Logodaj Winery Melnik 55

Logodaj Winery, establish in 1994, is located in the very heart of the beautiful valley along the Struma River in South Western Bulgaria. Their vineyards are situated next to the village of General Todorov, in the middle of the Petrich-Sandanski valley, between the town of Melnik and the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica. Their practices are directed by the nature of each vintage, hand-harvesting only when the grapes are fully ripe, the grapes of the individual vineyards fermented separately in respect and emphasis of the unique terroir.

Melnik,

Made from 100% Melnik 55 (also known as Early Melnik Vine), the signature red local indigenous grape
variety of Struma Valley, and also a favourite of Sir Winston Churchill who had a regular annual shipment of Melnik red wines to the cellar at 10 Downing street.

Melnik is an increasingly rare, dark-hued variety grown in the southwest of Bulgaria, near the border with Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia. It is named after the town of Melnik where it is exclusively grown in the controliran (appellation) of Harsovo in the Struma Valley.

Melnik can produce powerful wines that respond well to extended maturation in oak and often have notes of tobacco and leather. They tend to be exotically perfumed, richly textured and have ample tannins.

Fermentation is in stainless steel tanks with 12 months' ageing in a combination of used small French oak 225-litre barriques and big 2-tonnes Slavonian oak barrels where the wine also undergoes malolactic fermentation.

A bright ruby liquid with purple hues, this wine has intense fruity aromas of cherries, wild herbs, roasted coffee and delicate vanilla. It's well-balanced, medium-to-full bodied and very easy to drink. Rich and savoury with additional notes of tobacco and red pepper, juicy acidity and a long finish.

Great with Turksish cuisine and stands up nicely to a bit of spice.