Мелник (Melnik)

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The vineyards are located in southwestern Bulgaria, in the Struma Valley, along the Melnishka River, in the southern part of the Kresna Gorge, and at the foothills of the Osogovo-Belasitsa mountain group.
• The climate is transitional Mediterranean, with the warm Aegean influence felt throughout the year as it penetrates along the Struma River, bringing short, mild, snowless winters and hot summers.
• The mean annual temperature ranges between 12.5 and 14 °C, and in the lower parts of the region the period with temperatures above 5 °C lasts 280–290 days, accumulating a heat summation of approximately 4,800 °C.
• The period with temperatures above 10 °C lasts 225–230 days with a heat summation of 4,300 to 4,400 °C, and annual precipitation ranges from 470 to 670 mm.
• The soil types in the region are alluvial-meadow and cinnamon forest soils, colluvial soils, rendzinas and pararendzinas, ranging from medium to heavy sandy-clay in texture.
• The cinnamon forest soils are formed on old Quaternary deposits, the colluvial soils on colluvium, the rendzinas on limestone, and the pararendzinas on redeposited calcareous materials.
• The period with temperatures above 10 °C exceeds 220 days per year, and the frost-free period is approximately 209 days per year.

• The human factor in the production of wines in the region manifests itself in variety selection, viticultural practices in the vineyards, and the limitation of yields and rendement.

• The wines produced are distinguished by rich extract, excellent structure, and a high concentration of aromatic compounds, owing to the pedoclimatic conditions of the region.

• The good water-holding capacity and drainage of the deep soils allow roots to penetrate to considerable depth, which is directly linked to the high extract levels found in the wines.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Bulgaria

Sources

• Specification (EUR-Lex, single document)
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-BG-A1472
• Official trade body site — НЛВК — Национална лозаро-винарска камара