Wine

Vinprom Rousse was specially established in 1948 for the purpose of making supplies to the USSR and Comecon member states, and even today just 8.9% of its production is consumed domestically. During the Soviet period it produced up to 60 million bottles of wine per year. Core sales markets for Vinprom Rousse are Poland, UK, Russia (around 30% of production) and the Baltic states. Bulgaria is located in the same climatic zone as Spain, France and Italy – the world's major wine-producing regions – and like these countries it is rightly considered to be one of the centres of vine-cultivation. It is not known whether the vine plant was first brought here by humans or naturally, but it has been growing in Bulgaria for 4000 years. Wine has always been seen as a matter of national pride by the Bulgarian people, and the tradition of wine-production has remained strong here even during the most difficult times. Archaeological finds show that wine was being produced on the territory of modern Bulgaria even during the neolithic age (3-6 thousand years BC).

Today the country has several defined major wine regions, grouped according to clear geographical boundaries.

Northern wine region

Grapes grown on the Danubian Plain in the region of Northern Bulgaria are mainly used to produce red wines. Around 25% of red grape varieties can be found in this region: Gamza (100%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), Pamid (10%) and Merlot (10%). Local speciality strains of this region include such varieties as Gamza and Vrachanski Misket.

Eastern wine region

53% of white grape varieties are grown in this region, including Dimjat, Riesling, Ugni Blanc and Muscat Ottonel. The Red Misket strain, characteristic of this area, is also grown in the region.

Southern wine region

60% of white grape varieties can be found in this region.

South-eastern wine region

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiroka Melchina grape varieties are grown in this region.