Bulgaria is home to several state-of-the art wineries. Some are realized with foreign capital, like Katarzyna Estate, at the foot of the Rhodopi Mountains in the southeast of the country. The border with Greece is only a few kilometers away. In fact, the vineyards are laid out in former no-man’s land: a pristine, unpolluted area that formed the buffer between Greece and Bulgaria in Communist times.
A few pictures from a short trip in October 2015.
Owner of this 550 hectare estate is a Polish businessman, Krzysztof Trylinski, who named the estate after his daughter. Katarzyna Trylinski was an artist and bohemien; she committed suicide at a young age.
We arrive just after the harvest. All equipment has already been cleaned, and the sorting tables are ready be stored away for another year.
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Tempranillo, Mavrud, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and several other varieties are vinified in these huge halls, where the drawings of Katarzyna Trylinski decorate the walls. 3 million kilos of grapes are processed here.
and 2.000 barriques hold the wines. There is room for more…
As a simple visitor, I feel dwarved.
During the tasting, we are surrounded by Katarzyna’s art work again. Dionysius’ and Eleusis’ mysteries, the brochure says.
The entry level wines are in every supermarket in Bulgaria. The premium ranges are for lovers of big and bold, mostly.
All that wine has its influence… But the hotel is not ready yet. We will have to wait to 2017 to stay the night.
So, we depart for our next destination, and leave the workers to their lunch.
Driving away, a last glimpse of the vineyards and fields. The estate also produces its own honey, meat and vegetables, all organic.
Back to Plovdiv, no time to cross the border.
Photos: Mariëlla Beukers & Nico Poppelier
