CMB 2016: Journey through Bulgarian Wines in Plovdiv

Wine tastings are sensory experiences. A tantalizing discovery of excellent wines through smell, taste and sight coupled with great company and a memorable atmosphere. Perhaps you are envisioning a dimly lit wine cellar or a lush vineyard as a perfect location for tasting wines. While winery visits should be on every wine lovers ‘must-do’ list, there is something to be said about the allure of an elegant wine bar or enoteca. Wine bars, enotecas and urban tasting rooms are great places to try a varied selection of wines, swap recommendations with a sommelier or unwind with a group of close friends over a few bottles of wine. They are ideal places to sample wines from different regions, to learn from educational tastings, to attend themed events, to indulge in wine and food paired dinners and to meet like-minded people.

The 23rd edition of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB 2016) was recently held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria from April 29th – May 1st 2016. While judges and participants were busy organizing this prestigious event of tasting around 9000 wine samples, one of my favourite places to taste Bulgarian wines in Plovdiv– Vinopolis Enoteca grabbed the opportunity to offer a tasting program based on the theme of “Bulgarian Terroirs”. Eight (8) Bulgarian wines from some of the most interesting indigenous grape varieties paired with appetizers from local Bulgarian products made by small, family producers.

I invited Subhash Arora who was one of the international jury members and had been a Speaker on the Indian Wine Tourism at the International Wine Tourism Conference in Barcelona (IWINETC 2016) where I was a Speaker for the Bulgarian Wine Tourism. He graciously agreed to join me for this unique experience on April 29 at the Enoteca.

The evening was moderated by the owner, Gergana Todorova and co-moderated by Irina Sofranova- both passionate wine lovers, WSET-certified Bulgarian wine experts, eager to raise awareness and interest in Bulgarian wines. With the aim to introduce Bulgarian grape varieties, terroirs and wines to a public with limited knowledge on the subject, the experimental Bulgarian Terroirs tasting unfolded in the following way….

Maryan Sense of Tears Dimyat 2014

The first wine gets points for being an excellent fresh start to the evening. Made from Dimyat – an ancient Bulgarian white variety with hints of vanilla that is mostly cultivated along the Black Sea Coast. Interesting fact about Dimyat is that it can develop nicely with oak. The producer is Maryan – a small, family winery located in the village of Maryan about 40 km from Veliko Tarnovo in North Bulgaria- paired with a relish of topinambur (Jerusalem artichoke), baked peppers and tomatoes on freshly baked bread.

Winery	Maryan
Grape	Dimyat
Wine Region	The Danubian Plain
Vintage	2014

Orbelia Sandanski Misket 2015

Orbelia winery is located in the very southwest of Bulgaria at the foot of the Belasitsa Mountain, close to where the borders of Bulgaria, Macedonia and Greece meet. Orbelia is the Thracian name of the mountain. It means White Mountain and is derived from the fact that the mountain peak is covered by snow all year round. Sandanski Misket is a variation of the local misket grape.  A pink grape that produces excellent crispy white wines with lovely floral-fruity aromas and a prefect freshness in taste. Paired with goat cheese with rose jam.

Winery	Orbelia
Grape	Sandanski Misket
Wine Region	Melnik & Struma Valley
Vintage	2015

Via Verde Expressions Misket/Muscat 2015

Via Verde [Green Road] is a new winery from 2013 with 80 acres located close to the town of Sandanski. Their first vintage was 2014 with a series named ‘Debut’, which was released in 2015. Expressions is a new series inspired by freedom to express yourself. In this series, you will find interesting blends just like this one made with Muscat and the local Misket. A mouthwatering mix of tantalizing aromas with an elegant and fresh body-paired with white Bulgarian sirene cheese with marinated raisins and walnuts.

Winery	Via Verde
Grapes	Misket/Muscat
Wine Region	Melnik & Struma Valley
Vintage	2015

Bratanov Tamianka Single Vineyard 2014

Bratanov Family Winery & Vineyards is based in Harmanli with vineyards located in the surrounding South Sakar region. A true family affair, the history of winemaking in the Bratanov family spans at least five generations. Today, a father and his two sons as well as extended family members manage the winery. Tamianka is an interesting local variety that Bratanov have succeeded in vinifying separately to create an excellent, award-winning single variety wine with a floral nose and a hint of orange peel. We were lucky enough that both the co-owner Hristo Bratanov, his wife Tanya Avramova and the oenologist Maria Stoeva were present at the tasting. The wine was paired with trout liver paté.

