Villa Melnik, Aplauz Mavrud Reserve, 2019, Struma River Valley, Bulgaria

Description

Mavrud with a mission—bold, homegrown, and bringing Bulgarian wine back in style.

About the wine

Aged for 18 months in Bulgarian oak, this is Mavrud at its bold, characterful best—perfect for hearty dishes, cosy nights, or showing off to your wine-savvy mates. Made with organic grapes in a sleek gravity-flow winery and 100% vegan, it’s high time the world caught on to what Bulgaria’s been quietly perfecting.

Tasting notes

This Mavrud Reserve opens with a dark garnet hue and an elegant nose of crushed dark berries, chocolate, and hints of walnut. On the palate, it is smooth and structured, with a medium to full body, fresh acidity, and well-rounded tannins. The finish is long and balanced, showcasing the depth and character of this native Bulgarian variety.

About the winemaker

Villa Melnik has quickly become a favourite here at The Humble Grape and it's easy to see why. This family owned winery, tucked away in the most beautiful setting in South West Bulgaria.

The owner, Nikola Zikatanov, was born in the village across from the winery, Kapatovo, in a family with long standing traditions in vine growing 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.