Forget the old image of Bulgaria as home to cheap and nasty wines - a new breed of winemaker has emerged since the 1990s, with terroir and high-quality wines at the heart of their philosophy, writes CAROLINE GILBY MW

THE FIRST TIME I went to Bulgaria la the early 1990s, it was still in the death throes of communism. Soviet-scale concrete wineries and old, rusting steel tanks did not make the greatest, impression. It took me another 12 years to venture back, only to find a country transformed. Today it's the latest holiday hotspot, and while sun, sand and skiing are good for foreign revenue, all this attention should also be an opportunity for Bulgaria to get itself back on the wine map.

Not long ago Bulgaria was one of our favourite sources of red wine, though since hitting a peak in the mid 1990s, sales to the west have been falling. Under communism, Bulgaria was a major wine producer, with vineyards organized into massive agricultural complexes supplying grapes to state-owned wineries. These immaculate, if large-scale, vineyards, and competent winemaking set the scene for good-value exports to the west.

The years post-communism have not been kind though. As Steven Spurrier says, 'Bulgaria captured a substantial part of the lower-priced market in the UK in the 1980s, only to see it disappear due to sloppy winemaking with out-of-date equipment in the face of competition from the New World.' It took nearly a decade to privatise the wineries and even longer to hand back land to its pre-1947 owners. In the meantime, vineyards were neglected or abandoned, and have ended up divided into tiny parcels, belonging to people with no interest or skills in viticulture.
The last few years have seen an enormous change in attitude. There's an almost infectious enthusiasm for a new wave of high-quality wines, and wineries are recognising that controlling fruit quality is all important. Spurrier points out that producers, 'are learning from past mistakes from new players in the country who know what the public wants and how to make it. Bulgaria's pristine, naturally farmed vineyards can provide the rest.

Foreign investment has brought in much-needed cash to buy up small vineyards, and there are substantial EU funds available through SAPARD (Special Accession Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development), ahead of Bulgaria's accession in 2007.

Project Bulgaria

As one producer put it, SAPARD is a kind of giant BOGOF for vines (buy one, get one free) as it refunds 51% of any approved project. This EU money is a major factor in the rush of investment, especially as it is only available until accession. In 2004 alone some €60 million was spent on renovating wineries and another €30 million on vineyards.
French winemaker Marc Dworkin (from Bordeaux-based Chateau Bellefont- Belcier) is in charge of the Bessa Valley project at Pazardjik near Plovdiv, funded by Stephan von Niepperg of Chateau Canon-La-Gaffeliere and his German partner, Karl Hauptmann, Dworkin says: “I had a dream and my two friends have made it come true. Bulgaria is the new Eldorado for wine.

This is a true terroir concept with 105ha (hectares) planted on a plot that had been grubbed up and abandoned in the 1980s. The vineyard is mainly Merlot, with Shiraz, Cabernet and Petit Verdot, as well as local Mavrud and Rubin. The wine is called Enira and shows wonderful rich fruit and fine structure. 2004 was the first commercial release.

Dworkin was also originally involved in Bulgaria’s first ever icon wine, the dramatic Redarc from Damianitza. The concept here is very much a tete de cuvee, selecting the best fruit of the vintage so the blend between Cabernet and Merlot varies. Damianitza is based in the warm Struma Valley in southwest Bulgaria, “more like Sicily or Spain in climate”, reckons owner Philip Harmandjiev, a magazine publisher.

His winery concentrates on local varieties with its Uniqato range. Its Rubin (a Bulgarian crossing of Nebbiolo with Shiraz) is one of the country’s best and, as Harmandjiev says, this is Bulgaria’s native red grapes.

Mavrud – potentially the highest quality local grape; with its small, thick-skinned, dark berries, giving wines with plenty of extract, rich sugars and robust tannins. It needs a long growing season and is only grown in the south around Plovdiv. For the home market it tends to be made in a mature, tannic and oxidative style. However, when made using modern equipment and judicious oak use it can produce attention-grabbing, high-quality wines.

Melnik – or “Shiroka Melnishka Loza”, translates as the “broad-leaved vine of Melnik” and is only grown in the warm southwestern Struma Valley region. Potentially the most long lived of Bulgaria’s grapes, it can be rather Nebbiolo – like in its fruity style and firm structure, and can have fierce tannins. There’s also an earlier-ripening clone which tends to have rounder tannins and softer fruit, and is used by Damianitza in their Uniqato brand.

Rubin – believed by some to have the most potential to become Bulgaria’s signature grape. A local crossing of Nebbiolo and Sirah, developed in the 1940s, it has relatively low acidity; giving it a supple, fleshy, appealing texture, and is approachable even when young.

Pamid – widely grown and believed to date back to ancient Thrace, but low in colour, structure and quality. Small quantities in blends are useful in giving a unique sense of place.

