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The project for our vineyards began simultaneously with the project for building a wine-cellar. The whole team is confident that "in the vineyards there is the truth" and if one doesn't have an own vineyard to supervise, all the rest cannot work. The second truth, which we all knew, was that the right variety has to be plated at the right place.
Of course, we first surveyed the region of the village of Ustina. We selected a south slope with a splendid view of the Rhodopi Mountain and a suitable altitude of about 300m. The area is called Gorkata.
The Central Thracian region at the foot of the Rhodopi Mountain, where the village of Ustina lies, has a mild continental climate and a favorable even distribution of the precipitation throughout the whole vegetative period of the vine. The soils in the region are diverse and appropriate for vine growing. The traditionally warm summers in the region of the Thracian Valley let the vine here accumulate high sugar content, combined with suitable acid values.
For the planting of the first 190 decares in the region of the village of Ustina, we chose the French company Mercier - a proved French and world leader in this branch. The entire process - from the taking of the soil samples to their analysis and the selection of the varieties, the graft material and the rootstocks was all their work. Everybody was amazed to find out that in this sea of red varieties in the region only our lands are suitable for white varieties. Therefore, we had to plant 250 decares of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Gris, Traminer, Aligote and Semillion. There is a natural valley, formed at the west side of the massif, with a low limestone content and clay presence, suitable for the red varieties - Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Fran.
SCHEME OF THE VINEYARDS AT USTINA
Together with planting the first vine massif, we are carrying out the following vine-grower's projects. We are already concluding the hard process of re-grouping of a massif at the village of Ustina in area of Mandzhevets, where we will try to plant and grow the real Bulgarian Mavrud, whose remarkable qualities we have long forgotten. In this massif we will also have Mavrud vine, an interesting variety, which is not very popular in our country and has a lot of potential.
We are already ready with the variety structure of our last vine-grower's project, too. Our first project partnership with Mercier created an excellent vineyard. That's why we continue improving our successful teamwork on the new project as well. The professionalism of Mercier was applied in the development of the new massif's structure.
The future vineyard will be situated at the village of Bolyarski Izvor, 16km south-east from Harmanli. In the massif of 270 da we will plant the red varieties, for which this region's terrain is exceptionally suitable and we consider that our assortment list should present - Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Fran and Merlot. The analyses and experience of the colleagues before us shows that the noble Syrah also has its place in this region. We will also try to grow a little Mavrud to compare it with the Mavrud from the typical for it Thracian region.
Mercier's surveys gave interesting results for the little known in our country and very interesting variety of Viognier. It turned out that the soil and climate present and opportunity to grow this variety and to arouse our customers' interest with an impressing wine. We will allot few decares for experimenting with new varieties, suitable the demanded for the last years Cuvees.
Our farming plans include as well the growing of other agricultural cultures in order to provide the employment of people occupied in the vine-growing all year long. For this purpose we bought 200 decares of land in the region of Ustina, where we will plant dessert grape varieties, fruit garden and essential cultures. The first apple massif of 40 da is already a fact, too.
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Our wineyard
