Ep 172 - Bulgaria

Court of Wine

This week we are talking about Bulgaria a country in Southeast Europe.

Wine Recommendations - Big thank you to Grapes & Barley Imports for providing the wines for this episode. All but one of these wines are from the Thracian Valley.

Bulgariana Rose 2017 - priced around $13.

• This rose wine is made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes
• Aromas of strawberries, raspberries, watermelon and minerality
• Its dry with medium acidity with flavors similar to aromas - lots of berry flavors
• Light in aromas and flavors but everything I want in a rose - fruity, crisp, really refreshing

Rough Day Chardonnay 2016 - priced around $9.

• This is an unoaked style of Chardonnay
• Aromas of tropical fruits like melon and apricots as well as some lemon aromas
• It’s dry with a light to medium body, medium plus acidity with flavors similar to aromas - mostly tropical fruits
• This wine is a light crisp unoaked chardonnay that perfect for summer

Bulgariana Pinot Noir 2014 - priced $15.

• The grapes for this wine come from a subregion of the Danube Plain in North-east Bulgaria
• Aromas of cherry flavored cigars, salmai, and coffee
• Its dry with medium body, medium plus acidity, light tannins with flavors of cherries, tobacco, coffee and dirt
• This pinot is a more fuller body style and less fruit than Pinots from other places. Not your delicate Pinot Noir like Burgundy or Willamette Valley - this Pinot has some teeth

Bulgariana Gamza 2016 - priced around $12.

• Made from the Gamza grape - which is a dark skinned variety used to make red wine found in Central Europe and the Balkan area. It’s also known as Kadarka
• Aromas of dusty earth, spice with a hint of black cherries and black plum
• It’s dry with medium acidity and tannins, full body and flavors similar to aromas - dark fruits, spices and dusty earth
• Very deep full wine that is not very fruity but a great texture to the wine with smooth tannins

Rough Day Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 - priced around $10.

• Aromas of black cherries, blueberries, dusty earth and spice
• This wine is dry with medium acidity and tannins, full body and flavors of earth and dark fruits
• This wine is all about the fruit - its very juicy, really approachable wine with smooth, satin like tannins

Winemaker’s Selection Un Double Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah 2012

• This is a part of Walmart’s private label program
• 50% of each Cab Sav and Syrah
• Aromas of dark fruits like black cherries and black plum as well as pepper
• It’s a dry, full bodied wine with medium acidity and tannins with flavors similar to aromas - dark fruits and spice
• This wine is very juicy, ripe, lush wine that is big and bold
• We pair this wine with an aged cheese and it really shined with some fatty food

Check out the website for Grapes & Barley Imports to learn more about where you can purchase these wines.

Sources

• Wine Folly
• Bulgian Wine
• Wikipedia
• Book: The World Atlas of Wine