Winery	Bratanov
Grape	Tamianka
Wine Region	Sakar and Eastern Rhodopes
Vintage	2014

Borovitza‘Great Terroirs’ Black Pack Gamza 2013

Borovitza is a small, boutique winery located in north-west Bulgaria, close to the town of Belogradchik and the impressive fortress and natural rock formations that carry the same name. The winery has quickly established itself as a highly regarded winery producing boutique, limited series and terroir-driven wines. This region is known for Gamza – an interesting grape that some people may better recognize under the name ‘Kadarka’. Gamza is a vivid and fresh wine with smooth and delicate tannins. Paired with Bulgarian kashkaval cheese.

Winery	Borovitza
Grape	Gamza
Wine Region	Danubian Plain
Vintage	2013

Dragomir All in One Mavrud 2013

Dragomir is a small, family-owned, boutique winery located in the town of Plovdiv. Their production is around 60,000 bottles per year and the results have been impressive. Dragomir wines are constantly present in the top 10 ranking of best Bulgarian wines – an annual ranking by the DiVino magazine. Mavrud is an ancient local grape variety that Bulgarians are very fond and proud of. Mavrud develops nicely in oak but is also delicious without and is used in both single varietal wines and blends. Paired with goat cheese.

Winery	Dragomir
Grape	Mavrud
Wine Region	Thracian Valley
Vintage	2013

Villa Melnik Bergulé Melnik 55 2011

Villa Melnik is a family-owned, boutique winery, which opened its doors in 2013. Located in an area famous for its wine, Villa Melnik produces excellent wines from international and local varieties, as well as endemic varieties such as Shiroka Melnishka Loza and Melnik 55. Villa Melnik has been at the forefront of developing wine tourism in the Melnik region and welcomes visitors for tours and tastings. Melnik 55, also called Early Melnik, is a hybrid between the native ShirokaMelnishkaLoza and mixed pollen of French varieties. Melnik 55 was mainly created to ripen earlier than ShirokaMelnishkaLoza. Paired with Fillet “Elena” – Bulgarian dry cured meat.

Rumelia Merul Reserva Mavrud 2011

Rumelia wine cellar is located in the historic town of Panagyurishte. The town is famous for being one of the centers for the liberation movement against the Ottoman domination and for the Bulgarian revival period. It is also famous for the Panagyurishte Golden Treasure consisting of 9 golden vessels from the Thracian era that were used for ritual drinking of wine. The treasure is on display in the Panagyurishte Museum. Rumelia produces around 500 000 bottles of high quality wines per year. This wine made from the unique Bulgarian variety Mavrud is matured in small barriques and further aged in bottle. It still has ageing potential and the rich nuances and long finish was an excellent way to end the tasting. Paired with pastarma – dry cured meat.

Winery	Rumelia
Grape	Mavrud
Wine Region	Thracian Valley
Vintage	2011

Eight very different wines in a little over two hours felt like a journey through Bulgaria. Through the Bulgarian grape varieties, the wine regions, the stories behind the names of wines and wineries and through the local food products made in Bulgaria. It was educational, relaxed and fun – as wine tastings should be.

I would like to thank Subhash Arora, President of Indian Wine Academy and my partner Vasil Zlatev for excellent company during this delicious wine tasting experience. Thank you to Vinopolis Enoteca for organizing such magnificent wine tastings. Thank you to Gergana Todorova and Irina Sofranova for hosting the event “Bulgarian Terroirs - Taste the Uniqueness”.

Zina Sorensen

Zina Sorensen is the founding partner of Bulgaria Wine Tours-a full-service tour operator specialized in tours focusing on wine, food, culture and nature.  Born out of the belief that Bulgaria is an exciting, alternative destination for culinary and cultural tourism, Bulgaria Wine Tours was established in 2014 by Zina with Vasil Zlatev. She seeks to provide a mix of experiences combining outstanding wines, cultural heritage sites, traditional cuisine and stunning landscapes. They offer an array of services often combined in a tour: wine tastings, vineyard visits, city sightseeing, visits to cultural landmarks, cultural excursions, rural accommodation, city accommodation, airport transfers, private tour leaders, transport, visits to mineral spa resorts  and events at vineyards or wineries. Tours are in various shapes and sizes: small group tours, individual tours and events (corporate or social)-tailor-made or customized. Visit her website at www.bulgariawinetours.com or contact her at info@bulgariawinetours.com for more info-Editor

Wine Map of Bulgaria

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