Mělník dates from 1274 (amazing) and lies approximately 35 km north of Prague. It forms part of the Czech wine region, one of the northern-most viticultural areas of Europe. The vineyards here in Mělník are situated on the south-facing slopes in the valley where the rivers Elbe and Vltava meet.
The castle here, Zámek Mělník, was constructed in 1542 in Renaissance Style and overlooks this valley and the vineyards.
Yesterday I experienced their Mělnického vinobraní, wine harvest festival and it WAS an amazing festival or rather, town celebration. Thousands of people filled the town to experience food, music, crafts, wine and Burčák. The town square is huge, and the smell of wood smoke filled the air as pigs roasted on rotating spits and huge kettles of all sorts of Czech specialties bubbled away.
I arrived by bus about 9am and stayed about 5 hours. A nice time although it was very cold and darkly gray yesterday. Although Burčák seemed to be omnipresent here, another spirited drink comes out here in the Czech Republic in the Fall. Horka Mědovina. Hot honey wine. A nice treat on a cold day, and as the name implies, honey added to white wine and served piping hot. Not to be confused with Mulled wine (which is another story).
The sun did come out for only about 10 minutes(not kidding) but the people, food and atmosphere more than made up for the lack of sun. A good time.
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