CAREFULLY CULTIVATED VINEYARDS IN HYSTORICAL LANDS
Katarzyna Estate is located in one of the southernmost points of Bulgaria, in the area known as “Byalata Prast” (The White Soil). The vineyards are situated at the foot of the Eastern Rhodope Mountains, on beautiful and picturesque hills, still graced with charming, untouched nature. It was on these lands that ancient Thracians produced wine over 5000 years ago. Wine was an essential part of their daily life, celebrations, and rituals, making them not only one of the earliest wine-producing peoples but also transforming it into a symbol of their culture. In close proximity to the estate, in the region of the village of Mezek, one of the best-preserved Thracian tombs was discovered. It is the largest and one of the most impressive dome-shaped tombs of Mycenaean type, fully preserved in its original form. Among the treasures left by the Thracians are numerous drawings and murals depicting various wine rituals, as well as different golden and silver vessels.
Beyond their rich history, these lands boast exceptionally favorable conditions for cultivating vineyards. The climate bears strong Mediterranean influence, and the sandy soils, combined with air currents, create an excellent terroir that allows the grapes to ripen slowly, resulting in wines of exceptional quality.
A Tradition inherited from Thracians, which lives on today
TERROIR
The most crucial aspect of a great wine is its terroir. The uniqueness of the location and the specific climate and soil conditions are the most important factors in cultivating vineyards and producing quality grapes. The influence of terroir dominates over the characteristics of the grape variety, presenting the challenge of crafting wine and transforming it into an endless adventure. The combination of climate, soil, and altitude determines the taste of the grapes in different regions, micro regions, or even individual plots. Their interaction is essential for the grapes to reach perfect and harmonious ripeness. Terroir is an inseparable factor from human activity because, without complete dedication and care, a place, no matter how “privileged” it may be, would not become an exceptional vineyard. Factors such as the orientation and slope of the vineyard, the selection of grape varieties and rootstocks, formatting, pruning, vine density, harvest restrictions, harvesting, production techniques, and more, all of them play a vital role.The truth about terroir is understood over time, with each new harvest and the consistent quality it delivers. It is a long journey that continues even today.
Terroir is the essence of great wines. It is everything and nothing. Everything, because without it, nothing is possible; and nothing, because it reveals itself solely through our labor and dedication...
THE MAGIS IS IN THE SOIL
The land on which we cultivate our vineyards is one of the greatest advantages of our Estate. The diversity of soils in individual plots and the varying altitude provide our team with different areas boasting unique qualities and characteristics. As a result, the grapes we harvest exhibit various attributes, allowing us to vinify them in separate batches. Later, our winemakers carefully select how to blend these batches, creating wines with high quality and distinctive style.
We primarily classify the soil composition on the Estate into three types: sandy, brown forest, and clayey red soils. Although the sandy-clayey structure enables moisture to be retained in deeper layers of the earth, our vineyards are equipped with drip irrigation, a crucial tool for regulating moisture during dry and hot summers.
CLIMATE
The area in which we grow our vineyards is hillocky, very picturesque and still delightfully wild. In the area, the climate is moderately continental, with a strong Mediterranean influence and the longest sunshine. Characteristic features are the warm and dry summer, the mild winter and the relatively small annual temperature amplitude. The day is long, and the late sunshine contributes to the slow and balanced ripening of the grapes and the formation of the taste profile with a pronounced fruity character.
An important prerequisite for the favorable development of the vineyards in the region is the peculiar air corridor that forms between the Sakar mountain and the Eastern Rhodopes with prevailing northwest and northeast winds.
OUR VINEYARDS
Katarzyna Estate owns 7500 hectares of its own vineyards, situated in the region known as “Byalata Prast” (The White Soil), within the territories of Belitsa and Lozen villages. The planting process began between 2004 and 2007, following careful research of the soils and specific climatic conditions of each plot. The main plantings date back to 2006, with a ratio of 70% red varieties and 30% white varieties.
Among the white grape vineyards, Chardonnay holds the largest share, accompanied by other white varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Pinot Gris,, Viognier, and Muscat. As for the red varieties, our vineyards are home to Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Malbec, Tempranillo, Carmenere, Rubin, and Mavrud. What we have discovered as most crucial is that through proper and precise work in the vineyard, we consistently achieve high-quality results in our products.
GRAPE HARVEST
Every harvest has its own unique story, and ours began for the first time in 2006. With each subsequent harvest, we have grown and evolved alongside our vineyards. Over the years, we have gathered various facts and figures about rainfall, temperatures, humidity, and other data, but most importantly, we have collected the emotions, feelings, happiness, and sometimes discouragement that anyone connected to nature inevitably experiences. A critical factor in ensuring the quality of the wine is determining the right time for the grape harvest. Gathering the harvest is the busiest and most critical moment of the year for every winemaker. In our case, the grape harvest begins in August and continues until October. We handpick our grapes early in the morning into crates of 12-14 kg.
