The Terroir Wine from Topolnitsa Won a Double Gold Medal at the Balkan International Wine Competition

Villa Yambol was among the best wineries in the region

The terroir of wine from Topolnitsa made by Villa Yambol won a double gold medal at the Balkan International Wine Competition which took place in Sofia in May. It was attended by winemakers from all over the Balkans, Central and Eastern Europe, the Black Sea Region and a few wineries from other regions. The Competition’s jury featured world-renowned wine experts, Master of wine and Master of the sommelier, writers from specialized wine publications, international wine competition tasters and merchants.

The wine from the Topolitsa micro-region by Villa Yambol is a single-variety 2016 Syrah aged for 18 months in French oak barrels produced in a limited series of 6 000 bottles. The winner is part of a series of terroir wines the winemaker plans to launch on the market this autumn. Terroir is a key feature of premium wines. It is a specific combination of soil and climate which defines the taste and ripening of the grapes in a particular area, micro-region or a given plot of land. The orientation and slope of the vineyard also make a difference. It has been established that in premium wines terroir specifics dominate over the specific features of the variety. Along with its prize-winning wine, at the Balkan International Wine Competition, Villa Yambol also presented specialist wines from the micro-regions of Bolyarovo and Tenevo. The wine from Bolyarovo was the only Bulgarian wine awarded a gold medal at Vinalies Internationales.

A total of 16 wines won double gold medals at the competition. Seven of these double gold medals were won by Greek winemakers and 5 were awarded to Bulgarian wineries. Villa Yambol also won a bronze medal for its Kabile Syrah Reserve which, too, will be launched this autumn.