Bulgaria - Wines & Regions

Climate:
Continental in the north & Mediterranean in the south, Maritime on the Black Sea coast
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Red Grapes:
1) Gamza
- Tendency to Grey Rot
- Habit of ripening riskily
- Productive
- Fine, tannic, full-bodied, worth ageing
2) Mavrud
- Intense, tannic, robust
- Small berried, low-yielding
- Responds well to oak ageing
- Age rather fast
3) Melnik (Shiroka Melnishka)
- Powerful
- Extract, tannic, alcoholic
- Aroma of tobacco leaves
- Small berries, thick & blue-skinned
- Warmth, resembles Chateauneuf-du-Pape
- Longevity
White Grapes:
1) Misket
- Grape-scented
- A crossing of the native Dimiat & Riesling
- Red Misket ~ also used for perfumed white wines, is probably a pink-berried mutant
2) Dimiat
- Producer of perfumed everyday whites of varying levels of sweetness
- Yield copper-colored grapes in great quantity
- Wines should be consumed young & cool
3) Rkatsiteli
- Most important white grape variety in Bulgaria
- Well adpated to particularly cold winters
- Providing a base for a wide range of wine styles
- Distinguished by a keen level of acidity
- Good sugar levels
- Longevity
International Grape Varieties:
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay

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Principal Viticultural Hazards:
- Fungal Diseases ~ treated by Sulphur Sprays & Bordeaux Mixture

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Wine Regions:

1) Black Sea Region (Formerly Eastern Region)
- Heart of white wines
- Climate moderated by Black Sea
- Noted on the international markets for its white - Chardonnay ~ acidic, fresh & aromatic
- Designated regions
- Burgas
~ Muscat Ottonel, Aligote, Ugni Blanc, some Chardonnay, Cab, Merlot
- Lujen Briag
- Kralevo
- Khan Krum / Novi Pazar / Preslav / Shumen
~ High priced, Chardonnay, oaked, barrel fermented, S. Blanc, Gewurz, Riesling
- Vama
~ Aromatic whites: Chardonnay

2) Danube Plain Region (Formerly Northern Region)
- Runs from Vidin in the north west across to Russe & south to Balkan foothills
- Generally continental, slightly cooler overall than those regions in the south
- Therefore gives wines with a degree of elegance
- Wineries
- Russe
~ Whites + Reds
~ Cabernet Sauvignon from Yantra Valley
- Suhindol
~ Specializes in reds
~ Particularly Gamza
~ Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
- Svishtov
~ Specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon

3) Struma Valley Region (Formerly Southwestern Region)
- Mediterranean climate
- Produces a large volume of white wine, made from Rkatsiteli
- But the reds (by Cabernet Sauvignon & Melnik) feature more often in the export markets
- Melnik
~ Grown on nearby rugged hillsides
~ Concentration
~ Longevity

4) Thracian Valley Region - West & East (Formerly Sub-Balkan & Southern Region)
- East
~ Continental climate
~ Red Misket is important here, in both dry & medium styles
~ Chardonnay is successful too, full, creamy flavours balanced by fresh acidity
- West
~ Moderate continental climate in the west
~ Benefits from rainfall throughout growing season
~ Red varieties dominate production
~ Home to indigenous Mavrud
~ Rich, fruity Merlots