Medi Valley Winery

Winery

Thousand of year ago the lands along the middle course of Struma river were inhabited by the Thracian tribe Medi. Besides the legendary Spartacus who led the biggest slave uprising against the ancient Rome, the Medi were known for their advanced viticulture and enology and the cult they had to the wine. In honor of the people who laid the foundation of wine-making in this part of the valley, the winery was named Medi Valley.

Medi Valley is classical winery complex established in 2007. It is located in the village of Smochevo at the southwest foot hills of Rila mountains at the altitude of 630 meters above the sea level at the most northern part of Struma River Valley, at the picturesque road to the Rila Monastery.

It consists of a modern winery and 370 acres of vineyards, planted with varieties Chardonnay, Traminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The winery consists of an administrative building and a separate completely covered production area. The first floor of the administrative building has a big hall – wine bar and a wine shop which offers Medi’s wines.

The panoramic terrace, with a view to the magnificent Rila mountain is a perfect place for outdoor wine tastings. The production area consists of a reception section for grape processing, a section for basic vinification and wine storage and as well as a bottling section.

In the basement is the cellar where the wines age in bariques and the area where the bottled wines age under optimal conditions (temperature and humidity) before they are offered to the market.

In 2010 Medi Valley launched a new concept for the winery, with the objective of transforming it into the pearl in the crown of the Bulgarian South-west.

The Winery started creating interesting, rich, specific terroir wines with individual style and unique character, made of grapes, specially selected at their optimal ripeness for each type of wine. Its located in a picturesque area on the way to the Rila Monastery.

From here begins the southwest wine region known as the Struma Valley. The attractive geographic location of the winery, the excellent conditions it has, the exceptional wines it offers which have been honored with prestigious awards at national and international competitions, turn Medi Valley Winery into the most charming new destination for wine tourism.

Medi Valley Winery is open every day for visitors. Here the wine lovers can find their favorite wine and become friends with it forever.

Terroir

The unique and gracious viticultural terroir favors the cultivation of both white and red varieties, which with timely planned and appropriate agronomic techniques and reduced yield, consistent with the technological requirements of the enologists produce grapes for the manufacture of impressive wines of high quality.

The climate is continental. It is characterized by relatively mild winters and dry summers. Average annual sunshine is 2900 hours, and the average amount of rainfall is 588 mm.

Vineyards

The vineyards are facing south, placed on alluvial cinnamon and lawn soils, drained, slightly acid and with the appropriate content of clay and iron. Interestingly, they contain small carbonate debris that act as natural drainage and contribute to mineral notes in white wines.

The formations of the vineyards are single, double and double scrubby Guyau, and with a density of 400 vines on an acre.

Besides its own sorts, Medi Valley Winnery makes its wines from the grapes of a single, specially selected for the varietal composition, geographic location and characteristics suitable vineyards. The winery controls a 250-acre vineyard near Vidin. This vineyard is selected because of the specificity of the terroir. The climate is temperate continental with an influence of the Danube.

The vineyard is 125 meters above sea level on an area with marked displacement. The soil is humus carbonate, formed on limestone bedrock. It is mixed up with sand and clay, and the numerous shells of mussels and shellfish of ancient origin make it unique. The vine varieties are Chardonnay, Viognier, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Rondo.

Wine tours

Medi Valley Winery is a classic winery complex located at the crossroad of a multi-directional touristic compass. Just an hour away from the capital and in immediate neighborhood of Rila Monastery, located at the border between Blagoevgrad and Kyustendil regions that offer numerous touristic sites, Medi Valley Winery is a wonderful start or a reason to visit these sites.

Only 5 km off the E-79 main route the complex is easy to reach for everyone who decided to find some spare time to get acquainted with the features and the swirl of emotions, fragrance and feelings, embodied in Medi Valley wines.

This is where the southwestern wining region, known as Struma Valley, starts. This is a predisposition for the wine lovers to start their wine-tasting adventure to start their journey right at the northern part of Struma Valley, the Medi Valley Winery.

Your visit to Medi Valley Winery will be an unforgettable experience that will leave memories for a long time.

Through the wine tourism people may experience not only the wines but a whole scope of other things – history, traditions, attractions, beautiful nature, rites and rituals, culinary and gastronomy, social contacts, and health. That’s why the wine tourism can be named “tourism for all senses”. The thrill to be in the vineyards, to go down in the cellar where the wine sleeps and to fill a glass right from the barrel, is exceptional.

No matter if you have an acquired wine culture and high expectations or you take the wine route for a first time – the most important is to discover something new, different, something to remember for a lifetime, and this is exactly what our young crew aims to – to create wines with style, wines that can be discovered and remembered.