Wine in Bulgaria dates back to even before the times of the Thracians. Its environment is wonderfully suited for the cultivation of grape vines that can be used for making wine. The methods of its production have changed drastically over the years and today they’ve reached their peak in quality. We have exceptional Bulgarian sorts of both red and white grape vines that set themselves apart with great specificity and character. Some of these are – Mavrud, which is considered the face of Bulgarian wines, Rubin, Gamza, Broad Leaved Melnik, while of the white variety there are – Tamianka, Gergana, Sandanski Misket, Dimiat and others.

Bulgaria has 5 wine-growing regions, with each one having their specifics for the cultivation of particular grape vine sorts. This being subject to the environment.

  1. Danubian Plain – Muscat Ottonel, Gamza, Cabernet Sauvignon

  2. Black Sea Coast – Dimiat, Riesling, Traminer – mostly white wines, which account for 53% of the white sorts in Bulgaria

  3. The Rose Valley – Red Misket, Rkatsiteli, Cabernet, Merlot

  4. Thracian Valley – Mavrud, Merlot, Cabernet

  5. The Valley of Struma – Broad Leaved Melnik, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

During communism there were big state-owned factories for winemaking with large capacities for export mainly to Russia and the socialist countries. In 2001 Ivan Todorov created the first boutique winery, which essentially means it produces less in quantity but greater in quality. Currently there are a lot of new boutique wineries in Bulgaria. There being a total of 200 wine cellars both private and state-owned at the moment. Exports are made to Russia, USA, China, France.

The grape vines cultivated in Bulgaria have the potential to age once made into wine, which can be stored in bottles for over 20 years. There are very few countries, about 7-8 that can make such wine, Bulgaria being an “Old World” type country in winemaking. Currently, however, a lot of the cellars are betting on wines of the “New World” type, which are lighter, fruity, fresh wines that don’t age in a barrel and are for direct consumption, up to 3-4 years, and they do not have the potential to age.

Almost every cellar has won an award in international competitions. Katarzyna have the best Syrah, which has gotten into the top 5 for best Syrah in the world 3 times. Todoroff’s Caberne Teres and Merlot Teres won 2 gold medals in 2018. Their Merlot Teres won accolades with its first harvest in 2001 at the evaluation of wine in Paris Vinalies 2003.

Most of the cellars organize very attractive tours some of which include tasting in the dark, music with wine and chocolate and tasting of wines taken right out of the casks with a selection of farmer cheeses, specifically chosen for each wine.