Gamza – Hungary’s Kadarka, grown in northwest Bulgaria. Fragile and can be thin if overcropped, so needs low yilds and care in the winery. Often blended with Merlot or Cabernet.

Bulgaria, possibly the grape with the most potential to be Bulgaria's signature variety'. He also makes a distinctive red and rose from local Melnik and even grows Tempranillo.

The concept of terroir wines is still relatively new in Bulgaria, but one taken to heart by Val Markov, a California-based robotics manufacturer. As he says “1 see enough stainless steel in my main business so I want my wine to be as natural as possible.' His Chateau de Val vineyard is in Gradetz Valley near Vidin, and the Cuvee white and Claret red are blends of what was growing in his century-old family vineyard. He won't say exactly what, but admits to Saperavi, Pamid, Cabernet and Merlot in the red. There's no doubt his best wines have a real sense of place.

Most of the big wineries are busy buying and planting vineyards, but it will be а few years before these are in commercial production. At the moment Stork Nest Estates is one of the few larger wineries that can produce most of its requirements from its own established 428ha of vineyards. Aussie Lou Ghirardello (head of foreign investments at Deutsche Bank) put together a team of private equity investors to buy the former Svishtov winery. Ghirardello aims, “to knock people's socks off and astonish them with what's possible”. Aussie consultants have been in and Black Stork is their best wine so far - a flavoursome Merlot/Cabernet blend.

Other projects with big company backing include Belvedere's Domaine Katerina - a 225ha estate in no man's land, dotted with old watch towers, and Domaine Boyar's Solitaire Merlot from its Elenovo vineyard.. Villa Liubimec is another new project with over 240ha in Liubimetz. run by a tax lawyer who reckons, “wine is a much nicer thing to do”. Micro-vinifications from 2004 suggest this is one to watch.

A couple of leading producers have taken a different tack, discovering old vines with low yields, and the potential for really high quality. Two Bulgarian winemakers, Adriara Srebrinova and Ogy Tzvetanov, use their long experience to seek out such parcels for Maxxima, and rent space in nearby wineries.

“Our major aim is BBB: the Best expression of the Best varieties grown in the Best available sites”, says Srebrinova.. Maxxima's Private Reserve 2001 takes Bulgarian wine to a level of richness and concentration rarely seen, while Sensum shows more elegance and real finesse.

Santa Sarah is a real garage wine, based in a warehouse at Stara Zagora. Owner Ivo Genowski, (a wine importer in Germany) is heavily influenced by his friend, Ernie Loosen. Winemaking is in small wooden fermenters and his wines are hand crafted. Genowski has bought 40ha near the Black Sea but is currently working with small growers. The Privat Cabernet Is big, oaky, rich and structured, and there's a sleek, glossy Bin 41 Merlot, while a young Mavrud is a “wow” wine.

In the UK it is still difficult to persuade buyers to try Bulgarian wines, though as Vili Galabova (commercial director of exporter Vinimpex) says,”'it's great to see small small wineries building up a reputation” For a taste of new Bulgaria, readers will have to hunt these wines down, but it's worth it for a new perspective on an old favourite.
Caroline Gilby MW is an expert on the wines of Eastern Europe.

THE BEST OF BULGARIA :

Enira, Reserve 2004-*****
Amazingly ripe and dense, yet this has a velvety structure. Integrated oak, backed by enough structure to keep for five years or so. Ј8.99; Wai
Chateau de Val, Claret 2ООЗ ****
A unique blend of up to 8 varieties. Succulent black fruit, with coffee and tobacco complexity and a good tannic backbone. This has a real sense of place. N/A UK
Damianitza, Redark 2ООЗ ****
A Cabernet/Merlot blend showing a fine youthful nose, elegant texture and lovely harmony. Ј11.95; 20F
Maxxima, Private Reserve 2001 ****
Generous ripe cassis overlaid with chocolate and herbs and lots of vanilla oak. Ј9.50; 20F
Maxxima, Sensum 2003 ****
Classy damson and violet scented wine, ffins grained and long, Ј10.95; 2QF
Santa Sarah, Mavrud ****
A knock-out wine, Mavrud as not seen before with incredible colour and concentration and no harsh edges. Ј8.99; Wnz
Damiantza Uniqato Rubin 2003 ***
Spicy black cherry and liquorice notes. Supple fruit and soft acidity. Ј7.96-8.95; 20F, FFB

Domaine Boyar, Solitaire Merlot ***
Silky, supple and generous Merlot, N/A UK

Stork Nest Estates, Black Stork 2003 ***
Best wine so far from this winery, just opening up and show good varietal focus Ј5.99; Wnz
Santa Sarah, Cabernet Sauvigtton
Privat 2O02 •***
Bio, rich chocolatey Cabernet with plenty of oak and structure. Definite potential. Ј1195; 20F

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