Стара Загора (Stara Zagora)

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The vineyards are located in the central part of the Upper Thracian Plain, north of Sredna Gora and Stara Planina.
• The terrain in the area is predominantly sloping, with vineyard aspects mainly south and south-east, at a mean altitude of 160 to 190 metres above sea level.
• The climate is transitional continental, characterised by natural air currents, as a result of which fatally low temperatures are not observed during winter.
• The total heat summation for the period with mean daily temperatures above 10°C (April–October) is approximately 3,815°C, and the mean daily temperature of the warmest month is 23°C.
• Mean annual rainfall totals range from 515 to 700 mm, and the soil types are leached chernozems (heavy sandy-clay and light clay) and leached cinnamon forest soils, heavy sandy-clay.

• The grape varieties permitted for the production of wines with the protected designation of origin Stara Zagora include, for white wines, Rkatsiteli and Chardonnay, and for red wines and rosé, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Mavrud.
• Viticultural practices include Umbrella, Moser, and mid-trunk double-arm cordon training systems, as well as mixed and short pruning with a bud load of up to 54 buds per vine.

• The white wines display a straw-yellow colour, an aroma with nuances of tropical fruits and spicy herbs, and a well-balanced palate with dominant citrus fruit character.
• The red wine displays a colour ranging to deep red with a brownish hue in older vintages, a refined nose of forest fruits combined with spice nuances, and a palate dominated by red fruit and blueberry.

• The transitional continental climate with its characteristic air currents, the shelter from northerly air masses provided by Sredna Gora and Stara Planina, combined with the soil conditions and constraints of human intervention, allow the grape varieties to develop their potential to the fullest.

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

All appellations in Bulgaria

Sources

• National product specification (PDF) — iavv
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-BG-A1394
• Official trade body site — НЛВК — Национална лозаро-винарска камара