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Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/458161
www.cheersonline.com 19 January/February 2015 • Bulgaria's Unique Wine Varietals DIMYAT. An aromatic and sweet white grape, dimyat comes from eastern Bulgaria, primarily the Black Sea coast region. It's used in white wine as well as brandy production. GAMZA. Known as "kadarka" in some other European countries, gamza is a late-ripening red grape cultivated in northern Bulgaria. It makes a fresh and fruit-forward wine that's comparable to some pinot noirs. MAVRUD. Bulgaria's signature indigenious grape grows primarily in the Thracian Lowlands region near the city of Plovdiv. Mavrud wine is deep red in color with a rich texure and spicy, berry fl avor. MELNIK. The broad-leaf Melnik grapes grow only in the warm and dry southwestern corner of Bulgaria and are used to make a popular red wine. MISKET. This ancient Bulgarian white grape is a hybrid of dimyat and riesling; red misket produces a fruity pink wine. Misket is often used to make brandy and grappa. PAMID. One of the oldest red grapes in Bulgaria, pamid is used in light-bodied table wines that are meant to be enjoyed young; it's frequently compared to Beaujolais. RUBIN. The grape variety rubin is a cross between the Italian nebbiolo and French syrah. It was created in 1944 and recognized as a grape varietal in 1961. competitiveness of the country's wine industry. The NVWC offers certifi cates of origin to quality wines, as well as certifi cates of authenticity to grape varieties. It also organizes exhibitions, competitions, tasting and lectures to demonstrate the quality of Bulgarian wine. FOREIGN INTRIGUE Investment in the country's wine industry will help promote the offerings as well. The Bulgarian State Agency on Winegrowing and Winemaking (BSAWW) said in October that up to 11 new wineries will be soon established in Bulgaria by foreign investors. Many foreigners have already taken note. Italian textile baron Edoardo Miroglio opened his eponymous winery in 2002 in the Thracian Lowlands region, which includes the Soli Invicto boutique hotel, named for one of the wines. Neragora was also founded in 2002 by an Italian, Massimo Azzolini. He had been working in Bulgaria in organic mushroom farming and was impressed with the land and local grapes— especially mavrud. Gaining a foothold in the global wine market isn't easy. But consumers today are more sophisticated and adventurous about wine, and they're interested in discovering new ones. The history, signature grape varietals and lower price points of Bulgaria's wines offer a unique selling proposition. But in the end, it's all about taste. At the Bulgarian wine seminar last spring, co-moderator Mike DeSimone recalled serving Chateau Burgozone's viognier to friends at Christmas in 2013. "They liked it," he said, "and it was a big surprise that it was from Bulgaria." Todoroff, the fi rst boutique winery in Bulgaria, opened a hotel and spa in 2007.