Cellar
A boutique, family-owned winery with a mission, a cellar with a vision, located 30 km from Pleven in the town of Iskar.
In the heart of the Moesian Plateau, the vineyards of Gorun Winery were planted in 2016, nestled on the windy hills above the Iskar River. Four years later, in 2019, the small winery emerged, nestled in the river valley where the town of the same name is located. Once, on the current site of the town of Iskar, there was a small settlement with exceptionally bright and intelligent inhabitants. They called it Gorun Mahala because of the centuries-old oak trees—goruns—in the area, which is where the winery’s name comes from. The production also utilizes top-quality oak barrels, one of the key factors in shaping the unique flavors of Gorun’s wines. It is not only the selection of high-quality oak barrels made from French and Bulgarian oak that forms the foundation of success. The overall microclimate of the region around Pleven, the influence of the Iskar River, and the fertile Moesian soil provide the perfect conditions for producing high-quality wines. They are offered under the Gorun Winery brand in two series: Gorun Reserve – aged in French and Bulgarian oak barrels, and simply Gorun – single-varietal wines without oak contact, showcasing the pure expression of the local terroir.
The winery’s mission is to restore, preserve, and build upon the centuries-old traditions of the region in viticulture and winemaking. And it achieves this – with top-class wines complemented by an original and cohesive label design.
The focus is on local grape varieties such as Gamza, Kaylashki Rubin, and Kaylashki Misket, as well as global classics like Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Pinot Noir, showcasing their unique expression in the fertile Moesian terroir.
The head winemaker of the winery is Svetoslav Krastev, a talented oenologist with extensive local and international experience, who masterfully blends classical and innovative winemaking styles from the New and Old Worlds.
Gorun’s wines have been on the market for only two years, yet they have already achieved significant success. In 2023, the complex and spicy Gorun Gamza Reserve 2020 ranked No. 4 in DiVino’s list of the top 10 limited-series wines. This year, the charming and silky-smooth Gorun Gamza 2022 secured a spot in DiVino’s top 50 wines and deservedly won the award for Best Wine from the Central Danubian Plain region. Earlier, in the autumn of 2023, two of the winery’s reserves brought home medals from the prestigious international competition Decanter World Wine Awards.
Gorun Cabernet Franc Reserve 2020 earned 95 points and a gold medal from Decanter, while Gorun Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 received 87 points and a bronze medal.
In 2024, Franc Reserve 2021 earned 93 points, Kaylashki Misket 2022 received 90 points, Gamza 2022 was awarded 88 points, and Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2020 also scored 88 points.
The area is predominantly composed of chernozem soils, with some carbonate-rich sections. The Pleven region is renowned as one of the areas with the richest traditions and climatic advantages for viticulture, and even more fascinating is the microregion where the vineyards are located. The overall influence of the Iskar River creates conditions for great individuality and character. Constant air currents, good spring moisture retention, and very hot, dry summers and autumns are some of the region’s defining characteristics.
The vineyards are cultivated and cared for with meticulous attention to detail, involving numerous technical operations aimed at achieving quality—specific pruning, shoot thinning, pinching, contour pruning, and more.
The winemaking process follows the principle of creating wines that are as natural as possible, showcasing the character of the region, the variety, and the vintage, without any interference in their natural expression.
The red wines are unfiltered, with moderate use of sulfites. In the reserve series, the wines are aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, while Bulgarian oak is used for the Chardonnay Barrel. The Gorun series is oak-free, showcasing the pure expression of the grape variety and fruit.