site.btaBulgarian Wine Has Great Potential and is Becoming More and More Established on Foreign Market

Bulgarian wine has great potential and is becoming more and more established on the foreign market. The competition in the global wine segment is strong, but Bulgarian wines manage to stand out and attract the attention of international consumers, said Galina Niforou, director of the Balkans International Wine Competition and Festival (BIWC), whose 12th edition will take place from June 22 to 24 in Sofia, in an interview with BTA.

The Balkans International Wine Competition and Festival is known as the most significant event dedicated to wine in the Balkan region, the organizers note. It brings together wine connoisseurs and industry professionals and is a platform for the presentation and promotion of regional wine producers. Producers from Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, as well as from Moldova and Armenia will present their wines at the festival in front of the National Palace of Culture. 

In Bulgaria we have exceptional opportunities for wine production, thanks to the unique combination of climate, soil and grape varieties. This gives us the opportunity to produce wines with diverse aromas, balanced taste and high quality, said Niforou. She pointed out that in recent years Bulgarian wines have received recognition and high marks from renowned wine experts and competitions around the world, which contributes to raising the prestige and trust of Bulgarian wines on the international market. Niforou added that the wine industry is a competitive field where many countries and regions compete, and in order to be competitive we must continue to invest in quality, innovation and marketing efforts.

Among the challenges facing winemakers, Niforou noted economic factors first and foremost, as investment in vineyard and winery development and high production costs require financial sustainability and attention. In addition, modern consumers are increasingly looking for high quality, and winemakers in turn must strive to preserve the traditions and unique characteristics of the wines, Niforou said. Other challenges she highlighted are related to changing climatic conditions. She said winemakers must be flexible and adapt to these changes in order to maintain the stability and quality of the wines. Despite these challenges, I see great opportunities and potential for development in our industry. We have amazing winemakers in the Balkans who create exceptional wines with care and passion, said Niforou.