Burčák

I made a new discovery this weekend...burčák (procnounced bur-chák).

In the city center, I noticed four or five different street vendors all selling wine in plastic to-go cups or in liter bottles. Since the locals were buying it up, I figured I had to give it a try. All of the booths had the white (or rather brownish looking) variety while only one vendor had the red. The white is good but the red is brilliant!

Burčák is partially fermented young wine. It is cloudy, fizzy and sweet. In order to be called burčák, it must be made with Czech grapes. Moravia is the wine producing region of ČR and, since Brno is the capital of Moravia, it makes sense that it is so popular here.

I found out that you have to drink this stuff quickly because it has a short shelf-life. It can only be sold legally from September through the end of November. I've also been warned that this stuff can pack a heck of a hangover.