Vinprom Karnobat Winery

Located in the fertile Karnobat valley, Vinprom Karnobat creates wines and rakija that have been carrying the fame of Bulgaria all over the world for decades. The agronomists and oenologists of Vinprom Karnobat skilfully combine ancient traditions with the latest achievements of modern viticulture and oenology.

The secret of the high quality Karnobat wines and eaux-de-vie is hidden in the vineyards of the estate, which are grown on the most fertile mountain massifs of the Karnobat region. More than 20,000 hectares of grape varieties that have been grown on Bulgarian soil for centuries - Tamianka, Dimyat, June Blanc, Muscat, Pamid, Rubin and Rkatsiteli, and some of the most famous and pagan grape varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, etc.

From the high quality and carefully tended vineyards, the experienced oenologists created the classic CHATEAU KARNOBAT series of wines and the favorite of the young Bulgarian generation, the Karnobat brandy. For more than two decades the wine and rakija of Vinprom Karnobat have been an indispensable element of the table of Bulgarian connoisseurs, and today these wines and rakija triumph at the most prestigious global competitions in France, Vienna, Brussels and London. It is no coincidence that the most influential woman in the world of wine - British journalist and wine connoisseur Caroline Gilby - has defined the wines and brandies as exciting, rich with distinct varietal differentiation and authentic in the region where they were produced. Wine that will place Bulgaria worthily on the global wine market.

Brandy or rakiya is the most typical Bulgarian drink, but few know that the brandy producers from Carnobat were the first to learn how to distil it properly. The proof that the first rakija houses were built exactly in the lands around today's Carnobat is provided by the chronicles of the Persian scholar and historian Al-Idrisi. He tells how the recipe for the rakija was brought home by Arab traders and travelers in the middle of the 14th century. At that time Carnobat was a famous administrative and commercial center. During the annual trade and craft fair, the city was visited by a group of Arab traders. Driven by the desire to sell their copper kettles, they trained some winegrowers and winemakers from Karnobat to produce grape distillate from the grape that grew abundantly in these places. Later, the Persian merchants wrote in their travel reports about the carefully tended vineyards of Karnobat, which were planted with Muscat, Rkatsiteli, Dimyat, June Blanc, Misket, etc. Over the centuries, these grapes have been established as typical brandy varieties. Seven centuries later, these recipes are still used to make our Rakija. Vinprom Karnobat: Karnobat Grape Brandy, Karnobat Muscat and Karnobat Special Selection.

Dozens of foreign travellers - Germans, Englishmen, French, Poles and Austro-Hungarians, who travelled through Bulgaria between the 15th and 19th centuries, testified to the brisk trade in wine and spirits that was practiced in Karnobat. In their travelogues they described how market days in Karnobat attracted thousands of people from all over the Ottoman Empire to buy the famous rakija from the local wine growers. Even then, the written historical sources mention the rakija from Karnobat, Karnobatskata Rakia, the rakija from Karnobat. These facts are reflected in the folklore and songs of the locals.

In the region of Karnobat, the winegrowing traditions are centuries old and the rakija and wine production are an integral part of the history and lifestyle of the local people. The unique combination of fertile soils and favorable climate and the abundance of high quality grapes make the Karnobat winemakers one of the largest and most experienced producers. The processing of the wine production is proven by the rich historical and archaeological heritage of the region. The excavations of the numerous Thracian hills near today's Karnobat are full of red ceramic statues bearing the image of the wine god Dionysus. Several centuries later, the magnificent medieval fortress "Markeli" was built in these lands. According to the ancient chronicles it was transformed into a true protector of the wines created by the Carnobat masters.

The best wines and brandies of Vinprom Karnobat are created by using unique techniques that combine old wine traditions of the Karnobat region with the latest technological developments, in which the company constantly invests.

The secret of the famous Karnobat brandies - Karnobat Grape Brandy, Karnobat Muscat and Karnobat Special Selection, and the finest brandies Kehlibar and Kehlibar Reserve is the Silver Cross, which Vinprom Karnobat's technologists dip into the cauldron every year directly after cooking. Silver is the perfect natural way to eliminate residues in the most environmentally friendly way and to give purity, rich taste and strong grape aroma to the brandy. In this way the rakija is purified to perfection and becomes part of the holiness of the Christian relic. Karnobat rakija are cooked in unique vessels designed by leading companies especially for Vinprom Karnobat. The design of these vessels is like the authentic cauldrons for fire cooking of our ancestors. These kettles have special silver filters, which provide the clean, mild taste and rich grape aroma of rakija / brandies.

Vinprom Karnobat's wines and brandies are matured in more than 2500 oak barrels from Stara Planina, Strandzha, France and America. The Karnobat brandy, favorite of millions of Bulgarians, matures in the unique grain barrels of the best local coopers. These barrels can be seen only in the cellars of Karnobat Winery. Few people know that grain is the most suitable wood for the aging of brandy from the typical Bulgarian grape varieties Tamianka, Red Muscat, Pamid, Muscat Ottonel and Rkatsiteli, as its wood enriches the distillates with its specific aromas.

The exquisite classic wines CHATEAU KARNOBAT age in French barrels, which are delivered to the wine house of Karnobat from the Bordeaux region. The elegant Chardonnay grape variety matures in American oak barrels. All barrels are renewed annually to ensure the high quality and rich taste and aroma of the wines and brandies.

Vinprom Karnobat is the only Bulgarian producer of wines and rakija, which cultivates most of its own vineyards. The company has almost 20,000 hectares of premium vines. According to the world's leading oenologists, the Karnobat area has the best terroir for planting the typical Bulgarian wine and grape varieties as well as other well-known varieties. The mild climate, the soils rich in minerals and trace elements and the abundant sunshine enrich the grapes with a variety of interesting aromas without analogues in Europe.

The vines are supplied by the world's leading producers of vines, including Mercier, Guillaume, Truant, Cida, Raušedo, etc. In addition to traditional Bulgarian grape varieties such as Muscat, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the best agronomists and oenologists of Vinprom Karnobat also make red and white wines from Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Gewürztraminer, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Ruby and others. The planting of first-class certified transplant material is in harmony with the natural environment of the Karnobat region.

The large investment in the vines is preceded by a precise selection of the areas to be planted. The most fertile lands of Venetsdorf, Lozenets villlage, Devetak, Ognen and Terziysko are selected. Despite their proximity, each massif has its own identity, which contributes to the complexity and attractiveness of the wine. South-facing slopes are selected because they have proven to be the best for growing wine.
Vinprom Karnobat's vineyards are organically grown and the highly qualified agronomists use only natural winemaking techniques. This makes the wine and rakija an excellent choice for all lovers of the natural way of life, purity and quality of these Bulgarian products.