Villa Melnik

Winery

Our roots are in Melnik and our wine is true to its origin. Melnik is a symbol of tradition, courage and destiny. Melnik is wine. We have always been connected with the land and we have its identity encoded in us.

The owner, Nikola Zikatanov, was born in the village across from the winery, Kapatovo, in a family with longstanding traditions in vinegrowing and winemaking.  Nikola decided to dedicate the second, wiser part of his life to reviving his family traditions and building a business for the generations to come.

Together with his wife, Lyubka, he planted the vineyards and built the winery. They planted their vineyards with indigenous and international grape varieties with the clear mission to bring back the glory of the Melnik wine and to lead the Renaissance of the region.

At Villa Melnik, we believe in the potential of the local grape varieties. We create brave blends between rare Bulgarian grapes and international grapes, and innovate continuously. We look for the true expression of the Melnik terroir in each of our wines.

Our new, modern winery opened doors in 2013. It boasts state-of-the art wine-making equipment and a dedicated highly-qualified staff. From day one, we welcome wine enthusiasts in the winery for tours and tastings, so that they may experience the winemaking process for themselves.

In 2015, after seven years of study and work experience abroad, Militza, the daughter of Luybka and Nikola, also joined the family business. She is now helping to create the modern legend of Melnik.

At Villa Melnik, we believe that with hard and consistent work, with an honest approach to Wine, and respect for Nature and the Client, we can produce excellent, world-renowned wines with a distinct Melnik character.

Terroir

The natural and climatic conditions in the Melnik region are some of the most favourable for wine production in Bulgaria. This is the warmest and sunniest part of the country. The climate is Mediterranean with a vegetative period of 224 days, average temperature sum of 4385 C°, and absolutely no sources of pollution.

Our vineyards are situated on a hill with south exposition. Our vineyards are exposed to a light breeze, which comes down the slopes of the surrounding mountains Pirin, Belasitsa, and Slavyanka and does not allow mists or humidity to linger above the vines.

The terroir is characterized by sandy soils, which allow water to seep through, as well as limestone and volcanic deposits from the nearby extinct volcano Kozhuh. We do not treat our vineyards with any pesticides and do not use any damaging practises that may create pollution or in any way harm our grapes or the people who enjoy our wines.

Vineyards

Villa Melnik continues a family tradition of vine growing and wine making with over two centuries of documented history. There is a document in our family archives, which shows that two hundred years ago, our great-great-grandfather owned vineyards in the area.

Our vineyards are situated in two massifs around the town of Melnik – the iconic wine capital of Bulgaria, which is present in all world encyclopaedias of wine.  About 20 hectares are situated in the area Mindalo near the village Vinogradi. Our other plot, 10 hectares, is situated in front of the winery, in the area known as Beli Breg, adjacent to the village of Harsovo, which is famous among all winelovers in Bulgaria.

With the help of Bulgarian viticulture experts and agronomists, we carefully selected and planted our first vines in 2004: Broad-leaved Melnik Vine, Early Melnik Vine (Melnik 55), Ruen, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, as well as one of the oldest Thracian varieties – Mavrud. So far, we are the only producer in Melnik region who has planted Mavrud.

From the local white grape varieties, we grow Tamyanka, Keratsuda, and Sandanski Misket, and from the international ones, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier.

Wine Tours

Visit us if you want to learn more about the way we grow our grapes and how we make the wine, to breathe clean air and enjoy the beautiful views with a glass of Melnik wine and local food.

• We are open for wine tours and tastings every day, no exceptions.
• Our friendly tour guides will take you on a journey through our production facilities and lead a professional wine tasting for you.
• We speak English, Russian, Spanish and Greek
• Our tasting room has one of the best views in the region
• You will have the chance to visit our underground cellar, located deep under the sandy hill, where our barrels and bottles age
• You can visit the vineyards and take part in the vine growing process during pruning and harvest seasons
• Nearby, you have many tourist sites to visit for the lovers of culture, archaeology, history, nature, adventure, spa, and gastronomy.
• We are conveniently located only 2.5hrs from Sofia and 1.5hr from Thessaloniki, with easy access from highway E79
• We have a large parking, also suitable for caravans
• The winery is accessible to people in wheelchairs or who walk with difficulty
• We can make you dream of a wedding in the vineyards come true. We can be the perfect location for your private or corporate event.