Múzeum Vín Prešov

Wine Museum Prešov

Useful Information

Location:	Floriánova ulica, Prešov (48.997300, 21.239852)
Open:	All year Mon-Sat 9-12:30, 13-17. [2020]
Fee:	Adults EUR 2, Children (6-18) EUR 1. [2020]
Classification:	Cellar
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Múzeum Vín, Floriánova ulica, 080 01 Prešov, Tel: +421-51-773-3108, Cell: +421-905-355-482. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1504	after a fire the cellars were reconstructed and transformed into a wine bar.
18th century	cellars transformed into prisons due to peasant uprisings and anti-Habsburg campaigns.
	transformed into air raid shelters during World War II.
1994	wine museum established.

Description

The Múzeum Vín (Wine Museum) in Prešov is located in a two level, 500-year-old cellar below the town hall. The museum exhibits are bottled wines from all over the world and tools for wine production and vineyard cultivation. It also presents numerous producers in all sizes, from small private producers to large production companies and cooperatives. The museum also sells almost 2,000 types of wine, many of them are not sold through retailers or already sold out, so this is the last possibility to purchase them. The first floor gives an overview on the wine-growing areas of Slovakia, with detailed information on the characteristics, climatic conditions, and vine varieties. A section is dedicated to the Tokaj region, the history and technology of Tokaj wine production. The second floor is primarily dedicated to European wines, but there is also a section for wines from Asia, Africa, Australia and South America. There are special topics, like the production of sparkling wines, the traditional method which was invented in the Champagne region in France, and the modern production method. Then it explain various specialties like port, sherry, madeira, vermouth.

The museum is not a winery, but beneath the exhibition it is quite similar, with a shop and a large tasting hall with oak tables and benches which seats 50 guests. The shop sells many of the displayed wines, decorative bottles, jugs, carafes and glass cups of various shapes and volumes. Here you will definitely find a fitting gift for a wine connoisseur. The tasting hall is available for functions like family celebrations, weddings, graduations, corporate events, or trainings. For events cold and hot menu and wine tastings are offered, but also dulcimer music, singers, accordionists, or folk tales tellers.

The historic cellars were originally built to store and age wine. After a great fire in 1504 they were transformed into a new city wine bar. This changed in the 18th century, in a period of unrest and peasant uprisings the celars were transformed into a prison. It seems they were later abandoned, but during World War II they were opened and refurbished as air raid shelters for the inhabitants of the city center. After the war they became obsolete, were forgotten and due to negligence and ground water heavily damaged. But with the end of the Cold War the number of tourists increased and the cellars were not only renovated but transformed into the museum. Its a combination of a tourist sight with an economic venue.

The museum organizes an annual international wine festival anmed MUVINA. Wines from all over the world are tasted by experts, oenologists and sommeliers from different countries of the world. They are evaluated in the 100-point system recommended by the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) in Paris. The wines are registered by the producers until May, in June the tastings takes place, and finally in September the winners are awarded with medals on a gala. On the gala the winners are also auctioned.