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• Bulgaria was the 4th largest wine producer in the 1970s ...

Bulgaria was the 4th largest wine producer in the 1970s ...

 

 

 

Did you know that ...?

Back in the day when Bulgaria was a communist state, wine production was operated exclusively by the state. In the 1970s, Bulgaria became the 4th largest wine producer in the world. Well-known international varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay were mass planted during this era. Most of the wine was exported to the Soviet Union. So, you probably never tasted Bulgarian wine unless you grew up in Russia.

When the communist regime fell (1989), the wine industry collapsed. Land reforms returned the land to the people and wine-production returned to the private sector. However, given the turbulence of the times, there was a stagnation in wine production in the 90s. It’s taken years to rebuild the wine industry and Bulgaria’s wine reputation. The good news is that today many independent winemakers are reintroducing local varieties and championing Bulgaria’s indigenous grapes. The Bulgarian wine scene is shifting. Small family-owned and boutique wineries are emerging and challenging large-scale industrial producers.

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