Villa Melnik, Bergulé White, 2024, Struma River Valley, Bulgaria

About the wine

This award-winning white blend hails from the sun-drenched Struma River Valley, where Villa Melnik brings local character to life with a modern touch. Partially barrel-fermented in Bulgarian oak and blended after fermentation, it’s crafted from organic grapes with minimal intervention. The result is a vibrant, expressive wine that captures the essence of the region—crisp, layered, and anything but ordinary.

Tasting notes

Blend of Viognier and Chardonnay. Complex and fresh nose with notes of sweet grapefruit, orange and melon. Fruity and juicy, fine and round, harmonious in the finish.

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 is tucked away in the most beautiful setting in southwest 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. 

Awards

Vintage 2022

Gold Medal at Gilbert & Gaillard 2023, France

Silver Medal at Sakura Japan Women’s Wine Awards 2023

Vintage 2019

Double Gold Medal at Sakura Japan Women’s Wine Awards 2021, including a special award for Best for Tempura