There may be one or two readers who remember the glory days of Bulgarian wine in the early 1990s, but not many, so perhaps I should enlighten those who don’t. There was a time when Bulgarian Cabernet Sauvignon was possibly considered the best value red wine in the UK. During the early part of that decade Bulgaria was the world’s fourth largest exporter of wine to the UK, and at its peak exported well in excess of three million cases a year

Many wine drinkers back then would also have been almost equally familiar with Mavrud, Melnik and Gamza varieties for red wines, and the various types of Misket for whites, along with a very good Stambolovo Merlot, if I recall. What happened?

Bulgaria has extremely cold winters, yet its summers, especially in the southern half of the country, are very warm. This is especially true where bodies of water ameliorate the micro climate, in our case the River Danube and the Black Sea. Bulgaria’s state wineries under communism were quite experimental and had gathered perhaps more winemaking expertise that most other countries under the Russian sphere of influence.

On the fall of communism, it was the large, formerly collective, wineries which began the export drive. But in the period that followed this industry collapsed (for a host of reasons), to be replaced eventually by the private wine estates we have today, land having been restored where possible to its pre-communist owners. It has taken this long for the industry to recover.

In 2007 Bulgaria joined the EU, and this led to an all-round increase in investment in the wine industry. This has led to some very smart looking estates making wine with ambition. On the whole, prices are not as low as in some neighbouring countries, but they still represent very good value. More importantly, I think quality is quite high.

On Monday I was invited to Edinburgh’s Hotel du Vin for a Masterclass organised by wine PR company Westbury Communications, and entertainingly given by Jamie Goode. He presented ten wines, of different styles and prices (in a range of £8.50 to nearly £28 retail). The event was called “Wines from the Thracian Lowlands”, though I’m not sure every wine was from this large PGI.

The Thracian Lowlands is one of just two PGI designations in Bulgaria, the other being the Danube Plain to the north. Forming a line between the two, and running more or less west to east through the country, are the Stara Planina Mountains. Within those two PGIs are 52 designated PDOs (smaller regions/sub-regions), but it is significant that almost none of these (they’ve created as many as in countries like France and Italy) ever appear on a label. It is perhaps as important as anywhere that producer is key.

I suppose the one thing you will want to be aware of is that the above statement needs expanding. Producers exporting from Bulgaria today are mostly large and medium-sized wineries. The largest producer represented here, Vinex Slaviantsi, farms 2,800 hectares, although one or two farm between 25-50 hectares. Bulgaria doesn’t have the kind of developed artisan sector that you find in countries with developing wine industries like Czechia, Georgia, Slovenia or Croatia. Consequently, there is no established, exporting, natural wine scene.

Before tasting the wines, it is worth looking at the grape varieties planted in Bulgaria. Local varieties are outgunned by international ones, a hangover from forty or fifty years ago. Merlot (10,555-ha planted) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10,191-ha) dominate. Some of the best autochthonous grapes can be a mere few hundred hectares, yet some of them seem to provide the greatest interest, and the greatest potential to differentiate Bulgaria from other exporters, along with Gamza, a red variety which is a synonym for the Hungarian grape, Kadarka (once, but no longer, a mainstay of Hungary’s “Bull’s Blood”).

We began by tasting four white wines before moving on to five reds. We finished with an excellent dessert wine.

Sandstone 2022, Zlaten Rozhen Winery (Struma Valley)

We kick off with a blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc plus 40% Sandanski Misket from a very modern winery in that part of Bulgaria next to North Macedonia, called the Struma Valley (Bulgaria borders Greece and Türkiye/Turkey to the south, Serbia and Macedonia to the west and Romania to the north, with the Black Sea to the east). The SB comes through first on the nose, quite grassy, then the bouquet becomes more floral. Clean and fruity, made in stainless steel, it’s simple but actually very tasty for a wine expected to retail around £10.50. This should definitely be in Waitrose (in the unlikely event their buyers are reading this). Seeking an importer.

Via Istrum Tamyanka 2022, Burgozone Winery (Danube Plain)

This is a 100-hectare estate established 2002 close to the Danube and the Romanian border. Promoting sustainable agriculture, they are much “awarded” within Bulgaria. Tamyanka is an old white variety in Bulgaria, early ripening, a local synonym possibly for Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains. This is a hand-picked selection harvested in mid-September. It’s a really interesting wine because this variety has great potential for dry wines of character (as well as its more usual sweet iterations). Floral but bone dry with a little texture and 12.5% abv. Imported by Delibo Wine Agencies. Retail circa £18.

