site.btaOld School Wine: A Boutique Winery Blending Tradition, Craftsmanship and Innovation in Yalovo

BTA will present dozens of Bulgarian wineries in the New BG WINE Leads the Way series ahead of the 9th UN Global Conference on Wine Tourism, which will be hosted in Plovdiv. The forum is organized by the Ministry of Tourism in partnership with the UN World Tourism Organization.

The small boutique winery Old School Wine, located in the village of Yalovo, Northern Bulgaria, is dedicated to traditional wine-making methods native to the Veliko Tarnovo region and prides itself on artisanal, handcrafted production. The winery opened officially in 2018 in the building of the village's old school, though the project began developing several years earlier. Local grape varieties were cultivated, producing wines that capture the region's character and spirit.

The focus is primarily on traditional Bulgarian grape varieties: Gamza, Pamid and Dimyat. The winery's portfolio features a diverse range of wines, produced in small, limited batches, most of which are artisanal handcrafted. Many have earned national and international awards.

The winery released three new premium white wines made from grapes grown in its own vineyards and fermented in oak barrels, Dimitar Dimov, co-owner, CEO and chief technologist, told the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). A French graduate, Dimov was awarded Oenologist of the Year in 2022 by the Union of Bulgarian Oenologists. The new wines come from the 2023 harvest and are made from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Dimyat grapes.

Dimov shared a fascinating story about a vine at the nearby Kilifarevo Monastery. A DNA analysis revealed that the vine is of the Shevka variety, an ancient Bulgarian grape. Legend has it that it was planted by master builder Kolyu Ficheto during the construction of the church at the monastery. Shevka is not native to the Veliko Tarnovo region but originates from the Sliven region in Southeastern Bulgaria. Inspired by this discovery, the team decided to plant vines from the monastery into their own vineyards.

The winery also makes wine from the Bulgarian Rubin variety, developed in the 20th century by crossing French Syrah with Italian Nebbiolo. Rubin wines have been among the winery's most successful products on the market and have received numerous awards at competitions. In 2018, their 2016 Rubin Reserve earned a place in the Wine Museum in France for its excellence.

The winery also crafts sparkling wines, with aged, high-end sparkling wines set to be released soon. Their most popular sparkling product is a young, fresh, and light Pet-Nat, perfect for everyday enjoyment.

An over 200-year-old recipe from the town of Kalofer is used to make the cellar's Applied Wormwood (Nalozhen Pelin) wine. This traditional wine has consistently won awards at various Balkan competitions and expos. It is one of the winery's best-selling products.

From the very beginning, Old School Wine has promoted wine tourism, offering visitors the full experience. The winery attracts between 2,000 and 3,000 visitors annually, according to Dimov. Guests can taste the wines, learn about the production process, and enjoy the cozy atmosphere. Interest is strong from both local and international visitors. "We are part of the tourism scene in Veliko Tarnovo," Dimov said, "and people who go there come to us as well." There are Bulgarian, Romanian, British, Spanish, French and German visitors, and even guests from Japan, Brazil and the US. Notable personalities have also visited. Most tourists visit independently, though the winery also collaborates with several tour operators.

No EU funding has been used in the establishment or development of the winery. All investments have been made by the partners. "We want to avoid the constraints imposed by funding programmes and follow our own vision and experience," Dimov said. Being small and without modern industrial equipment, the winery relies on traditional techniques, such as organic vineyard management aimed at enhancing biodiversity.

One method involves the planting of grass between vineyard rows to improve soil structure and stimulate the microbiome, resulting in higher-quality grapes. This helps retain moisture, especially important in recent drier seasons. The cellar also uses bioprotection, adding microorganisms that protect the wine naturally. This reduces the need for sulfites and other preservatives, using live, selected yeasts instead, a modern approach for producing higher-end wines.

The winery is working on a joint project with the University of Food Technologies in Plovdiv, aiming to produce wine from their own grapes using selected local yeasts. The wines are aged in high-quality French oak barrels, which reveal distinctive aroma and taste.

The interior design, concept, paintings and bottle labels of Old School Wine were created by local artist Damyan Bumbalov, adding to the unique artistic character of this boutique winery.