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 uses oak barrels of the highest grade, one of the factors in sculpting 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 available under the brand Gorun Winery in two series: Gorun Reserve – aged in French and Bulgarian oak barrels and only Gorun – single varietal wines without oak contact, which seek 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 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. Soils rich in many trace elements, constant air currents, good spring moisture, hot summer and dry autumn are some of the features that contribute to the unique result.
In the making of the wines, the principle of making wines as natural as possible is followed, showing the character of the region, the variety and the year, without any interference in their natural expression.The red wines are without filtration , with moderate use of sulphites.
Emblematic are the wines that are produced from our local varieties Caille Misket and Gamza, and with perfect results and numerous international awards is Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Franc Reserve vintage 2020 was ranked as one of the best varietal Cabernet Franc wines of 2023 by the London edition of Decanter.