{"id":1300,"date":"2023-06-05T13:47:29","date_gmt":"2023-06-05T10:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gorun.bg\/2023\/06\/05\/petya-angelova-gorun-winery-i-am-amazed-by-the-high-wine-culture-of-pleven-residents-article-in-posrednik-newspaper\/"},"modified":"2024-12-05T21:28:37","modified_gmt":"2024-12-05T19:28:37","slug":"petya-angelova-gorun-winery-i-am-amazed-by-the-high-wine-culture-of-pleven-residents-article-in-posrednik-newspaper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gorun.bg\/en\/2023\/06\/05\/petya-angelova-gorun-winery-i-am-amazed-by-the-high-wine-culture-of-pleven-residents-article-in-posrednik-newspaper\/","title":{"rendered":"Petya Angelova, Gorun Winery: I Am Amazed by the High Wine Culture of Pleven Residents (Article in Posrednik Newspaper)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u2013 Mrs. Angelova, how did you start winemaking?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u2013 In our case, the saying \u201cwhen the genes speak, the gods are silent\u201d seems to apply to winemaking. It appears that inherited traits and traditions related to grape and wine production have played their role. My husband\u2019s father was an agronomist. He vividly remembers that the entire area around the town of Iskar, formerly Pelovo, was once covered with 4,000 hectares of vineyards. Today, everything has been uprooted. My grandfather was a cooper. Perhaps our main mission is to restore the winemaking tradition in this region. The Middle Danube Plain has always been a key area in history. It is no coincidence that the Institute of Viticulture and Enology was founded here. After the Ottoman rule, vineyards were predominantly planted in this region. A French delegation that visited at the time declared it the most fertile area for grape cultivation. Pleven had a very enterprising mayor who initiated the construction of the Institute of Viticulture and Enology. <\/p>\n\n

The vineyards we now cultivate were planted by our son. He was studying law but decided to engage in viticulture. The vineyards were planted under special programs. He is the main driving force behind vineyard management. As a young person, he works closely with specialists from the Institute of Viticulture and Enology, introducing various innovations. The vineyard plots are impressive and best appreciated in person. This highlights the characteristic terroir of our area. Combined with the microclimate, this terroir greatly influences the quality of our wines.We laid the foundation in 2019 with the construction of the Gorun Winery. The winery itself was built by my husband, Miloslav Angelov, an economist by training and an expert in winemaking with a professional eye for detail. My other son, Miloslav Jr., and I assist with marketing and distribution. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Why did you choose the name Gorun?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u2013 We went back and forth before choosing it. \u201cGorun\u201d means winter oak. When the settlement, now the town of Iskar, was first established, it was called Gorun Mahala, named after the centuries-old oaks in the area. The oak is the strongest tree\u2014impossible to even drive a nail into. As a symbol of strength and perseverance, we chose this name. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 What grape varieties do you grow, and what wines do you offer?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Our goal is to preserve and promote local grape varieties that have been cultivated for centuries. We have also planted varieties developed by the Institute of Viticulture and Enology. A key priority is Gamza, a traditional variety for this region. When the Institute first developed it, Bulgaria showcased its wines at international exhibitions, winning numerous awards in 1894.Another priority variety is Kaylashki Misket, also developed by the Institute. We use it in our white blend, paired with Muscat Ottonel, creating a remarkable wine. It has already surpassed Sauvignon Blanc in demand.The third local variety we are restoring is Kaylashki Rubin. No other vineyards grow it. This variety, developed in 2010, holds great aging potential. Currently, we use it for our ros\u00e9 and red wines.Alongside local varieties, we have planted globally renowned grape varieties to explore their potential in our terroir: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, and Muscat Ottonel. This year, these varieties have performed exceptionally well on our soil. At the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards in London, our Cabernet Franc scored 95 points and won a gold medal. Bulgaria has only received 11 gold medals from Decanter over the past 20 years. Our Cabernet Sauvignon won a bronze medal at the same event. <\/p>\n\n

