Мелник (Melnik)

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• Transitional Mediterranean climate with year-round Aegean influence channelled along the valley of the Струма river
• Five soil types: alluvial-meadow, канелено-горски, colluvial, rendzinas and pararendzinas — medium to heavy sandy-clay in texture
• Rendzinas are formed over варовик, pararendzinas over redeposited calcareous materials, and канелените горски почви over old Quaternary deposits
• Deep soils with good water-holding capacity and drainage allow deep root penetration — directly linked to the high extractiveness of the wines
• Frost-free period approximately 209 days; period above 10 °C — over 220 days; heat summation above 10 °C: 4,300–4,400 °C

• The human factor encompasses variety selection, viticultural practices, yield restriction, rendement limitation, and production methods.
• The soils — канелени горски, colluvial, rendzinas over варовик, and alluvial — support deep root penetration and high extractiveness in the wines.

• The wines are distinguished by rich extractiveness and a high concentration of aromatic compounds, attributable to the deep soils with good water-holding capacity.
• Deep root penetration into the substantial sandy-clay soils is directly linked to the high extractiveness of the wines.

• Over 220 days with t° >10 °C and ~209 frost-free days → full ripening even of the latest-maturing varieties
• High thermal resource (avg. July t° 24.9 °C) → good fruit maturity → high quality at processing
• The combination of climate, soils, and human factor (yield, rendement, viticultural practices) → rich extractiveness and high aromatic concentration

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.

Sources

• Specification (EUR-Lex, single document)
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-BG-A1472
• Official trade body site — Wikipedia (българска) — Мелник