While in Bulgaria (1992-1995), where I served 3 years as General Manager of American Imports & Investments Ltd., which operated the Chrysler and Jeep franchise and an Apple Computer Center, I attended numerous business functions, receptions, diplomatic corps and other social and political events.

What started it all was the exceptional quality of the premium local wines, the ones that are produced in less than 3-5,000 cases, most of them dating to communist times, and very hard to find. Such wines were usually made for the sole consumption of the local elite, allowing them to shine in front of visiting foreign dignitaries in formal settings.

Some of these wines especially, from the Menada Winery, were really a find. You can now taste them only at the Preslav restaurant in the Grand Sheraton-Sofia in the capital of this small Balkan country, now emerging from the communist grip and the pains of market economy reforms. So when I was to come back home to California, I didn't want to miss the Menada's Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot 1987 Private Reserve and the Cabernet Sauvignon 1990 Private Reserve from the Oriachovitza vineyard, so I brought several cases. At our new house warming party I served them with a number of premium California wines and to my pleasure they were selected by our guests for the wines of the evening.

On my next trip, I signed a deal for import and distribution of the Menada wines in the U.S. Unfortunately, the quantities are quite limited, because 90% of the wine from this winery was already contracted for sale in the United Kingdom.

I bet you had no idea that in the 1990 's with sales of 2 million cases per year Bulgarian red wine ranked third in the British market after French and Italian. In fact, in a recent article by the Economist group magazine, it was stated that the Bulgarian Cabernet Sauvignon virtually ousted the low-end Bordeaux as an everyday wine in the UK. Similar are the patterns in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. The Brits even fly over their tasters every other month to control the wine production in it's entire process, which really is based on the best French traditions. As it happens, the Bulgarian oak is the same Limousine type used for the barrels of the finest wines of the world. The rigid enforcement of the Appellation Controls for the Oriachovitza vineyard, Menada's best and premier in Bulgaria, also contribute to the fortunate combination of soil, mild Mediterranean climate and special selection of grapes which together produce my favorite Bulgarian wines.

The Menada Winery is the first privatized winery in Bulgaria and the new owners are dedicated to continue mastering the art of fine wine making. The move to the educated American market was a natutral one to the Siarovi brothers who took control of the winery and are looking to show the best of Menada's wines and knowledge dating back to 1901 when the first wines were commercially produced there and since had won number of gold awards in international wine competitions.

Sincerely Nazdrave (Cheers in Bulgarian)

Vance T. Petrunoff
President

Bulgarian Master Vintners
Sonoma, California, USA