MEA GRATI Winery, Ladmovce: tastings amid Tokaj vineyards

A winery on the border of two wine lands

On the hills between the villages of Ladmovce and Viničky, above the Bodrog valley, two Slovak wine regions meet: Tokaj and the East Slovak region. This is where, among more than 50 hectares of its own vineyards, stands the MEA GRATI winery. The name comes from the Latin "mea gratitudo" — "my gratitude", and gratitude really is the guiding idea here: for the land, the sun, the work and the encounters over a glass. The winery is run by its director and co-owner Juraj Mičko.

The Tokaj region is known for its many sunny days and volcanic soils with an exceptionally varied mix of rocks. Among the white grapes Yellow Muscat reigns, followed by the traditional Tokaj Furmint and Lipovina, made into both dry and sweet wines. What sets the estate apart are its red and rosé wines, rare in Tokaj: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah ripen well on the local slopes. The winery works only with grapes from its own plots and harvests them by hand, and the production and tasting rooms stand right in the middle of the vineyards. Modern equipment — stainless-steel fermentation tanks — is combined with oak barrels.

Why go

• A tour from vine to bottle. Every tasting starts with a walk through the vineyard and a look round the whole winery: the sommelier explains fermentation and ageing and how the winemaker’s choices shape the taste.
• A tasting to suit you. From a short one (4 wines) to a thorough one (10 wines, including Tokaj výber), always with a light snack. For drivers there is a version with grape musts.
• Group tastings on set dates, which you can join even on your own — there is no minimum number of participants.
• Events in the vineyards. Picnics and full-moon camping in a tent, music-and-wine evenings, a charity grape harvest in September, disc golf, and the pilgrim "Path of Gratitude" with St Francis.

What to taste and buy

Dry and sweet Yellow Muscat, Furmint and Lipovina, the cuvées Gaudium and Laudatio, rosés, red Pinot Noir, Merlot and the Mersy cuvée, as well as sweet wines and Tokaj výber. The wines are sold in the winery shop and online; tasting gift vouchers are available.

Practical information

Address: Ladmovce 186, 076 34 Ladmovce. By car: in the village of Viničky turn towards Hatfa and drive about 3 km along a gravel track. By train: from Streda nad Bodrogom station (5.3 km) the winery will help arrange a taxi. By bike: along the cycle route to the Hatfa junction (directions Malá Bara, Viničky, Ladmovce).

Hours (as of October 2026): Tuesday–Thursday 10:00–15:00, Friday–Saturday 10:00–17:00, closed Monday and Sunday. Private tastings run all year for groups of 4 or more (couples by arrangement); book ahead on +421 905 777 573 or [email protected]. Prices per person: "Hope" €10, "Gratitude" €17, "Joy" €27, "Driver" €10. Food (traditional home cooking, seasonal specialities) is prepared to order.

Nearby

• Zlatý Strapec Winery in Viničky — Tokaj from a tuff cellar since 1992.
• The Podkova oxbow near Viničky — a quiet place for fishing and boating.
• The Rákóczi manor house in Borša — a restored manor with an interactive exhibition and a forest trail to the Bodrog.
• Tokaj & CO in Malá Tŕňa — the largest cellar of Slovak Tokaj.

Official website: meagrati.sk

Photos: meagrati.sk.