Many wines are still aging in barrels, awaiting their release. Last year, we entered five wines at the Balkan Wine Festival and received four medals, along with the Grand Prize for Best Label Design. This year, we presented seven wines\u2014all of which won medals, including a double gold for our Cabernet Franc. <\/p>\n\n

Our winemaker, Svetoslav Krastev, has extensive experience in Bulgaria and abroad. Together, we skillfully seek the pure varietal and terroir expression of our wines in two series: Gorun Natural, with minimal human intervention, and Gorun Reserve, aged in Bulgarian and French oak barrels.<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Congratulations on your award. You are included in the Wine Map of the Northwest Region. What are your thoughts on this initiative? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u2013 The Wine Map of Northwest and Central Danube Plains is an excellent initiative. I\u2019m thrilled that it launched, and all the wineries united around it. Globally and in Bulgaria, the development of winemaking increasingly depends on such collaborations.We presented the map this spring and have had several joint events, with more planned. Our primary mission is to teach Bulgarians to drink Bulgarian wine, which is world-class, instead of imported foreign wines. When you travel abroad, whether in Italy, Spain, France, or Macedonia, no one offers foreign wines\u2014only local ones.At the first wine exhibition, \u201cStorgozia,\u201d in Pleven, our partnership with the Institute of Viticulture and Enology deepened further. Tying grape and wine production to science is the correct path to achieving outstanding results. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Do you offer tastings at your winery?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u2013 In 2019, we built the production facility, purchasing the old veterinary clinic in the town of Iskar and transforming it into a winery. Initially, we only planned to produce wine. However, due to increasing interest, we are now in the second phase of development, adding a tasting room, expanding aging facilities, and building a small shop at the winery. Starting next year, we hope to host groups for tastings. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 What are the prospects for wine tourism in the region, and is consumer culture developing?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u2013 There is immense potential for growth. Historically, Bulgaria has done very little to develop wine culture. However, I\u2019m incredibly impressed by the knowledge of young people, particularly those who have studied abroad and returned.Wine is a fascinating and divine drink. Each vintage is unique and can never be replicated. For example, a bottle of Chardonnay 2022 will never taste exactly the same in subsequent years due to differences in sunlight, rainfall, and other factors. The interest in wine is growing significantly among Bulgarians, as is the awareness of red wine\u2019s health benefits. <\/p>\n\n

\u2013 How was your participation in the first \u201cStorgozia\u201d exhibition in September and the Jazz Festival? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Both events left a fantastic impression on me. First, congratulations to the municipality for the idea and excellent organization.There weren\u2019t many exhibitors, but it was enough, and all my colleagues were pleased with the high wine culture of Pleven residents. The event should not have been the first but the 120th. Pleven should host such events annually, especially given the presence of the Institute of Viticulture and Enology.The Historical Museum provided a perfect atmosphere. I hope visitors felt the same as our team did. Pleven residents genuinely amazed us with their inherited wine culture\u2014rooted in their grandparents\u2019 cellars and fathers\u2019 wines. Their interest and curiosity were inspiring, and I can confidently say Pleven ranks among the top wine-loving cities in Bulgaria. <\/p>\n\n

Interview by Violeta Krasteva<\/strong>, Posrednik NewspaperRead the full article<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2013 Mrs. Angelova, how did you start winemaking? \u2013 In our case, the saying \u201cwhen the genes speak, the gods are silent\u201d seems to apply to winemaking. It appears that inherited traits and traditions related to grape and wine production have played their role. My husband\u2019s father was an agronomist. He vividly remembers that the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":866,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-media-about-us"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gorun.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gorun.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gorun.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gorun.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gorun.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1300"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gorun.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1300\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1301,"href":"https:\/\/gorun.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1300\/revisions\/1301"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gorun.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gorun.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gorun.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gorun.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}