site.btaFirst Spring Amidst the Vineyards Wine Fest Concludes

The Bulgarian Association of Wine Professionals (BAWP) organized the first in a series of festivals titled Spring Amidst the Vineyards - Wine Fest South Sakar 4x4 here Saturday. Visitors enjoyed the vistas of the Sakar Mountain while sipping local wines.

Although the Sakar and the Eastern Rhodopes region is relatively small, occupying only a third of the Upper Thracian Plain, the local wine industry is very fragmented, with plenty of small and medium-sized wineries.

Wine connoisseurs in Sakar can enjoy the local drinks which include Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains (aka Tamyanka) from Shishmanovo, Merlot from Kolarovo, and Syrah from Izvorovo.

The three white wine grape varieties most representative of the region are Chardonnay, Viognier and Tamyanka. The red wine grape varieties are Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. The Arda River flowing through the region, the mountainous terrain, the Continental-Mediterranean climate, and the soil having excellent drainage are all factors that contribute to the superb local grapes, the BAWP said.

The fest organizers admited that until recently visitors may have struggled while trying to find accommodation here, however this is no longer a problem thanks to the tourist complex, a combination of a hotel and a winery, by the village of Glavan. Guests there have easy access to tourist sites such as the Church of the Assumption in Uzundzhovo, the 11th-century Mezek Fortress, and the Museum of Thracian Art.