Weekly Wine Show: Ep 172 – Bulgaria

Listen to Episode 172 of the Weekly Wine Show to learn more about Bulgarian wine.

This week we are talking about Bulgaria a country in Southeast Europe.

Wine Recommendations – Big thank you to Grapes & Barley Imports for providing the wines for this episode. All but one of these wines are from the Thracian Valley.

Bulgariana Rose 2017 – priced around $13.

  • This rose wine is made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes
  • Aromas of strawberries, raspberries, watermelon and minerality
  • Its dry with medium acidity with flavors similar to aromas – lots of berry flavors
  • Light in aromas and flavors but everything I want in a rose – fruity, crisp, really refreshing

Rough Day Chardonnay 2016 – priced around $9.

  • This is an unoaked style of Chardonnay
  • Aromas of tropical fruits like melon and apricots as well as some lemon aromas
  • It’s dry with a light to medium body, medium plus acidity with flavors similar to aromas – mostly tropical fruits
  • This wine is a light crisp unoaked chardonnay that perfect for summer

Bulgariana Pinot Noir 2014 – priced $15.

  • The grapes for this wine come from a subregion of the Danube Plain in North-east Bulgaria
  • Aromas of cherry flavored cigars, salmai, and coffee
  • Its dry with medium body, medium plus acidity, light tannins with flavors of cherries, tobacco, coffee and dirt
  • This pinot is a more fuller body style and less fruit than Pinots from other places. Not your delicate Pinot Noir like Burgundy or Willamette Valley – this Pinot has some teeth

Bulgariana Gamza 2016 – priced around $12.

  • Made from the Gamza grape – which is a dark skinned variety used to make red wine found in Central Europe and the Balkan area. It’s also known as Kadarka
  • Aromas of dusty earth, spice with a hint of black cherries and black plum
  • It’s dry with medium acidity and tannins, full body and flavors similar to aromas – dark fruits, spices and dusty earth
  • Very deep full wine that is not very fruity but a great texture to the wine with smooth tannins

Rough Day Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 – priced around $10.

  • Aromas of black cherries, blueberries, dusty earth and spice
  • This wine is dry with medium acidity and tannins, full body and flavors of earth and dark fruits
  • This wine is all about the fruit – its very juicy, really approachable wine with smooth, satin like tannins

Winemaker’s Selection Un Double Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah 2012

  • This is a part of Walmart’s private label program
  • 50% of each Cab Sav and Syrah
  • Aromas of dark fruits like black cherries and black plum as well as pepper
  • It’s a dry, full bodied wine with medium acidity and tannins with flavors similar to aromas – dark fruits and spice
  • This wine is very juicy, ripe, lush wine that is big and bold
  • We pair this wine with an aged cheese and it really shined with some fatty food

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