Winery Stambolovo

The Stambolovo winery, which is connected with the former HASKOVO winery, is the direct successor of the historical and traditional Patkovi winery, which was founded in 1932. At present the winery is one of the most important factors of the Bulgarian wine industry. The annual production capacity of wines and brandies exceeds 3 million liters. A significant part of the total wine production is exported to more than a dozen countries worldwide.

Stambolovo Winery is located in the south of Bulgaria and belongs to the Thracian Plain wine region. The winery specializes in the production of high quality wines and brandies from white and red grape varieties. The wine assortment includes a wide range of wines - from table wines to varietal and blend wines, reserve wines and special wines. A great speciality of the Stambolovo Winery are the high quality Merlot AOC wines from the Stambolovo and Sakar regions with vintages from 1986 until today. These wines are internationally famous and are considered worldwide to be the most typical and valuable Merlot wines available in this region of Bulgaria.

Stambolovo is a part of the southern wine road of Bulgaria. Over the past decades, the Stambolovo Winery has developed, promoted and maintained wine tasting programs, and thus keeps up with the times.

Stambolovo Wine Cellar, as well as its vineyards and winery, are located in Southern Bulgaria, close to the borders of Greece and Turkey. The region is of geographical importance. The shortest road from Europe to Asia and Asia Minor passes through these countries. This was probably the route by which the first vines were brought to the territory of Bulgaria. This fact should determine the region with great certainty as one of the first wine-growing centers in Europe.

With a historical background and almost 80 years in business, the Stambolovo Winery is today one of the leading wine producers in Bulgaria. Due to the favorable climatic and terroir characteristics of the region and the proven quality and tradition, today the STAMBOLOVO brand name is considered by most wine experts as the winery with the best, highest quality and most typical Merlot wines in Bulgaria.

The city of Haskovo, founded more than 7000 years ago, is one of the oldest settlements in Europe. The favorable geographical position and mild climate have attracted various Thracian and Slavic tribes since ancient times, who settled in these areas. Wine growing and wine drinking gradually became two pillars of the traditional culture of Thrace, and the wines of the Thracian tribes soon became famous throughout the ancient world. Remains of these times are the so-called Sharapani-Thracian wine-growing complexes in the form of stone reservoirs connected by channels carved into the rock.

Stambolovo Winery, in connection with the former Haskovo Winery, is a successor of the Patokovi Winemaking Company, which was founded in 1932. In 1947 it was nationalized and became part of the newly established State Spirit Monopoly. The winery was converted back into private property in 1997. Since that time, the efforts of the new management have been focused on preserving and enriching the winemaking tradition and the reputation of the STAMBOLOVO brand name, from its high quality Bulgarian red wines and especially from the emblematic Merlot wines of Stambolovo.

In their long history of almost 80 years of viticulture, Stambolovo and Haskovo Winery have won many prestigious awards, medals and diplomas at international wine fairs and competitions in Great Britain, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Turkey, Hungary, USA, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. All of them are true acknowledgements of the premium quality of the wines and the skill and professionalism of generations of oenologists and winemakers. The company is the triple winner of the highest professional award for wine production in Bulgaria - the Golden Rhyton.

The turbulences and historical turns of this almost 80 years lasting wine production at Stambolovo and Haskovo Winery have largely undermined the memories and traces of a considerable number of these old awards. The complete list of the others, which are kept in the archives, can be viewed at Stambolovo Winery.

Stambolovo Winery specializes in the production of high quality wines and brandies with genuine Bulgarian character, which have the characteristics of the unique climate of the Thracian Valley and the noble terroir qualities typical for the regions of Stambolovo, Sakar and Haskovo.

As a wine cellar with almost 80 years of winemaking tradition, Stambolovo is proud of the thousands of wines created over all these years by generations of cellar masters. For its wines, Stambolovo uses some typical and emblematic Bulgarian grape varieties such as Mavrud, Tamianka and Dimiat, most of the traditional grapes from the Old World, as well as the newcomer to Bulgaria from the New World - the Syrah grape. For decades, Stambolovo has been cultivating and developing the centuries-old traditions of the region for the production of high quality wines, while at the same time striving to renew and enrich the classical techniques of winemaking with the achievements of modern technology.

It is quite an undeniable fact that the brand name MERLOT FROM STAMBOLOVO corresponds in Bulgaria and abroad to Bulgarian Merlot wines of the highest possible quality and class.

