Dimitar ("Mitko") Nikolov, veteran Decanter Wine Magazine judge, selects the best value Bulgarian white wine hidden gems. Grab a glass and join us in tasting these white wine gems.
Thank you to Donka Kosturska and "Mitko" Nikolov at http://www.apollowine.com for making this happen.
The 5 Little Known White Wine Gems
1. Bratanov; Tamianka 2014 -- 18.40 leva
Tamianka is an indigenous grape variety to Bulgaria and this wine I loved. Bratanov's Mavrud was one we tasted back in episode 25 and shows their commitment to showing how these Bulgarian indigenous grape varieties should taste. Elegant and aromatic with a little spice. Yellow plum fruit finishes off this wonderful wine.
2. Novi Pazar; Pinot Grigio, 2013 -- 12.00 leva
This Pinot Grigio from Novi Pazar. New vines. It has some real melon fruit body and a pleasing mineral backbone with some nice floral overtones with acidity. Medium to full bodied wine to be by itself or with food. A bargain.
3. Rossidi; "Unison" Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer, 2014 -- 12.88 leva
From the Nikolaevo vineyard the label promises an interesting marriage "unison" between the two grape varieties chardonnay and Gewürztraminer. It works. This is addictive stuff and a masterful entry to Eduardo's consistently top wines from the Rossidi brand (rossidi.com) of boutique wines.
4. Pixels, Sauvignon Blanc, 2014 -- 10.49 leva
Not to be confused with 2013 version, which is not as good. This 2014 Sauvignon Blanc from Pixels hits a fabulous balance between New and Old World sauvignon blanc. Mineral qualities with a bite of citrus, subtle grassiness and hints of all sorts of sauvignon goodness. A screw cap make this perfect for a picnic. A "fantastic job". A "no brainer" bargain.
5. Burgoyzone, Chardonnay, 2013 -- 14.99 leva
A real surprise for me. Multi award winning Chardonnay from the Danube plain overlooking the river Danube near Oryahovo. It is not overly oaked and has smooth peachy fruit with acidity to cut through any dish. In fact the mineral qualities were good enough to make this an aperitif choice as well a great partner with robust chicken and pork dishes. Subtle oak. Aged in both old and new oak. A BBQ white that I'll be back for more. Gold medal from Concours Mondiale (in Brussels).
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