Cuvée Blanc 2022, Chateau Copsa (Rose Valley)

This estate now boasts an attractive architect-designed converted castle hotel, but its 50-ha of vines were originally planted in 1998, since when it has been in the same family ownership. They grow a mix of international and local varieties and this blend mixes 50% Chardonnay, 40% Red Misket (pink-skinned but most often vinified white) and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, all grown in the Rose Valley, which is also a famous tourist destination known for its Damask Roses and the essential oils they create.

Mountains surround the vines, which counter-intuitively protect the valley from excessively low winter temperatures but also keep the grapes cooler in summer. This is a nice blend with a plumpness of fruit and a smoothness. There’s freshness too. Red Misket has traditionally made wines to drink early, but I think that fruit adds a freshness to the blend. Retail is around £16, imported by The Old Cellar.

Vrachanski Misket 2022, Bononia Estate (Danube Valley)

Established by the Yotov family in 2013, Bononia is in the very northeast of the country with the winery in a former brewery (est 1895) directly on the river bank. The vineyards are luckily 35-50 metres above the river but the climate is ameliorated by such a wide body of moving water. An attractive dry wine with a little florality, and one that is very attractively packaged too. Also look out for their Gamza (an exciting red variety) which has won international recognition (it says here) from Decanter and the IWSC. £15.50, available from The Wine Society and (allegedly, though I can’t currently find it listed) The Old Cellar (which claims the largest selection of Bulgarian wines in the UK).

My photo of this Misket didn’t come out, but I wanted to show what I think is quite good, modern packaging for this tasty wine.

LEVA Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot 2021, Vinex Slaviantsi (Rose Valley)

Another wine from this central valley on the southern edge of the Stara Planina Mountains, this from a massive operation (the one I mentioned with 2,800 ha of vines, being a merger between two large co-operatives via a worker buyout in 1995). Most of their vines are in the Sungurlar Valley, towards the Black Sea Coast, but this blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is harvested from the source mentioned above.

This reminds me so much of those 1990s reds, it really hit me on first sniff. It’s a simple wine smelling of dark fruits and cherry with crunchy tannins on a textured palate. It’s very commercial, yet the crunch makes it a bit more interesting, and it is quite drinkable. The winery currently has no UK representation, but this would allegedly retail around £8.50. I would be less likely to buy this than the cheaper white wine above (Zlaten Rozhen) but it should nevertheless have commercial appeal.

Platinum Merlot 2018, Domaine Boyar (Thracian Valley)

All of the next four reds are more serious wines and Domaine Boyar is perhaps the best-known Bulgarian winery in the UK. In 1991 it became the country’s first privately owned wine estate. In 2003 they founded a boutique winery named Korten, with “sustainably-farmed” grapes grown in the Thracian Lowlands being selected for small batch cuvées. This wine is a clear step up, much more interesting to the serious wine explorer. The wine’s bottle age gives it some complexity, and I would guess from the nose that this has seen some new oak (though it has integrated well on the palate if that is correct). It’s ripe, modern and very good. Imported by The Old Cellar it should retail around £15.50.

Gramatik Rubin 2020, Rupel Winey (Thracian Valley)

Rupel Winery was founded in 2015, and as well as being relatively new, it also only boasts 26 hectares of vines. Amongst these are planted some of the most interesting varieties in Bulgaria: Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Vermentino and Marselan alongside autochthonous varieties, of which Rubin is one. It’s a Bulgarian cross (1944 but not recognised until 1961) between Nebbiolo and Syrah, making rich, dark-coloured wines, often with good tannic structure and packed with anthocyanins. Some say Rubin could become Bulgaria’s flagship variety, yet so far there are only a little over 200 hectares planted, almost all in the Thracian Valley.

The bouquet is lovely, with a bit of spice, and on the palate some resin alongside the fruit. It reminds me a bit of some Greek reds grown in the north of that country (directly to the south). I think that’s because some of the local varieties there do have an affinity with Nebbiolo, and if push came to shove I’d suggest this variety is a little more “Nebbiolo” than Syrah. It boasts 14.5% alcohol, yet this doesn’t dominate too much. It’s a distinctive Bulgarian red, and I would definitely buy this. The winery is seeking a UK agent, but estimated retail price is around £20. If that is correct, this would be good enough value to tempt a good many people I know.

Mavrud 2021, Katarzyna Estate (Thracian Valley)

Mavrud is probably Bulgaria’s best known black grape variety. As you will deduce if you know the Greek word “Mavro”, Mavrud means black in Bulgarian. Usually very dry and often tannic, the variety has been the mainstay of old school big reds in the country’s past.

