site.btaMenada Winery: Scaling Up for Global Markets

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.

Menada Winery & Vineyards, based in the southern Bulgarian region of Stara Zagora, has seen business growth in recent years and has invested in expanding its production capacity. “Today, the winery produces millions of bottles of high-quality Bulgarian wine,” said Tsvetelina Stoyanova, a company manager, in an interview with BTA.

She noted that investing in people is also a key priority in Menada’s development plan, particularly through improvements in the working environment and occupational safety. This focus reflects the wider values of the winery’s French parent company, Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits.

The company operates primarily in the Stara Zagora region, where it cultivates over 300 hectares of vineyards. The wine and spirits production facilities are also based there.

One of Menada’s most visible community-focused initiatives is its annual charity grape harvest, held at the company’s estate in the village of Elhovo, near Stara Zagora. This Saturday marked the ninth edition of the event. This year, the funds raised will benefit two local sports clubs and the emergency medical centre at a nearby hospital.

New wines at Menada Winery & Vineyards are continually developed in tune with both market demand and the rhythms of nature, as the winery believes that good wine takes patience and the right vintage. “We are convinced that the combination of modern technology, professionalism, and respect for nature’s natural rhythm is the key to our sustainable future,” Stoyanova said.

Menada works mainly with grapes from its own vineyards, and much of the fruit used for its wines with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status comes from the Thracian Lowlands.

“We work with both classic international varieties and traditional Bulgarian ones,” she added. Among the winery’s signature labels is Tcherga, possibly the most recognizable brand. It blends classic and local grape varieties, with a long tradition and a wide range of cuvées. “It’s the label that a whole generation associates with the 'Bulgarian taste',” said Stoyanova.

The Menada Series highlights classic varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay – offering accessible wines with high quality and distinctive style. The winery's Barrique Point is tailored for connoisseurs of fuller, more complex wines aged in oak barrels, where varieties such as Cabernet, Merlot, and Rubin reveal a deeper character.

Founded in 1901 as the Loza Cooperative, Menada Winery & Vineyards is one of the oldest wineries in Bulgaria, and today forms part of the French-owned group Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits. Currently, Menada has the capacity to process over 10,000 tonnes of grapes and produce 20 million bottles of wine per year. The company is also the only one in the Balkans licensed to import and distil Scotch whisky — the result of which is their label Glen Stone.