Сунгурларе (Sungurlare)

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The vineyards are situated in the Sungurlare Valley in eastern Bulgaria, enclosed on three sides by ridges of Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains) and open to the east toward the Black Sea.
• The soils in the area are sandy-clay in texture and are characterised by good water, air, and thermal regimes; the terrain is predominantly hilly with a mainly southerly aspect.
• The principal soil distinction in the area is between luvic cinnamon forest soils and, to a lesser extent, leached cinnamon forest soils.
• The cumulative heat sum for the period with mean daily temperatures above 10°C, from April to October, is approximately 3,600°C, and the mean daily temperature of the warmest month is 21.1°C.
• The mean annual rainfall in the Sungurlare Valley is approximately 650 mm, and the climate is characterised by a relatively mild winter, a warm autumn, and a cool summer with high atmospheric humidity.

• Specific training systems are applied in the vineyards, including the Umbrella, Moser, and mid-trunk double-arm cordon, combined with mixed and spur pruning with a bud load of up to 54 buds per vine.
• The permitted grape varieties include, for white wines, Cherven Misket, Muscat Ottonel, Rkatsiteli, Chardonnay, Ugni Blanc, Traminer, German Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc, and for red wines and rosé, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Pinot Noir.

• The white wines are distinguished by blended fruity and floral aromas, and are harmonious with fresh acidity.
• The red wines display aromas of red forest fruits and spice, a fresh, structured, and harmonious palate, and well-integrated tannins.

• The specific microclimate, the characteristic light sandy soils of low fertility, and the constraints of human intervention favour wines of distinctive flavour character and expressive aromas.

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-A1489
• Official trade body site — НЛВК — Национална лозаро-винарска камара