Wines of Bulgaria

Wine has always been and will always remain an important industry for Bulgaria. Historically the wine trade has been part of the national culture and today it is a key element in projecting a positive image of Bulgaria.

It is not by chance that we, Bulgarians, tell a story about the origins of our lands. When God created the world, He had completely forgotten about Bulgaria. So the only thing He could do then was to shake out over these lands what was left of the contents of his already empty sack. Thus, although completely forgotten at first, we were then generously bestowed a fascinating diversity of spectacular scenery – plains and valleys huddled between mountain ridge, rivers with lush flat banks, hills sloping down to the Black Sea Cost and wonderful vines which found in these lands the unique conditions to thrive and yield light-bodied, deep-flavoured grapes of superb quality.

According to some authors, both ancient and modern, the Dionysus cult had its origin in the lands of Ancient Thrace, where wine was considered sacred and its use was intended for conversation with the gods. This historical assertion puts Bulgarian viticulture and oenology at the heart of the ancient development of grape and wine culture. The oenological tradition, has continued without interruption for millennia, and has contributed enormously to the country’s contemporary attitude to wine making. It appears that the cultivation of some of the oldest native grape varieties – such as Misket, Dimyat, Gamza, Mavrud and Shiroka Melnishka loza – date back to Thracian times.

Bulgaria has moderate climate with a work summer and a relatively cold winter. The average total temperature required for the growth of grapevines ranges between 3,500⁰C and 3,700⁰C. The soils are diverse and varied – there are acidic (cinnamonic) soils, grey forest soils, rich zonal humus and carbonate soils, fertile black-earth soils (known as chernozems), alluvial and mountain meadow soils, including both deep and shallow sandy soils and others. They are all exceptionally favourable for vine growing, for the proper ripening of grapes, and the production of quality white and red wines.

According to the soil and the climatic conditions as well as the grape varieties, four major vine and wine regions can be defined in the country: DANUBE PLAIN REGION (Northern Bulgaria), BLACK SEA REGION (Eastern Bulgaria), THRACIAN LOWLANDS REGION (Southern Bulgaria) and STROUMA VALLEY REGION (South-western Bulgaria).

The present European influenced processes has led to Bulgarian wine restoring the manufacture practices for production of authentic wines that can proudly trade their origins.

There are two main viticulture and oenology regions for production of PGI wines – Thracian Lowlands and the Danube Plain, and 55 areas for the manufacture of PDO wines that are produced according to the highest quality control standards to guarantee a quality product.

• PDO Strouma Velley
• PDO South Black Sea coast
• PDO Black Sea Region
• PDO Vidin
• PDO Novo Selo
• PDO Pleven
• PDO Lozitsa
• PDO Varbitsa
• PDO Lovech
• PDO Russe
• PDO Lyakovets
• PDO Svishtov
• PDO Pavlikeni
• PDO Shumen
• PDO Novi Pazar
• PDO Veliki Preslav
• PDO Khan Kroum
• PDO Dragoevo
• PDO Targovishte
• PDO Varna
• PDO Evxinograd
• PDO Pomorie
• PDO Sungurlare
• PDO Slavyantsi
• PDO Kamobat
• PDO Septemvri
• PDO Plovdiv
• PDO Asenovgrad
• PDO Karlovo
• PDO Hissarya
• PDO Perushtitsa
• PDO Brestnik
• PDO Yambol
• PDO Stara Zagora
• PDO Oryahovitsa
• PDO Sliven
• PDO Shivachevo
• PDO Nova Zagora
• PDO Haskovo
• PDO Ivailovgrad
• PDO Lyubimets
• PDO Stambolovo
• PDO Sakar
• PDO Sandanski
• PDO Melnik
• PDO Harsovo
• PDO Lom
• PDO Montana
• PDO Vratsa
• PDO Pazardzhik
• PDO Dragoevo
• PDO Shoumen
• PDO Varna
• PDO Bolyarovo