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Privacy policyBulgaria has been making wine for a very long time. The country’s wine traditions reach back to the Thracians, and local grapes such as Mavrud and Broad-Leaved Melnik Vine give Bulgarian wine an identity of its own. Champagne is a different story, but you’ll find it alongside local wines in restaurants, wine bars and hotels, particularly in the larger cities.
If you’re looking for Champagne in Bulgaria, Sofia is a natural place to start, but the country’s wine story goes well beyond the capital. Plovdiv and the surrounding Thracian Valley are particularly interesting for wine lovers, while southwestern Bulgaria around Melnik and the Struma Valley is home to some of the country’s most distinctive local wines.
That makes Bulgaria an interesting place to put Champagne next to something local. You might come for a glass of Champagne, but if you have room for another bottle, look for Bulgarian varieties such as Mavrud or Broad-Leaved Melnik Vine.
Mavrud is one of Bulgaria’s best-known indigenous grape varieties and has been grown in the country for centuries. It is particularly associated with the Thracian Valley, including the area around Plovdiv. The Struma River Valley in the southwest is another important wine region, known for Broad-Leaved Melnik Vine and wines with a warmer, fuller character.
If you’re travelling through the southwest, Melnik is worth knowing about. It is Bulgaria’s smallest town and sits in a wine-producing area surrounded by the Pirin Mountains. Local tourism information specifically highlights the traditional Melnik grape and the region’s wineries.
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Bansko, Bulgaria
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Yes. Wine has deep roots in Bulgaria, with traditions going back to ancient Thracian times. Today, the country has several wine regions and a number of indigenous grape varieties that are closely tied to its wine identity.
Mavrud is one of the best-known Bulgarian grapes and a good starting point if you want to try something distinctly local. In southwestern Bulgaria, look for wines made from Broad-Leaved Melnik Vine, another indigenous variety associated with the Struma Valley and the Melnik area.
Mavrud is an indigenous Bulgarian grape variety with a long history in the country. It is particularly associated with the Thracian Valley and is one of the varieties worth seeking out if you want to explore Bulgarian wine beyond the international grapes found everywhere.
Bulgaria is particularly interesting for its indigenous grape varieties and distinct wine regions. Mavrud is associated with the Thracian Valley, while Broad-Leaved Melnik Vine is strongly connected with the Struma River Valley in the southwest.
For wine-focused travel, the Thracian Valley and Struma Valley are two particularly interesting areas to explore. Plovdiv is a useful base for discovering wines from the Thracian Valley, while Melnik gives you a chance to explore one of Bulgaria’s most distinctive wine areas.
Look for Mavrud or Broad-Leaved Melnik Vine. Both are local varieties that tell you much more about Bulgarian wine than simply ordering another international grape variety. If you’re travelling through the country, trying one alongside Champagne makes for a nice comparison between Bulgaria’s own wine traditions and the classic French style.
