Bulgarian Terroir, Indigenous Grape Varieties and future open avenues for commercial success. A recent visit of Caroline Gilby MW to Bulgaria on the invitation of regional Wine Chamber Trakia has provoked several articles in the Bulgarian wine press(Bakhus, Divino, etc) discussing the potential of our indigenous grape varieties for international success. These articles also reminded me about some not so distant discussions about the notion of Terroir and whether Bulgaria has identified its best terroirs. Both discussions are linked to the future marketing avenues that Bulgarian wine may explore in order to achieve formidable place in western markets. My experience is limited to only one of them, the UK. It was very recently described as '' the place where wine fortunes are made but also where ugly supermarket price battles are a daily occurrence''. Put in a different way it has the two poles of consumers every winery dreams of:the connoisseurs who will loyally stick and understand the values of the brand and the price junkies who will be driven mainly by price and promotion for whom the provenance of origin is a minor consideration. In that sense my thoughts are veering towards the folklore saying here in the UK ''Horses for courses''. There is a place for both terroir driven quality dedicated wines who will help rebuild the image of Bulgarian wine but also there is a place for the not yet forgotten value driven easy drinking Merlot and Cabernet based wines which conquered these shores not so long ago in the eighties of the last century and showed the British drinking masses that wine does not have to be expensive and French to be delicious and enjoyable. Caroline is right that we need a point of difference but unfortunately both Government and Historical chance have robbed us from the varietal treasure troves that Portugal, France and Italy can employ and we can only rely on a few indigenous grape varieties namely Mavrud, Melnik, Dimiat and to an extend Gamza(aka Kadarka) and Rkatciteli but we should not despair. We have something else in our arsenal which has been inherited from the prolific Viticulture Experimentation Stations of Socialism. Yes you have guessed it! We have man made crosses created by forceful cross pollination of different Vitis Vinifera grape varieties. Let me stress that they are Not Hybrids! And let me tell you that some of them have already proven to be very successful. Just check wines of the week published at the prestigious wine website http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/two-thracian-reds for April and you like me will have more hope that Bulgarian wine has a bright commercial future in the UK at least. In the same article another cross of ours Melnik 55 is also sharing the page with the winner for that week. And what about Evmolpia (Mavrud x Merlot cross), Bouquet ( Mavrud x Pinot Noir cross), Ruen (Broad Leaved Melnik Vine x Cabernet Sauvignon cross) and I guess there are many others that I have not listed here. We have our own indigenous library, be it of crosses but carrying enough character and uniqueness to shoot us in the marketing stratosphere. That does not mean that we should forget about Cabernet and Merlot, our trusty workhorses, who have already proved their mustard not so long ago. We need our big wineries to go back to the tasting rooms and work with them to produce wines at the price level that they will win. It does not also mean that we should forget about the notion of Terroir either. For only with that weapon for mass enchantment we can stay in the minds of the discernible UK wine consumers who are much more spoiled for choice than in many other wine markets. And last but not least we should look into all other weapons that we possess in the face of wine-making history, unearthed numerous ancient golden wine related treasures, temperate climate, beautiful land and so hospitable and welcoming people. A famous wine educator and MW that I recently brought to visit one of our wineries was simply stunned. There is no other reason that keeps us from success but ourselves!

Bulgarian Wine Politics,Scores and Trends

A Bulgarian website, Divino striving to become the leading factor in setting all wine trends in Bulgaria, has published its Top 20 list for 2014. A bit confusing whether it is Top 50 or Top 20 but this is not what we are to focus on. There is nothing wrong to try and motivate the wine producers to achieve their maximum potential. Or to try and guide the budding wine connoisseurs in one of the wine cradles of the world-Bulgaria. What bothers me is that their scores seem rather superficial. I, as a wine merchant, rarely am moved by scores, whether given by wine gurus like Robert Parker, Jancis Robinson or in this occasion Divino Tasting Panel. For me what matters most is the customer. He is the King Wine Guru setting the wine trends with his wallet. I guess Divino are trying to do just that, brainwash the Bulgarian wine consumers to blindly follow their recommendations and vote with their wallets. Nothing wrong with that too, Decanter is the same in many respects and I suspect Divino is modeled on it. What is very worrying is that there is no balancing wine force, another Bulgarian wine critic or wine magazine that can bring plurality of opinion and provide safe harbor for all those who might not fully agree with Divino. Bulgaria used to have Bakhus in the past, a supplement to one of the most influential Financial Newspapers, Capital, again mimicking Financial Times. However Bakhus lost its crown a few years ago and failed to regain the momentum. But what had happened, why? Did they loose their integrity, did the people stopped believing them? No! A few years back its chief wine editors and journalists left and set up Divino. And since then they have been trying to eliminate all opposition and cut down all opposing forces or even different opinion on all vinous matters in Bulgaria. Divino knows best! Or does it really? And now we come to the core of the matter. Only one of the wines I export to the most developed and sophisticated wine market in the world, UK, is included in the Top 20 list. My wineries and their wines simply do not cut the mustard! I guess this is because these wines are simply mediocre compared to the cream of the crop in those lists. Tastes differ, you would say. What Bulgaria likes is not necessarily identical with what the UK might appreciate. Really? And where else the members of the Superior Divino Tasting Panel are acquiring their expertise if not sharpening their teeth on world renowned classic wines? I think I will stop here before I receive another merciless attack on my wine knowledge and integrity. To quote an executive officer from a Bulgarian Government run wine industry organization ‘’Who do you think that you are to promote Bulgarian wine and support it with your own funds? You are exceeding your rights! Stop now! ‘’ I won’t be very surprised if I receive the same message now. But before I leave you to make your own minds who this Top50/20 list serves I will remain true to my commercial background. My wines will continue to be judged first and foremost by my customers in the UK among whom I can proudly add for the first time ever in the turbulent Bulgarian wine history merchants like BerryBros. & Rudd and The Wine Society. The latter is the largest wine cooperative set up in 1874 that has a mere 150,000 active members, while the first is the oldest family run wine merchant in the world set up in 1696. They are proud to stock Bulgarian wines that are driven by quality and character rather than scores!