For passionate wine producers, authentic vineyard experiences and of course, some lovely tasting, Bulgaria should be high on your list. It’s a total corker no matter the region, with a similar climate to Northern Italy, Southern France and Northern Spain.

Red tends to dominate across the Bulgarian board but there are bottles upon bottles of new tastes awaiting. The Black Sea compliments the summer temperatures throughout the two official wine growing regions, Danube Plain and Thracian Valley.

Top tip: When tasting, the word ‘reserve’ means 6 to 18 months oak-aging with 6 months bottle-aging.

TOP THREE WINERIES TO VISIT

Winery Messembria

You can’t visit Nessebar without a trip to this winery. You’ll discover a relaxed and warming atmosphere with English-speaking sommeliers. They host free, daily wine-tasting sessions and the service they provide shows in the great feedback they receive. It’s a great spot for exploring local wines on the Black Sea Coast and you can tick off the old town too.

We recommend for a red blend, you should try Bratanov, and if a medium-bodied white is more your thing, then Demyat is a good shout. Here, it's impossible to make pour decisions…

Prisoe Winery

Prisoe Winery is a smaller, boutique winery near the Stone Forest, 15km out of Varna City. It’s worth the travel for the local grape variety Vrachanski Misket, and the personal touch of vine growers Maria and Stephan. These second-generation winemakers live and breathe their sandy vineyard with a combination of old and new Bulgarian barrels for the ultimate balance.

A visit to the Stone Forest should also be in order while you’re visiting the winery as this natural phenomenon is one of the first protected areas in Bulgaria since 1938. The real question is, how did they get there? It’s a great talking point over that bottle you just bought…

DiVes Estate Winery

Give a new generation of Bulgarian winemakers a go with a tour from Sunny Beach. DiVes Winery grow each grape variety in a separate land plot and apply cutting-edge oenological technologies to their processes. They haven't won gold medals, like the gold medal for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot Barrique 2019 Grand Reserve from the Vinaria 2023 wine festival, for nothing!

They have a special selection and a grand reserve series for those that like the finer wines, as well as reds of the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties. You'll also find white, rosé and sweet wines, fit for all taste buds. Sounds great, right? Truly no wine left behind.

TOP THREE WINES TO TRY

Mavrud

Mavrud is a medium-bodied red, teetering more on the bold side, with flavours of crushed cherry and chocolate. It’s like a Malbec but there’s a lot of variable quality so take your time listening to the professionals if you’re new to Bulgarian wine.

Kadarka

Step this way for a light red with a hint of pepper or baking spice. Kadarka features a tart berry flavour with a savoury and herbal profile. Like a pinot noir? Then you’ll probably like this too.

Red Misket

Red Misket is a dry, light white wine also known as Cherven Misket. Imagine an aromatic sensation of mandarin orange, rose water, lime and Thai basil. You might sense a taste of dried fruit lingering afterwards, like pineapple or mango.

TOP THREE WINE-PAIRING FOODS

With Mavrud: your choice of pizza, smoked cheese or delicious moussaka.

With Kadarka: A chicken or pork dish with a kick pairs beautifully with this, but kebabs, rice and chicken tikka masala are also great options.

With Misket: Take a savoury pasta dish, shopska salad or plate of grilled seafood, and transform your meal with this fresh white wine.