Georgiev / Milkov, Mixtape Red, Thracian Valley, Bulgaria

The Thracian Valley is in the south of Bulgaria with a moderate, continental climate that gets plenty of sun across the year and is sandwiched by the Stara Planina mountains to the north and the Rhodope mountains to the south which provides excellent shelter from the sharp winds, perfect for the production of rich and complex red wines.

Petar Georgiev and Radostin Milkov are another pair of young winemakers leading the charge in the new wave of Bulgarian winemaking with a passion for bringing indigenous Bulgarian grapes the spotlight they deserve. They've gained experience all over the winemaking world including Petar's stint with Arndorfer in Kamptal, Austria and Alan Scott in Marlborough This wealth of experience has prepared them for their own project in 2014 around Plovdiv in the foothills of the Rhodopi mountains. 

Their mixtape is a blend of indigenous varieties, Pamid, Rubin (Syrah / Nebbiolo cross) and Mavrud (which is Bulgaria's workhorse red grape) from 45-55 year old vines around 300m above sea level. As the name might suggest there's a big ol combination of winemaking techniques that go into this - The Mavrud and Rubin undergo spontaneous fermentation together with 25 days macerating before 9 months aging in old oak whereas the Pamid is split with half being barrel fermented with 20% whole bunches and the other half direct pressed with 20% of the skins being chucked back in during fermentation for 30 days. They're both then aged in old oak for eight months. The mix provides a vibrant, fruity red with notes of cherries, plums and blackberries alongside some bramble crunch and spice. Suitable if a little chilled in the summer and perfect alongside pork or mushrooms. 

Producer - Georgiev / Milkov
Country - Bulgaria
Region - Thracian Valley
Sub-Region - Plovdiv
Variety / Blend - Pamid 50%, Rubin 25%, Mavrud 25%
Wine Style - Red Wine
Farming - Sustainable 
Vegan