As one of the oldest vineyards in the country, with optimal conditions for producing unique wines, the city of Znojmo is supporting efforts to have Šobes vineyard included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. A study by Mendel University will be used in the assessment of the vineyard. Photo: Winery Šobes in Podyjí National Park in Czech Republic. Credit: By Petr Adámek via Wikimedia under license CC BY-SA 2.5.
Brno, Jan 10 (BD) – The Šobes vineyard in the Znojmo district is one of the oldest vineyards in the Czech Republic. Znovín Znojmo, owner of the vineyard, aims to have it included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. According to the Mayor of Znojmo, Jan Groise, the city of Znojmo supports the initiative.
A study has been completed to evaluate the potential for the Šobes vineyard to be included on the indicative list of the Ministry of Culture and also the UNESCO World Heritage list. Research carried out by the Department of Viticulture and Enology at Mendel University’s Faculty of Horticulture has confirmed that the Šobes vineyard is a unique area.
“The location of this vineyard in the deep valley of the river Dyje and the excellent quality and typicality of Šobes wines make the local terroir completely unique. The effort to register as a UNESCO monument is therefore logical. Šobes would thus join the company of unique vineyards and wine regions of the world,” said Professor Pavel Pavloušek of Mendel University.
UNESCO-listed wine sites include Champagne (France), Piedmont (Italy), the Tokaj wine region (Hungary), Lavaux Vineyard Terraces (Switzerland) and the Wachau region (Austria), the closest to Šobes.
Šobes is located on the side of a rocky promontory in the wine-growing village of Podmolí, it is also part of the Podyjí National Park. According to the research, the terroir is exceptional among vineyards. Additionally, the conditions of the area are ideal for creating the aromatic maturity of white varieties due to the south-facing slope and high soil quality.
Terroir refers to the whole environment in which a particular wine is produced, which defines the uniqueness of the wine itself; important factors include soil, topography, and climate. Scientists have monitored the altitude, slope and orientation of Šobes and recognized that in cold conditions the south-facing slope allows the grapes to accumulate heat needed for ripening.
The study will serve as part of the evidence used to assess whether Šobes vineyard qualifies for inclusion on the Ministry of Culture and UNESCO lists. While the process may take months or years to achieve, the Mayor believes it is important to work towards this goal and raise awareness of the unique area.
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