On Saturday, 14 November, autumn on the Vltava gets off to a fruity start: on the Náplavka at the Rašín embankment, young wines from Bohemia and Moravia meet roast goose, cabbage and dumplings. The Svatomartinské slavnosti a pečená husa (St Martin’s festivities and roast goose) offer a chance to discover the new vintage by the glass and sample seasonal cooking. The event is organised by the Archetyp association.
The market brings together a Czech wine tradition and a dish synonymous with November. For anyone keen to understand the flavour of young wine, it offers more than an excuse to raise a glass: the first wine of the new vintage reflects the conditions of a harvest that has only just ended.
A young vintage with strict rules
St Martin’s wine is the first wine of a new vintage. It matures for only a few weeks and is described as young, fresh and fruity. In Czechia, the designation is subject to rules: only certain grape varieties are permitted, including Müller-Thurgau, Frühroter Veltliner and Moravian Muscat for white wines, and Blauer Portugieser, St. Laurent and Zweigeltrebe for reds. An independent panel assesses the wines anonymously for colour, aroma, flavour and overall impression, as CzechTourism explains.
Young wine does more than offer a reading of the harvest. It gives an early indication of the fruit and acidity of the new vintage, while retaining the character of a fresh, young wine. At the market, visitors can taste wines from different wine-growing regions side by side and discover the differences in the glass.
Goose, cabbage and dumplings
Goose is an essential part of St Martin’s celebrations. This autumn food tradition pairs the roast with cabbage and dumplings; CzechTourism describes it as part of the seasonal Bohemian festive table. Roast goose and other goose specialities are on the programme at the Náplavka, alongside young wines and music. As well as Bohemian cooking, the district newspaper Praha 2 mentions Slavic and Moravian specialities and announces hammered dulcimer music, jazz and swing.
This makes the market a compact introduction to the country’s autumn food culture: first a tasting in the glass, then a plate with the classic accompaniments. The combination of young wine and a hearty roast is precisely what gives the festival its seasonal setting.
Getting to the Vltava embankment
The Náplavka is on the Rašín embankment in Prague’s Nové Město district. The Výtoň and Palackého náměstí tram stops are along this stretch of riverfront; both appear on the Prague public transport operator’s tram network map. Those arriving by train or long-distance coach can continue through the city by metro and tram. It is worth checking current services for the day of the event: roadworks and diversions can change timetables at short notice.
The market is aimed at anyone who wants to discover wine not just as a finished product, but as a first impression of a new vintage. Together with goose, cabbage and dumplings, it makes for an autumn afternoon by the river – with regional cooking and a glass of wine still at the very beginning of its development.
Original reviewed by the editors · 11 November 2026