The main objective in wine production is to preserve and develop the centuries-old viticultural and wine-making traditions of the region by offering a wide range of high-quality red wines. The Stambolovo Winery creates excellent and exquisite Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon wines, typical of the Stambolovo terroir. Stambolovo enriches its viticultural know-how by producing excellent white wines from classic grape varieties, and strives to preserve valuable autochthonous grape varieties such as Tamianka and to produce charming and dignified wines from them.

The total capacity of the Stambolovo winery is 4 million liters. In recent years they have been able to process an average of 3 million kilograms of grapes annually from varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Muscat, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Tamianka, Mavrud, Pamid and Dimiat.

The winery is convinced that their own yield of high-quality grapes is the key to producing good wines. Therefore, Stambolovo manages about 40 hectares of vineyards in the regions of Stambolovo, Sakar and Haskovo, where the climatic and soil conditions are ideal for growing red grape varieties. In recent years they have made great efforts to renovate their vines and they use the most modern viticulture methods and modern equipment to care for their vineyards.

The main grape varieties that Stambolovo cultivates are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the classic red wines that perfectly match the climatic and regional characteristics of the region, as well as some Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat. The Stambolovo winery also breeds some native varieties specific to Bulgaria, such as Mavrud, Pamid and Dimiat. In the implementation of a special company program for the development of viticulture, Stambolovo is planting new vineyards, and is also taking steps to renovate and propagate its Tamyanka - the autochthonous grape variety of the region.

The climate of the region is temperate, with a slight Mediterranean influence, perfect average rainfall, warm summers and the highest number of sunny days compared to the rest of Bulgaria. The sandy-clayey soil and the reliefs of the terrain provide the perfect environment for the cultivation of various grape varieties and for the production of exquisite wines.

It is understandable that the mixture of these favorable climatic and terroir conditions, the technological competence of the oenologists and the centuries-old wine-growing tradition of the region results in the best classic red wines from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from the regions of Stambolovo, Sakar and Haskovo. These wines are aged in small barrique barrels to achieve high color density, a noble bouquet and a mild, harmonious taste. The noble red wines are a real pleasure for demanding connoisseurs.

Unique for Bulgaria, and at the top of their limited selection of ootheques, are the old Merlot wines from old vintages with guaranteed and controlled denomination of origin from the regions of Stambolovo and Sakar. They are the figurehead and symbol of Stambolovo Winery in Bulgaria and worldwide.

How do you taste wine and how do you learn to understand wine? Noble wines are generous and their tasting and evaluation can become an emotional experience for all senses. In general, wine tasting means the evaluation of a wine, which is formed by impressions based on the appearance, aroma and taste of the wine.

Let the wines breathe and taste at the right temperature. Dry white wines must be tasted at 8-12 degrees. Dry white aromatic wines - at 12 degrees. The more aromatic the white wine is, the higher its taste temperature must be. Sparkling wines should be tasted at 5-8 degrees, where 6 degrees can be considered optimal. Red wines are usually tasted at room temperature, but the more precise definition is 16-18 degrees.

Open the bottle 2 hours in advance - the wine should take some air. This does not apply to sparkling wines.

The tasting should usually start with the youngest wine and move towards the one with the oldest vintage. In terms of sweetness, the tasting starts with dry, non-aromatic wines and moves towards sweet aromatic wines. If these two criteria contradict each other, the vintage factor prevails.

Always smell the cork. The cork can sometimes be defective and the wine therefore spoiled or compromised - the smell of the cork will show this. Just have the bottle replaced and you will be able to judge the wine fairly.

The wine color

Try to define its purity and density. Wines are expected to be transparent and have an intense color. The hue of the color is directly related to the grape variety. It is the result of the contact between grape juice and grape skins during the technological process. The quality of the grapes and the methods used for processing can be judged by the color of the wine. White wines such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc can be pale green, gray, straw yellow, gold and even brownish. Some sweeter whites such as Muscat usually show deeper shades of yellow. Red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Gamza can be purple or ruby red, brownish red or brick red. With aging, the color intensity of red wines would gradually fade and the color would become brick brown.

The wine aroma

Smell it! Our sense of taste depends largely on our ability to smell. Turn the glass so that the wine can develop its bouquet and aromas. The term bouquet refers to smells resulting from technological methods, while aromas are the smells associated with the grape variety. By swirling the wine, more aromas are added to the glass. Now take a smell and try to connect the aromas. Herbs? Fresh grass? Tobacco? Leather? Strawberries? Blackberries? For example, a Chardonnay can show a wide range of aromas - pineapple, tropical fruits or minerals. A typical Cabernet Sauvignon is expected to show aromas of red and black forest fruits, especially blackberries. In terms of wine character, Merlot wines are softer than the king of red wines is seen and Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of plums and ripe fruit. Of course, these are not all the flavors you can recognize in a wine. Depending on the terroir and vinification, a bouquet of aromas emerges. Trying to find and define them makes wine tasting an amusing experience and could prove to be a valuable means of memorizing and discussing the different wines.

