Bulgaria
Europe is known for its rich and plentiful wine regions. One such region goes by the name of Bulgaria. Bulgaria is a small country with a rich and ancient history. It is located in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, including parts of the historical regions Mizia, Thrace and Macedonia. It borders Greece and Turkey to the south, Romania to the north, Macedonia to the southwest, Serbia to the west and the Black Sea to the east. Bulgaria is the most successful producer of wines from all of Eastern European countries, having preserved the traditions inherited in viticulture since the time of the Thracians. The climate in the country is temperate with warm summers and relatively cool winters. The soils are varied and extremely favourable for growing of vines and the good ripening of the grapes for the production of high quality red and white wines. Bulgaria is typically divided into five main wine regions with diversity of micro regions, where a huge variety of grapes are grown to create a wealth of different types of wines – Danube Plane, Thracian Lowlands, Black Sea Coast, Struma Valley and Rose Valley.
GEORGIEV MILKOV WINERY
KORTEN WINERY
PRODUCERS
ODESSOS URBAN WINERY
Black Sea Coast
PRODUCERS
DANUBE PLAIN
LOGODAJ WINERY
LIBERA ESTATE
BONONIA ESTATE
The smallest wine region in Bulgaria is Rose valley. It is known for being the main producing region of the famous Bulgarian rose Damascena, but also for its vineyards and wines. The specific natural conditions and the mild climate characteristics of the valley contribute to the complex development of the vineyards here - it is sheltered between the mighty edges of the Balkan Mountain on the north and delicately merging into the sunny hills of the Sredna Gora Mountain to the south. The region mostly produces dry and off-dry white wine and less red wine. The signature grape variety and wine is the aromatic Red Misket (also called Rose Valley Misket and Karlovski Misket). Also produced here are Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Traminer, Rkatsiteli, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
PRODUCERS
CHATEA COPSA
THRACIAN VALLEY
The moderate continental climate and the different altitudes of the region are good premises for growing of red grape varieties in the valley of the Thrace. The region includes the central part of the lowland, as well as parts of the Sakar mountain. The climate conditions of the region, protected from sharp winds from the north by Stara Planina mountain range and by the Rhodope Mountains from the South, are very suitable for production of excellent rich and complex red wines from the varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Mavrud, as well as intense and crisp whites. The sunshine here is over 3000 hours per year with over 110 sunny days. The summer is hot and dry with warm nights, the winter is mild. The soils in the region are predominantly sandy or a combination of sand and clay, with some limestone found at places. The high-quality wines from the local sort Mavrud are most valued because of the combination of the aromas and the taste of black forest fruits, spices and herbs. Other very successful grape varieties in this region are Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc & Rubin from the reds and Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc and Dimyat from the whites.
PRODUCERS
YAMANTIEVS WINERY
ZAGREUS ORGANIC WINERY
NERAGORA ORGANIC WINERY
The northern region of Bulgaria is known as Danube Plain. It encompasses the south banks of the river Danube and the central and western parts of the Danubian plain. The region is famous for white grape varieties and produces around 25% of the Bulgarian wine. The climate is temperate continental, with a hot summer and lots of sunny days per year. The relief is highly varied – low hills alternate with broad plains. Typical wine grape varieties grown in the Danube Plain are Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay, Riesling, Traminer, Muscat Ottonel, Pamid, Aligoté for the whites and Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Pinot Noir and the local Gamza and Bouquet for the reds.
ROSE VALLEY
BRATANOV WINERY
PRODUCERS
The Black Sea Coast region is where 30%of all the vines in Bulgaria are located. Then region is characterized by long and mild autumns that are favourable for ripening white grape varieties (53% of all white wine varieties are concentrated in the region). The wines produced in the region are among the best Bulgarian dry white wines with elegant freshness and delicate fruit aromas - here they grow with success the white varieties Misket, Dimyat, Riesling, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Traminer and Gewürztraminer. For the reds the most successful are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
STRUMA VALLEY
The region of Struma Valley includes the south-western parts of Bulgaria - the valley of the river Struma. The area is small, but is climatically very distinct and characteristic, owing to the strong Mediterranean influence from the south. Here in Struma Valley the typical varieties grown are the indigenous Melnik, Rubin and Ruen and the international reds Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. The wines made from these varieties give great impression of fullness of the taste and southern warmth in the aroma. For the whites successful are Viognier, Misket and Chardonnay.