In 2019, after discussing the prospects of vinifying white varieties, we decided on the Red Misket variety, primarily since the winery where we work is located in the heart of the Rose Valley. This genuine Bulgarian varietal is highly characteristic of the Karlovo region, where we discovered the vineyard with which we operate. The vineyard is over 45 years old, 170 decares in size, and is located on the territory of the village of Prolom in the Karlovo valley. The altitude is around 320 meters. Its proximity to Stara Planina, on the one hand, and Sarnena Sredna Gora, on the other, determines a quite interesting and protected microdistrict from air currents.
The soils are loamy-sandy, and the amount of precipitation is higher than average, which ensures sufficient soil moisture in all seasons of the year. The proximity to the Stryama River ensures slightly lower temperatures in the warmest months (July and August) and the necessary temperature amplitudes in the ripening period for the accumulation of aroma precursors. The Rose Valley, in particular the Karlovo Valley, has quite serious traditions in wine production in Bulgaria, it is no coincidence that the other name of the red musket variety is Karlovski musket. This variety is the most ancient of the misquet family, in which most varieties with misquet in their name are actually crosses between two or more parents, most often international varieties. The Red misket is a late-ripening variety – it ripens in the second half of September and the beginning of October.
The mavrud we work with is from the Asenovgrad region, particularly the village of Novi Izvor. In fact, this is the Plovdiv region’s largest massif of this variety. The entire vineyard, approximately 300 decares, was planted sometime between the late 1970s and early 1980s by various farmers. The vineyard is located in the western Upper Thracian lowland at the foot of the Rhodopes and is considered to be the origin of this variety.
The altitude is around 280 meters, and the soils are deep cinnamon forest – ideal for this authentic Bulgarian variety. The vineyard’s proximity to the northern slopes of the Rhodopes ensures excellent airiness, thanks to the region’s typical fen. This is significant because the grapes have a very thin shell and retaining moisture for an extended period of time causes fungal and other infections. Again, this is a late-ripening variety – it ripens in the first half of October – but it is not cold-resistant. The variety is the foundation of many crosses made in the middle of the twentieth century, so finding a vineyard with the authentic variety is a challenging task. However, the vineyard in the village of Novi Izvor is exactly like that.
It has two branch divisions (branch 1 and branch 2), and almost all old plantations are a mix of these two branches. Branch 1 has a more elegant appearance, matures later, has larger bunches and grapes, and less coloring matter in the skins. Branch 2 is the first to ripen, with smaller grapes, more color, density, and tannins. Acidity levels in both branches are medium to above average. Indeed, the clonal ratio during vinification has a significant impact on the wines, and working with clonal one is more interesting for us.
Another traditional Bulgarian varietal, this one is a cross between two noble parents, Syrah and Nebiolo. The variety’s range is in the region of Plovdiv and around Ivaylovgrad, and the oldest plantations are in these two locations. The vineyard with which we collaborate is located near the village of Brestovitsa in the region of Plovdiv. The terrain is relatively flat, and it is close to the northern Rhodopes.
The vineyard is approximately 17 decares in size and was planted in the early 1980s. The altitude is around 300 meters, and the soils are light brown forest. The area is distinguished by an even distribution of rainfall across the seasons and a relatively mild winter. Rubin is fascinating to work with because it changes its properties significantly in a short period of time. The fruit can go from unripe to overripe in just one week, which is incredibly reflected in the wines. The variety’s clonal division is unknown, but it is known that different styles of wine are produced in the Plovdiv and Ivaylovgrad regions.
Pamid is probably the oldest and most widespread indigenous variety in Bulgaria, with records dating back more than 4000 years. It is very widespread throughout the country, with plantings mainly before 1990. The western Upper Thracian lowlands at the foot of the Rhodope Mountains, and it is this region that is considered the birthplace of this variety. A good relationship with the vigneron from Asenovgrad, with whom we have been working for more than 10 years on Mavrud, led us to the village of Novakovo, where Pamid is also grown.
The vineyard is an old one, planted around the late 1970s, and these 14 acres are part of a large paddock with Pamid on the village land. Navokovo is situated at an altitude of about 470 m at the foot of the Western Rhodopes to the south, and borders the Thracian Lowland to the north. The climate is transient continental with predominantly cinnamon soils. The terrain is very hilly and well ventilated, thanks to its proximity to the slopes of the Rhodope Mountains. This is important as the variety has a very thin skin and is extremely susceptible to disease, especially in the rainy autumn. Pamid is a medium ripening variety – it is harvested around mid-September, but due to the higher altitude here the harvest is around late September or early October. Very challenging to work with due to its great sensitivity to climatic conditions, Pamid is at the same time versatile and diverse in different vinification approaches.
Since the beginning of the project, experiments have been a yearly component and motivation in our work routine. Each of the wines in our project began as an experiment, then grew into a main line, as did our project … We believe in Bulgarian varieties and their potential, vinifying them through different methods can reveal them in a contemporary and fascinating way.In 2022 we deepened our work with Dimyat, experimenting on the idea of sparkling wine enclosed in an atypical, alternative packaging. This is how our latest addition Against the grain Dimyat was born – Sparkling wine from Dimyat, enclosed in 330ml kegs to be accessible anytime, anywhere.
