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Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/458161
www.cheersonline.com 16 • January/February 2015 wineries were streamlined for mass production and export. The decade following Bulgaria's transition to a market economy was rough on its winemaking industry, as the vineyards were privatized and several former export markets dried up. But things have improved dramatically in the past 15 years, as many Bulgarian vineyards have invested heavily in infrastructure and technology. More winemakers are now focusing on quality vs. quantity. The country's advantages include a climate and terroir that rivals those of major European wine producers, plus Bulgaria has its own ancient and unique grape varietals. In particular, "Bulgaria is very good for the production of red wine," says Ivan Todoroff, president of Todoroff Winery in the Thracian Lowlands region, one of the country's fi rst boutique winemakers. What's more, Bulgarian wines tend to offer high quality at a value price. For example, the Bulgariana 2011 cabernet sauvignon from Bulgaria's Thracian Valley was ranked #29 on Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Best Buys of 2014. Imported by Grapes & Barley in Bethesda, MD, the wine retails for $10. TASTY TERROIR Located in the Southeast corner of Europe, Bulgaria borders Romania on the north, Greece and Turkey on the south, the Black Sea on the east and Macedonia and Serbia on the west. The Balkan Mountains divide Bulgaria's north and south; the southern part shares some of the Mediterranean infl uence as Italy, while other terroir is similar to France. Bulgaria has four major vine and wine regions defi ned by the soil and climatic conditions and the grape varieties: the Danube Plain region (northern Bulgaria); the Black Sea region (eastern Bulgaria), the Thracian Lowlands (southern Bulgaria) and the Strouma Valley (southwestern Bulgaria). Bulgaria, part of the European Union since 2007, has 55 areas for making Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) wines. It has two main viticultural and oenology regions for Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) wines, or those with a special indication of geographical origin made from specifi c varieties: the Thracian Lowlands and the Danube Plain. The Danube Plain lies south of the Danube River and north of the Balkan Mountain foothills, with the Timok River to the west and the Black Sea to the East. The region has a temperate continental climate with hot, dry summers and cool nights. At an educational masterclass and tasting in New York last year, co-moderator and Balkan wine expert Jeff Jenssen noted that Bulgaria's Danube Plain boasts alluvial soils, which impart minerality to some of the wines. For instance, he cited a 2012 Bulgarian Rhapsody Top left, sampling the vintage at a Vinprom Peshtera facility; above, one of the fi nished wines. Left, the com- pany has recently invested in new microvinifi cation and storage equipment for its Vinprom Yambol operation.