site.btaBoutique Winery Pioneers Grape Press Innovation

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 boutique winery Terra Divine has developed innovative grape presses that fully protect the fruit from oxidation, wine technologist Diyan Tochev said on Sunday.

The Haskovo-based winery focuses on preserving the quality and potential of grapes during winemaking.

Tochev noted that the small winery cultivates two hectares of Mavrud vineyards near the village of Trakiets, with main operations based in Haskovo. He earned a doctorate in oenology from a French university, where he also trained at French experimental centres, primarily the Centre for Rose Wine. He is currently a senior assistant at the Department of Biotechnology at the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy in Sofia.

Founded in 2011 as a consultancy specializing in vineyard development in France, the company later transitioned its operations to Bulgaria and launched its own winery in 2021.

Terra Divine focuses on Bulgarian grape varieties. Nearly 40% of its production is organic Mavrud cultivated on the estate. The winery is also working to promote Melnik 55, another organic hybrid grape. Tamyanika and Vratchanski Misket are sourced from local growers. Depending on the vintage, the winery produces about ten types of wine. After grape processing and fermentation, the wines are bottled immediately, without ageing in oak barrels.

Tochev explained that the goal is to demonstrate precise grape handling throughout processing and fermentation. The presses, currently in the prototype phase for a utility model developed in collaboration with Haskovo engineers, utilize an inert atmosphere to protect grape integrity and align with the winery's philosophy. The company is organically certified, producing vegan wines free from allergens and made with minimal intervention in accordance with current regulations. Limited amounts of organic Mavrud are exported to France, while the majority of sales are within the domestic market. Annual production is approximately 10,000 bottles, with a portion sold as bulk wine.

“Our wines are primarily sold through personal networks,” Tochev said. He noted that Bulgaria has no unions, cooperatives, or organizations to assist small wine producers: “Everyone has to manage independently.”

The flagship of the chateau’s portfolio is its organic red Mavrud, awarded a gold medal at Vinaria in Plovdiv. The winery’s red and rose wines have also earned silver medals at respected national and Balkan wine competitions that assess product quality.