Katarzyna is another winery located in the Thracian Valley, and here they are a mere 2 kilometres from the Greek Border, in the eastern foothills of the Rhodopa Mountain. They were founded in 2012 with 750-ha of vines, 85 ha cultivated organically. 2021 was considered a very good vintage here. Dark in colour, the bouquet is of rich dark plum. The palate has ripe fruit and texture and like the Rubin above, it’s a wine with unique flavours. This makes it all the more attractive to my exploring palate. Not only is this good, it also developed in the glass over the short time I was tasting it. Estimated retail would be around £22, but the winery is currently seeking UK representation.

Oak Tree 2016, Minkov Brothers (Thracian Valley)

Oak Tree is a Bordeaux-style blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc made by a well-established specialist with international varieties based in the villages of Terziysko, Ognen and Devetak. This wine, with just short of eight years ageing, is impressive. The bottle itself is ambitiously heavy. The wine is bright with a purple hue, lightening at the rim. It smells of fancy oak, but on the palate that oak is nicely integrated.

Overall, this is a very well-balanced red weighing in at 14% abv. I’d go so far as calling it sophisticated, and objectively this is the finest wine of the tasting. What concerns me is that whilst the Rubin and Mavrud wines I tasted were distinctively Bulgarian, this wine was in its essence international in character. It will be up against similar wines from Argentina and Chile, North America, South Africa, Australia and, of course, wider Bordeaux. Such a market is a tough one, even for a wine of this undoubted quality. The winery is seeking UK representation and this will retail a little under £30/bottle.

Disegno Petit Manseng 2019 (Late Harvest), Aya Estate (Struma Valley)

Aya Estate is another fabulous modern winery with vineyards both at Kavarna, near the Black Sea coast, and Harsovo in the southwest, close to the Greek border. It is unusual in the context of this tasting that they are farming both locations biodynamically. Petit Manseng is, of course, considered the finest variety in Jurançon (in Southwest France) for unctuous dessert wines. Manually harvested at the end of October 2019, they have made a delicious wine with just 10.5% alcohol and almost 73 g/l of residual sugar. This isn’t exceptionally sweet, yet it is a lovely bottle.

The bouquet is very attractive, and I for one do think it shows varietal character (but I have been a fan of Jurançon stickies since my wine youth). There is some concentration, as expected from small berries with thick skins, but also a little structure and pleasing texture. Acidity balances sweetness, and as the sugar data shows, it isn’t super-sweet. Its grapiness and perfume enhance the palate. It’s also nicely packaged, as my photo almost shows. I’m afraid the room was dark and the photography was very rushed, so half my label pics were too blurred to publish. Another winery seeking an importer, estimated retail price circa £21.

To conclude, this was a very interesting tasting. We learnt a lot about the resurgent wine industry in Bulgaria, and tasted ten wines which, bearing in mind my level of geekiness, I would buy seven of them quite happily (assuming the pricing given is reasonably accurate). Of the three I wouldn’t buy, there is nothing wrong with them. Indeed, as I said, one was possibly the most sophisticated and well-made wine of the afternoon. It’s just that I’m only now edging back towards Bordeaux itself so international Bordeaux blends are maybe a way down the line for me.

You can clearly tell that Bulgaria has seen a lot of investment in viticulture and wineries, and these bring a modern approach to a country with a long and well adapted viticultural tradition. This is something which will certainly develop and over the next decade we may well see more artisans, and more experimentation with low-intervention methodologies.

Bulgaria’s home market supposedly has a taste for big red wines in heavy bottles. In this it is not alone, although early excesses with this type of wine have already been supplanted in much of Spain, if not in Napa and South America quite yet. But I think Bulgaria has some very distinctive grapes of its own which show great potential. Gamza, which we didn’t taste and which is strictly speaking Hungarian in origin, is especially becoming noticed for lighter style reds which are a move away from what the home market likes, but which more developed international markets might enjoy. The Rubin and Mavrud tasted here show potential for uniqueness, as also do the Misket and Muscat varieties for white wines, if sometimes blended with non-native varieties.

Although few smaller PDOs are found on labels, we have some nice wines here from the Thracian and the Rose Valleys, so perhaps these are regions to keep an eye on.

The key for Bulgaria will be to concentrate on the uniqueness they can bring to the international wine market, whilst keeping in mind that whilst the best wines made from international varieties may be able to sell locally for prices which will pay for their very heavy bottles, international importers will seek to bring distinctive wines to market at a price that will be attractive to consumers, by which I do not mean excessively cheap, just not prices which are way too ambitious. I’m sure the adventurous among us, which I’m sure counts as all my readers, will look forward to seeing some of these wines on UK shelves soon. Well done Jamie and Westbury Comms for highlighting what Bulgaria has to offer.