The production of Bulgarian wine from small family wineries continues to be a source of pride and a personal calling for many winemakers. In recent years, however, the sector has faced serious challenges - from rising production costs to the increasingly widespread import of cheap wines. Despite this, small producers say they will not give up, writes Nova TV.
Snezhana Mutafchiyska is a winemaker with many years of experience. She has worked for big brands, but ten years ago, together with her husband and three other people, she created a small boutique winery. According to her, it is in small productions that different wines are born, because more attention and attitude are put into them. “Wines become different because you put a lot of love into making them,“ she said.
To distinguish herself on the market, Mutafchiyska works with a lesser-known grape variety - marselan. From it, the winery produces a single-varietal red wine, which she defines as a bold decision. According to her, Bulgarian wine is at a very high professional level and deserves greater recognition from the Bulgarians themselves.
However, the path of boutique wine is difficult. Production is an expensive process, and in recent years the prices of materials have increased due to international crises and conflicts. According to Mutafchiyska, every year we see some wineries going bankrupt.
An additional challenge is the entry of cheap imported wines into the market. According to winemakers, they do not always guarantee quality, but remain competitive due to lower prices. One of the factors is the weaker state support for grape growers in Bulgaria compared to other European countries, which makes the raw material and, accordingly, the final product more expensive.
Small wineries often encounter difficulties in accessing restaurants. Some traders insist on very low purchase prices while selling a glass of wine at a significantly higher value.
Despite the difficulties, Snezhana Mutafchiyska remains optimistic. According to her, Bulgarian producers must continue to uphold quality and tradition. “A Bulgarian should not be a foreigner, but should respect Bulgarian products, because they are becoming more and more beautiful and of higher quality“, she says.
According to her, wine production has been part of Bulgarian history and livelihood for centuries, and it is national pride that can help small wineries move forward.