First Plovdiv wine route map published
Eight wineries in Plovdiv and the region, two institutions and Plovdiv municipality have created the first wine route map.
The map had an initial print run of 30 000 copies and has been distributed at key tourist information centres, hotels and restaurants.
The project was carried at a time in which Plovdiv is preparing to host two significant wine industry events. In late October, 250 wine journalists from around the world will be in the region for several days of visits to wineries and wine tastings.
Plovdiv has been chosen to host prestigious international wine competition the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles in 2016, from April 29 to May 1.
The competition brings together about 300 world-renowned sommeliers, with more than 8000 of different kinds of wine from 58 countries represented at the event, which was founded in 2004.
Those involved in the wine route map project are the Bessa Valley, Dragomir, Bendida, Brestovitsa, Villa Yustina, Todorov and Starata Izba Parvenetz wineries, the Vino Kultura and Enoteca Bendida.
Plovdiv deputy mayor Stefan Stoyanov told a news conference that all interested were invited to participate in the further development of the project.
Representatives of Villa Yustina told the news conference that they were grateful to the municipality for responding to the call to promote the wine region. “We have great cellars that can combine the exceptional quality of their wines with the idea of wine tourism. We hope our public-private partnership is a good example for the whole country, and that soon other wine regions will also have such maps”.
Natalia Gadzheva from the Dragomir wine cellar praised the result of the joint work by the private sector and the administration.
“This had to be done. Because wine tasting is a culture, not actual drinking. Wine is not just the production of a drink…Now we are proud to open the doors of our wineries and welcome guests like elsewhere in Europe.
“Rest assured that our wines and wineries are world class. The world must experience them,” Gadzheva said.
A second edition of the wine route map is being prepared, the news conference was told.
(Photo: podtepeto.com)
