site.btaAfuzov Winery: Aiming for Wine with Zero Carbon Footprint

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 grape harvest is a period of intense work and challenges to the industry," Afuzov Winery Owner Mincho Afuzov told BTA. He stressed that this season is a time when nobody sleeps and everyone works more than they should, with problems arising constantly.

The winemaker pointed out that 2025 is a very confusing year, as prices first soar due to the shortage of inputs but then plummet unless the grapes are sold promptly. Muscat, for example, degrades in just two weeks, he emphasized, adding that now this variety sell at under BGN 1 per kilo because it doesn't last and most often it is simply dumped. "For us, there are no bad grapes, as long as someone has worked hard to get them," Afuzov noted.

Afuzov Winery implemented two large-scale projects in previous years, the winery owner pointed out, adding that the target is to produce wine with a zero carbon footprint. In addition, his company purchased a vineyard equally divided between red and white grape varieties. "If someone had ever told me that we would buy vineyards, I would have laughed", he recalled, noting that it can be done only under certain conditions. "I plan to set up a winegrowers' cooperative, through which all production will be sold care of our winery. The capacity has trebled since the opening 12 years ago, which requires more inputs", Afuzov emphasized.

He stated that his winery focuses on the domestic market, as well as on neighboring countries like Romania and Greece, and noted that he has no favourite grape variety: "I like them all. It's like a designer wanting to make only pink jackets," he commented.

The winery takes pride in Cor Caroli and in quality tap wines for up-market restaurants. However, the best-sellers are the fruit wines. "The market in Bulgaria is a tap wine market. This is not terrible, it's just the way it is," Afuzov noted, adding that his winery's product range exceeds 100.

Afuzov is skeptical about participating in competitions, stressing that the market is the real assessment. "When you serve some wines on the table for a blind tasting, there is a huge discrepancy between the opinions of consumers and experts." Therefore, his advice is for professionals to dull their ego a little and adapt to the market. "The market is much more intelligent than the individual subject," he concluded.