For Bulgarian wine, there are no boundaries

Bulgaria won forty-four medals at the 25th edition of the “World Wine Championship” – Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, which took place from 10 to 14 May 2018 in the Chinese capital Beijing. At the seventh edition of the Balkans International Wine Competition and Festival, 19–20 May (BIWC), our country was awarded 5 double gold medals. Bulgarian wines are successfully entering the Chinese market as well. The month of May proved to be full of events and achievements for Bulgarian wine, which with each passing year secures leading positions in world production. Consistency in quality, traditional grape varieties and climatic conditions define Bulgaria as a sought-after and preferred partner in winemaking.

World-class wines are produced in Bulgaria

For the third consecutive year Bulgaria has won the highest distinction – the Grand Gold Medal at Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, which was held from 10 to 14 May 2018 in Beijing, thus proving that the quality of Bulgarian wines is an inseparable part of their market image. With this distinction our country reaffirmed its first and only place as an Eastern European state ranked among the top 10 medal-winning countries in the competition. The success rate of the participating wineries and samples is reported at 35% (the ratio between submitted samples and medals won).

At the 25th edition of Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, our country was awarded one Grand Gold, 15 gold and 28 silver medals. Thirty of the distinctions are for red wines (68%), ten for rosé (23%) and four for white wine (9%). This year a strong impression was made by the international varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir. Among the award-winners are also the typically Bulgarian varieties Mavrud (3 medals) and Rubin (1 medal). In the price category up to 5.00 euro Bulgaria performed the strongest (15 silver and 9 gold medals). Next are those between 5.00 and 8.50 euro (9 silver and 4 gold). In third place are the wines between 8.50 and 12.50 euro (3 silver, 1 Grand Gold and 2 gold). One silver medal for Bulgaria was awarded in the price category 12.50–20.00 euro.

In addition to the numerous medals, our country was also awarded the prestigious distinction for Benchmark Taster of the competition, which is presented to only five members of the jury of more than 300 people. This year the proud holder of this award became Eng. Stanimir Stoyanov, Chairman of the Union of Enologists in Bulgaria.

Thirty-nine wine-producing countries from six continents were honoured with awards at Concours Mondial 2018.

The next edition of the competition will be held in May 2019 in the town of Aigle, Switzerland.

Balkans International Wine Competition and Festival (BIWC)

Only a few days later, from 19 to 20 May, the seventh edition of the Balkans International Wine Competition and Festival (BIWC) took place at the Grand Hotel Sofia, where 50 Bulgarian wineries and 30 foreign wineries from the Balkan countries participated. Visitors had the opportunity to taste over 500 wines from the region. For the first time, a Double Gold Medal was introduced as an award in the Balkans International Wine Competition. A total of 16 double gold medals were awarded, distributed by country as follows: Bulgaria – 5, Greece – 7, Macedonia – 1, Romania – 1, Serbia – 1, Turkey – 1. The Romanian winery Vladoi won the Grand Trophy with its rosé Anca – Maria Syrah & Cabernet Sauvignon 2017.

The Balkans International Wine Festival was attended by Shaofang Guo from the Chinese company Jointek – the largest Chinese importer and distributor of wines, with which the Bulgarian Association of Wine Exporters signed an agreement in March this year for the export of Bulgarian wine to the People’s Republic of China.

The month of May proved to be full of events and achievements for Bulgarian wine, which with each passing year secures leading positions in world production. Consistency in quality, traditional grape varieties and climatic conditions define Bulgaria as a sought-after and preferred partner in winemaking.

Bulgaria’s medal winners from Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2018:

Grand Gold Medal, awarded to wines that have received an average score of over 91 points on a 100-point scale

Angel's Estate Stallion Classic 2016*

Gold Medal, awarded to wines that have received an average score between 86.6 and 91 points on a 100-point scale

DiVes Muscat 2017

Domaine Boyar Bolgare Vintage Selection Merlot & Mavrud 2016

Domaine Boyar Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Domaine Boyar Quantum Mavrud & Merlot 2016

Korten Cabernet Franc 2016

Edoardo Miroglio Brut Rose 2013

Orbelia Via Aristotelis Merlot 2016

Via Vinera Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah 2016

Stratsin Winery Soulmates Rose 2017

Todoroff Teres Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Todoroff Teres Merlot 2016

Todoroff Boutique Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Vinex Slavyantsi Leva Chardonnay & Dimiat & Muscat 2017

VP Brands Pixels Rose 2017

New Bloom Winery Rose 2017

Silver Medal, awarded to wines that have received an average score between 83.5 and 86.5 points on a 100-point scale

Angel's Estate Young Stallion 2016

Villa Yustina 4 Seasons Autumn 2016

Domaine Boyar Bolgare Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Domaine Boyar Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Domaine Boyar Elements Wind Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Domaine Boyar Elements Fire Red 2016

Spiritus Sanctus Cabernet Franc 2016

Via Vinera Bulgarian Heritage Rubin 2016

Rumelia Merul Reserve Selection 2012

Stratsin Winery Early Birds Rose 2017

Salla Estate Riesling Barrel Aged White 2015

Minkov Borthers Oak Tree 2015

Minkov Brothers CuvÈe 2016

Minkov Brothers Le Photographe Cabernet Franc 2016

Todoroff Validus 2016

Kabile Rose 2017

Villa Yambol Rose 2017

Kabile Syrah 2017

Kabile Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Vinex Slavyantsi Leva Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz Rose 2017

Vinex Slavyantsi Leva Pinot Noir 2017

Vinex Slavyantsi Leva Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot 2016

Svishtov Aureos Rose 2017

Vinzavod Assenovgrad Ornament Mavrud Reserve 2016

New Bloom Winery Dornfelder 2016

New Bloom Winery Regent 2016

F2F Rose 2017

Oriachovitza Winery Gaetan Syrah 2016

*Angel’s Estate Winery is one of the new diamonds of Bulgarian winemaking and is located in close proximity to the Zhrebchevo Dam, Nova Zagora region. It has 1065 decares of new vineyards, which include both red varieties – Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot, and white varieties – Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer and Viognier.

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