The taste of wine

Take a sip! In wine tasting, our sense of smell is used to determine the taste and to form first impressions, while tasting the wine is necessary to judge the structure of the wine. In fact, these two phases are linked. Do a simple test - block your nose and taste the wine. You would hardly feel any taste. To evaluate the taste, take a sip and hold it in your mouth. The different parts of the tongue register the different basic tastes - sweet at the tip, sour on the upper edges, bitter on the back, dry tannins on the inside of the cheeks and high alcohol content creates the feeling of sharpness in the upper part of the throat. Let the wine flow around your tongue and perceive the structure or feeling that fills your mouth. Balanced wines show harmony between different components: taste, acidity, tannins, fruit and sweetness. Moderate acidity provides a pleasant but not predominant spiciness. Balanced tannins also provide fine accents - this is one of the reasons why red wines go well with fatty foods. The tannins in red wines cleanse the feeling of fat in the mouth after every bite and prepare the taste buds to enjoy the next one. In the end, think about what taste your mouth has after swallowing and how long it lingers. This is the conclusion of the wine. Pure and fresh, but long lasting and balanced, is the result and sign of a good wine.


The wine tasting

Turn the glass a few times, put it under your nose and take a deep sip. If the impressions appear partial, do not repeat immediately, because the sense of smell tires or adapts quickly. The best way is to put the glass away after the first sniff and, if necessary, smell again for 20-30 seconds. The aromas of the wine reflect its style and grape variety. If you notice foreign smells such as mold, vinegar, etc., they must be noted. After this phase, the aromas must be confirmed in the taste. This is a phase that should not be underestimated, as some wines can be overrated due to their strong aromas. Swirling wine in the glass and sniffing are only the beginning of the taste analysis. The critical moment is when you take the wine into your mouth, roll it with your tongue and then spit it out. The smell comes from inhaling and the critical evaluation - from exhaling through the nose. Therefore, it is best to release the air through the nose after swallowing. Last but not least we have the impression we get from the taste of the empty glass. Smelling and inhaling are two different aspects. When we breathe normally, only small amounts of air reach the area of the olfactory receptors. Therefore a fast, deep and powerful inhalation is necessary. The best case is that the sniff actually directs the aromas to your olfactory receptors so that they can be registered. This requires serious concentration and even closing your eyes could help. You should not hold the glass too close to your nose or look at it. If your sense of smell becomes dull, let it rest by smelling a glass of pure water.

Be concentrated. A large part of the signals your senses send to your brain for processing depends on the filtering and selection of stimuli and information. If you are not focused, a significant portion of this information is wasted. After you have absorbed the smell, you should take some time to think about it until you can gather your first impressions. As you gain more experience, you will realize over time that often just a sniff should be enough to judge the wine.

The wine tasting wheel

The Wine Tasting Wheel is a helpful tool to learn more about wines and to better describe the complexity of wine aromas. The wheel comes in many different forms, but with many common descriptors. The following are some important classifications used in the different tasting wheels.

Fruity
Citrus fruit - grapefruit, lemon
Berry - blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, black currant
tree fruit - cherry, apricot, peach, apple
Tropical fruit - pineapple, melon, banana
dried fruit - strawberry jam, raisin, plum, fig

Herbaceous
fresh - cut green grass, paprika, eucalyptus, mint
Tin - green beans, asparagus, green olive, black olive, artichoke
Dried - hay, straw, tea, tobacco

Chemical
Sharp - sulfur dioxide, ethanol, acetic acid, ethyl acetate
sulfur - wet dog, burnt match, cabbage, skunk, garlic, rubbery
petroleum - diesel, kerosene, plastic, tar oil

Woody
Burnt - Smokey, burnt toast, coffee
Phenolic - Drugs, Phenol, Bacon
resinous - oak, cedar, vanilla

Microbiological
Yeast - Leesy, baker's yeast
Lactic acid - yogurt, sweaty, sauerkraut

Earthy
Moldy - moldy, moldy cork
Earthy - Mushroom, Dusty

Sharp
Cool - Menthol
Hot - alcohol

Caramel
Caramel - honey, butterscotch, butter, soy sauce, chocolate, molasses

Flowers
Floral - Germanium, Violet, Rose, Orange blossom

Spicy
Spicy - liquorice, aniseed, black pepper, cloves

Nutty
Nutty - walnut, hazelnut, almond

Oxidized
Oxidized - Sherry