2022 Logodaj Winery Melnik 55

There are two known clones of the Melnik grape – Broad Leaved Melnik Vine and Early Melnik Grape (an early maturing variety developed in the 1960s). The Melnik grape is named after the town of the same name in southwestern Bulgaria, which is the smallest town in the country with a population of just a few dozen. Melnik itself is said to have been Winston Churchill’s favourite wine grape. Logodaj Winery specialises in this indigenous and very old grape. The grapes are hand-picked and the Melnik 55 is aged for 12 months in oak barriques.

In the glass, Melnik 55 Early Melnik Grape has a dark ruby red color. In the nose we smell notes of dark fruit such as blackcurrants and cherries, complemented by sweet spiciness and elegant vanilla and a hint of cedar and leather. In the mouth, the wine has a soft, velvety and rounded fruity taste with balanced structure and softness. The wine has a long and memorable aftertaste.

Another example of a great price/quality ratio because this is a very nice wine and it was not without reason that it was a finalist at Perswijn.

VERY GOOD - Finalist Perswijn Wine Competition Autumn & Winter 2015

“dark and firm, blackberries, red berries, cherries, liquorice, chocolate, tasty and intense, good structure”

ABOUT MELNIK GRAPE

Melnik is a late-ripening grape variety, grown in small quantities exclusively in Bulgaria. The young wines are distinguished by their saturated cherry colour, intensive aroma in which the cherry note dominates, sufficient depth and characteristic, spicy astringency. They develop very well in contact with oak. The mature wines from the Melnik grape stand out with a rich, complex aroma in which interesting notes of tobacco and leather are palpable. The taste is characterised by preserved freshness and soft astringency. Melnik itself is said to have been Winston Churchill's favourite wine grape.

ABOUT LOGODAJ WINERY

Logodaj Winery is a well-known wine producer in Bulgaria, founded in 1994 by three friends in the Struma Valley, part of the Thracian Lowlands, close to the Macedonian and Greek borders. The winery is located in one of the warmest and sunniest parts of Bulgaria, where winemaking has a centuries-old history. The craftsmanship of the winemakers has been recognized and admired here for years.
Today, Logodaj is a modern winery, supported by an ambitious team. In its pursuit of quality, Logodaj Winery has sought the advice of an experienced winemaker from a more established region. The winery is proud to work under the advice and supervision of world-renowned enologist Riccardo Cotarrela, strictly following his style and innovative technologies. Since 2011, Cotarrela and his team have overseen the viticulture and winemaking on the estate.

The vineyards are located in a region full of history and wine traditions - in the middle of the Petrich-Sandanski Valley, between the characteristic town of Melnik and the recently discovered ancient city of Heraclea Sintica.
Near the vineyards you will find the medieval rock monastery “St. Panteleimon”, which is believed to be associated with the earliest period of the hermitage of St. Ivan Rilski. To the west of the vineyards, across the Struma River, lies the Kozhuh hill - a remnant of an extinct volcano. Near the vineyards is also the famous place Rupite, where the church “St. Petka” was built by the prophetess Vanga.