Bulgaria Flashcards
Bulgaria: Wines of origin
Declared Geographic Origin wines from Bulgaria - their PDO.
Bulgaria: Controliran
Controliran
-
Superior controlled appellation of origin within a DGO
- Defines Max Yields and RS for each region
- Can only be produced w/ authorized grape varieties (per region)
- 52 zones in total for Controliran and DGO wines
Bulgaria: ‘Reserve’ labeling
1 year of aging
Bulgaria: ‘Special Selection’ labeling
2 years of aging
Bulgaria: ‘barik’ labeling
Quality wines aged in oak casks of 500L or less
5 larger regions of wine production in Bulgaria
Which are recognized by the EU?
- *Danubian Plain (N)
- *Thracian Lowlands (S)
- Black Sea Region (E)
- Struma River Valley (W)
- Rose Valley (Central)
*Danubian Plain, Thracian Lowlands - recognized by the EU as Geographical Indications
Suhindol and Svichtov
Top wine producing villages in the Danubian Plain
Sungulare
Top wine producing village in Rose Valley
Harsovo
Top wine producing village in Struma River Valley
Khan Krum
Top wine producing village in Black Sea Region
Red Grapes of Bulgaria
Red grapes account for more than 1/2 of Bulgaria’s acreage
- International:
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
- Most widely grown:
- Gamza (Kadarka), Mavrud - deep colored
- Melnik - tannic, exclusive to Struma River Valley, in DGO of same name
- Pamid - thin-skinned, one of 1st varietals to be harvested
- Rubin - crossing of Nebbiolo x Syrah
Gamza
- Bulgarian name for Kadarka
- Widely grown native varietal as with Mavrud
Melnik
Tannic red varietal exclusuly cultivated in the Struma River Valley, particularly in the DGO of the same name
Rubin
Crossing of Nebbiolo x Syrah
Pamid
- Thin-skinned red varietal
- One of first to be harvested
- Produces fresh wines suitable for youthful consumption
Red Misket
Red Misket
- Aromatic white grape, unrelated to Muscat
- Speciality of Sungulare in Bulgaria
Most planted white grapes in Bulgaria
- Rkatsiteli
- Dimiat
Bulgaria: What are DGO wines?
Declared Geographic Origin wines from Bulgaria - their PDO.
Bulgaria: What is Controliran?
Controliran is a superior controlled appellation of origin within a DGO, and can only be produced with authorized grape varieties (per region).
What does Reserve indicate in Bulgaria?
One year of aging
What does Special Selection indicate in Bulgaria?
Two years of aging
What does barik indicate in Bulgaria?
Quality wines aged in oak casks of 500L or less.
What are the five larger regions of wine production in Bulgaria? Which are recognized by the EU?
Danubian Plain (North) Thracian Lowlands (South) Black Sea Region (East) Struma River Valley (West) Rose Valley (Central)
Danubian Plain and Thracian Lowlands are recognized by the EU as Geographical Indications.
Where are Suhindol and Svichtov?
The Danubian Plain (Bulgaria)
Where is Sungulare?
Rose Valley
Where is Harsovo?
Struma River Valley (Bulgaria)
Where is Khan Krum?
Black Sea Region (Bulgaria)
Bulgaria: What is Gamza?
Kadarka
Where is Melnik cultivated?
The Struma River Valley in Bulgaria (exclusively).
What is Red Misket?
An aromatic white grape, unrelated to Muscat; a speciality of Sungulare in Bulgaria.
What are the most planted white grapes in Bulgaria?
Rkatsiteli and Dimiat
Rubin (native grape) is a hybrid of what grapes?
Nebbiolo x Syrah
Quality wines may be labelled “barik” if ____
the fermentation ocurred in oak casks of 500L or less in volume
Where is Suhnindol Valley?
Danubian Plain
Synonym for Kadarka?
Gamza
What two Bulgarian regions does the EU recognize as GI designations?
Danubian Plain
Thracian Lowlands
Noteworthy Controliran appellations in Bulgaria:
Suhindole, Svichtov (Danubian Plain)
Sungulare (Valley of the Roses)
Harsovo (Strum River Valley)
Khan Krum (Black Sea Region)
Wine-producing villages of Valley of the Roses?
Karlovo
Silven
Sungulare
Where is the Thracian Lowlands geographically located?
Southern Zone, bordering Turkey