The Fruit

1400 decares (140 ha) of the Valley have been planted with vines of the following French grape varieties: Merlot (over half of them), Syrah (one quarter), and almost equal share of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The quality of the fruit is increased by limiting the yield. The yield is 500 kilograms per decare (5000 kilograms per hectare). The surplus grapes are cut off the vines when they are still green.

“Five hundred vines are planted here on each decare. The distance between the rows is exactly two metres and it is one meter distance between each vine. Taking into account the leaf mass, we believe that the load should not be more than a kilogram per vine. In other words, less than 600 kilogram is the maximum that we should harvest.

It might sound like a small yield but little here means a lot. We take special care to limit the yield. We have chosen a slope, on which the vines yield is less but of higher quality. We also do what is known as green grape picking. We know how many grape clusters the vine should bear depending on its sort. In June-July, we carry out an estimation of the harvest and the surplus clusters, we cut them off and deposit them on the ground. In this way we make sure that we will achieve perfect parameters – sugar, acids, pH – for each grape we keep.

If we look at this from another aspect, the vine, just like any human, has its limits. We should not burden it more than it can take. That is why we do this green grape picking. This is a novelty in Bulgaria – people are a little shocked and worried, but I think that with time they will get used to this requirement.”

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