site.btaGeorgiev/Milkov Winery to Launch New Mavrud Wine with Reduced Alcohol Content

BTA will present dozens of Bulgarian wineries in the New BG WINE Leads the Way series ahead of the 9th UN Global Conference on Wine Tourism, which will be hosted in Plovdiv. The forum is organized by the Ministry of Tourism in partnership with the UN World Tourism Organization.

Georgiev/Milkov Wine Atelier will release a new line of elegant Mavrud wines with lower alcohol content, co-owner Petar Georgiev said on Thursday. 

This year, the winery will launch a new label, expanding its Mavrud portfolio to three series: sparkling Mavrud, classic red Mavrud, and a new, lighter style.

According to Georgiev, the new product will feature a lighter color and lower alcohol content, achieved through a specialized processing method. Grapes are harvested earlier to preserve lower alcohol levels and are vinified using techniques similar to those for dark rose wine or light red wines.

Currently, the company does not intend to acquire new equipment; rather, investment will be directed toward refining winemaking practices. The goal is to limit technological intervention in both the winery and the vineyards.

A portion of the grape harvest has already been collected, according to the co-owner. He noted that while some vineyards remain unaffected, others have suffered from frost, hot summer temperatures, and insufficient temperature fluctuations between day and night.

With the grapes harvested, Georgiev/Milkov Wine Atelier plans to produce approximately 40,000 bottles. The team specializes in Bulgarian grape varieties such as Rubin, Mavrud, and Red Misket, along with rose wines.

The winery consistently participates in international and national competitions and exhibitions, earning awards this year in Czechia and Austria. Upcoming events include a forum in New York on September 25, an exhibition in Romania later this year, and the local Defile of Young Wine Festival. The winery is also engaged in the International Mavrud Days and regularly organizes tastings for wine enthusiasts.

Petar Georgiev and Georgi Milkov, colleagues and friends from the University of Food Technologies in Plovdiv, started the venture in 2014 to experiment with Bulgarian grape varieties, without an initial business plan. After gaining experience in Austria, Malta, the United States, New Zealand, China, and Bulgaria, they produced their first 600 bottles of Mavrud and Rubin in 2014.

The winery does not own vineyards, sourcing grapes from heritage Bulgarian varieties: 45-year-old Mavrud from Novi Izvor, 40-year-old Rubin from Brestovitsa, and, since 2019, 50-year-old Red Misket from Prolom. Annual production ranges from 35,000 to 43,000 bottles. The winery produces six wines exclusively from local grapes: Mavrud Novi Izvor Vineyard, Pet Nat Funky Mavrud, Rubin Brestovitsa Vineyard, Pink Side of Rubin, Why Not? Red Misket, and Skin Contact Nonvintage Red Misket Pet Nat.