonberk existed as a name. Winemaker Olda Drapal opened Sonberk in 2003 out of rented cellars, betting that this proven ground could make some of the country's best wine, and the estate moved into its own building in 2008. The roof does real work beyond its shape: underneath its long, gentle wave the grapes dry naturally before pressing, and gravity moves the fruit down through the building rather than pumps. Cellars and tank halls sit underground, out of sight, leaving that roofline to do the visible work above them.
What you see
A single low building with a long, gently undulating roofline sits alone among open vineyard rows, no other structure anywhere in sight, its shallow waves visible from a distance across the vines.
Practical
Open daily year round: 10:00 to 18:00 March through October (until 20:00 on Friday and Saturday in summer), 10:00 to 17:00 November through February.
wineterraceviewpointarchitecture
Cafés nearby
Climbs, views & nature nearby
History & landmarks nearby
Climbs nearby
Common questions
- Why stop at Sonberk on a bike ride?
- Sonberk is a winery above Popice near Mikulov, its wood-glass-concrete building designed by architect Josef Pleskot. It is known for its terrace overlooking the vineyards toward the Pálava hills, free tastings of its Riesling and Pálava wines, and a cellar master who was the Czech Republic's first producer of straw wine. For cyclists it is a stop on the Mandloňová stezka (Almond Trail) route from Hustopeče, a popular place to pause for a glass of wine with the view.
- When is Sonberk open?
- Open daily year round: 10:00 to 18:00 March through October (until 20:00 on Friday and Saturday in summer), 10:00 to 17:00 November through February.