Bulgarian news portal dir.bg visits Bononia Estate

dir.bg is one of the most successful news portals in Bulgaria. Here, visitors can find out the latest from politics, society and sports, as well as from science, art, culture and show business. There are also interviews, analyses and commentaries. The program also includes trends from the business world. An integral part of this section are reports on innovative and sensational projects from Bulgaria's emerging wine sector. In this context, the Bononia Estate winery in the Danube plain near Vidin was in the spotlight some time ago.

The article is about how a family on the beautiful Danube revives wine traditions. It is important to know that the estate between the villages of Koshava and Gomotartsi was founded in the 19th century by the Hungarian Victor Olinger. At first, however, he built a brewery - one of the first in Bulgaria. Soon, however, he changed his mind and turned the estate into a winery. After 1989, however, the economic dynamics in this region did not develop as quickly as in other parts of Bulgaria. Thus, there was an economic decline and the old winery was increasingly left to decay. At the same time, the production of wine remained a central part of the regional culture and is practiced with passion by many locals. At the beginning of the 21st century, the Yotov family became aware of this, as well as the overwhelming beauty of this corner of the world. In 2010, it was decided that the Yotovs would do their part to restore the local wine industry to its former glory.

It was important for the family to take a holistic approach, including the concept of a closed production cycle. To achieve this, the Yotovs took over not only the estate complex, but also some nearby vineyards in prime Danube locations. From the cultivation of the vines to the bottling of the wines, they wanted on the one hand to keep an eye on the big picture and on the other hand to be able to intervene down to the smallest detail. After all, they wanted to create not just any wine, but the best possible wine from this wonderful terroir. Today, the fragrant, aromatic Bononia wines of exquisite elegance bear witness to the fact that they have succeeded in doing so. When dir.bg introduced the winery, the vineyards of Bononia Estate still extended over only 1,300 decares or 130 hectares. In the meantime, the family has been able to realize its plan and expand the area under cultivation to over 1,500 decares or 150 hectares. This has also made it possible to include other grape varieties.

It is mainly white wine varieties that are found in the Bononia vineyards. These include international vines such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Riesling, as well as Traminer, Muscat and Muscat Ottonel. Among the red vines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Pinot Noir. But the Yotov family's commitment goes even further, as project manager Aglika Yotova tells dir.bg. The location of the Bononia vineyards on the banks of the Danube, including the favorable climatic conditions, create ideal conditions for excellent Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or Traminer wines. However, she sees an important focus of her work in striving for local and regional grape varieties.

One of the Yotov family's recipes for success is to see things in context. Here, they are convinced that Bononia Estate can only become one of the best wineries in Eastern Europe in the long term if this success radiates to the entire Vidin region and also strengthens the international position of Bulgarian wine. Therefore, considerable importance is attached to sustainable management as well as to motivated and comprehensively trained local employees. Furthermore, the Yotovs invest in the Vidin region. This is done, among other things, by supporting the viticulture department of the vocational school for agriculture in nearby Dunavzi.

The winery itself is becoming more and more a pearl of the region. In the meantime, the expansion of the cellar has been completed and an annual capacity of more than 300,000 liters per year has been reached. They are distributed among four and five series of Bononia Estate, respectively. The "Gomotartsi" series alludes to the village of Gomotartsi near the Bononia vineyards. The high-quality, elegant wines of the "Istar" line are named after the historical name of the lower course of the Danube. "Ooh La la" stands for Bononia Estate's Provençal-style rosé wine. From the line aged in oak barrels, Gamza continues to be included. Furthermore, since the dir.bg report, the Fist Vintage series has been added with 2019 top wines.

Adding to the new wine cellar is the restoration of the old 19th-century estate complex into a boutique hotel with restaurant, tasting rooms, and spa and conference space. The hotel is about to open. It is nestled in a picturesque landscaped garden with stunning views and offers opportunities for horseback riding or even boating on the Danube.