The first vineyards under the Pavlov Hills had already been established by Roman legions in the 3rd century AD, and grape cultivation became increasingly popular in the region during the time of the Great Moravia Empire. By the mid-13th century, when the territories of Mikulov and Valtice became part of the domain of the Liechtenstein family, trading in wine had already become one of the most important sources of income for the aristocracy and town bourgeoisie.  Since the Middle Ages, the calcareous soils from around the Pálava Highlands have yielded fresh and extractive wines of unmistakable character, due to the excellent locations of the vineyards. The sun-drenched southern slopes are principally the home of aromatic white wines – Welschriesling from this region is likely to be of exceptionally high quality and of special mineral character. Other typical varieties for the Mikulov region are Grüner Veltliner, cultivated mainly in the clay soils of the Dunajovice Hills, and Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay, which achieve superior quality and a wide range of flavours in this area. The region of Valtice is dominated by the golden beverage Neuburger, while the northerly wine areas – Strachotín, Pouzdřany and Popice – are popular for their characteristic varieties of White Riesling, Gewűrztraminer and Pálava (an original Czech variety).