Considering that our cellar and vineyards are located in one of the warmest and southernmost regions of the country, it presents a significant challenge for our team to achieve the optimal ripeness of the grapes, resulting in wines that embody harmony, balance, and delicacy.
Every harvest is distinct and challenging, but the best ones, according to our standards, have been distinguished with a star.
The first harvest of Katarzyna Estate was extremely difficult and varied. On the one hand, there was the fact that in 2006 the work on the cellar started and time was needed for organizational adjustment of the process. On the other hand, the climatic conditions, and correspondingly the qualities of the grapes, during the year were not at all good. 26.09.2006 was the first day grapes were received in Katarzyna. The amount of grapes received in 2006 was about 1,600,000 kg, this is the smallest amount of processed grapes in the cellar so far. As a composition, a large part of the raw material was purchased from the area around the town of Svilengrad and the town of Harmanli, very few grapes were taken from our own massifs (first fruiting in 2004 planting year).
The rainy and cool autumn made the work in the cellar even more difficult.
The 2006 vintage marked the beginning of Katarzyna Estate’s overall appearance.
Our portfolio starts with the following wines:
Les Amandiers Chardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc, White Soil Rose, Mezzek Merlot, Mezzek Mavrud, Mezzek Cabernet Sauvignon, Mezzek Cabernet Sauvignon & Mavrud, Red Contemplations, First Vintage, Twins Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Sauvignon, Halla Merlot, Question Mark Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot.
2007 was the hottest and driest year on record. Warm winter, quite warm spring with little rain, dry and very hot summer and warm autumn. In 2007, part of our vineyards entered their first fruiting, and the grapes we processed (about 1,800,000 kg) were entirely from our own vineyards. Low grape yields combined with weather conditions made 2007 one of our ripest vintages. The harvest started early – around 10.08.2007. An extremely difficult vintage to work with, but the results achieved were very good, as a result, we produced for the first time emblematic wines for the winery.
Encore Syrah, Question Mark Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot, gold label, Les Fleurs Chardonnay, Contemplations Chardonnay.
We have also added one of the most recognizable and loved brands Mezzek, with Mezzek Rose, Mezzek Chardonnay, Mezzek Sauvignon Blanc & Pinot Gris.
Junior Merlot & tempranillo, Twins Chardonnay & Chardonnay, Halla Chardonany & Pinot Gris wines appeared.
Cold winter, rainy spring, dry and warm summer with minimal rainfall, and moderate autumn. The harvesting campaign started on 15.08.2008. The distinguishing feature of the year is that at the end of September, there was a significant drop in temperatures, accompanied by precipitation, which contributed to a not so good year for the Cabernet Sauvignon variety. The amount of processed grapes for 2008 is about 1,800,000 kg. In summary 2008 was a mixed and not so balanced vintage.
The new wines for this year are Contemplations Sauvignon Blanc, Les Cailloux Viognier & Chardonnay, Les Nuits Blanches (rose).
One of the best years – very balanced and harmonious. Uniformly warm summer, with lower night temperatures and sufficient amount of rain. The harvest started on 25.08.2009. Quantity of accepted grapes – about 2,100,000 kg. Up to this point, this has been a pinnacle achievement for the winery, and it was really with the 2009 vintage that the real shaping of the style and appearance of our wines began. This fact is determined by the combination of several factors: a large part of our vineyards were already in their second, third and fourth fruiting, the extremely harmonious year and good climatic conditions contributed to the full disclosure of the potential of our grapes. This was the fourth vintage for the cellar team.
With this 2009 vintage, we added the wines Le Carre d`Or Malbec and Le Rose to Katarzyna’s portfolio.
A rather difficult year, characterized by a cold winter, a treacherous spring with many frosts, a warm and dry summer, and a cool, rainy autumn for the region. The grape harvest started on 30.08.2010 and about 2,000,000 kg of grapes were processed. Climatic conditions led to a spring frost in parts of our vineyards, expansion of white grapes and the Merlot variety, and not to mention a good ripening of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon. In our memories, 2010 remained as one of our most difficult years, but nevertheless the results were quite good.
New vintage wines are Smaraida Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon & Muscat, Der Traminer.
One of our best years. As climatic conditions mild, harmonious and gentle. Technologically, the grapes ripened very well, the amount processed was over 2,100,000 kg. The harvest went smooth and, as a result, the 2011 harvest was the best yet for the winery. This vintage had an extremely important influence on the final shaping of the appearance of our wines. The good results and the accumulated confidence in the cellar team led to an increase in the quality of our products and the appearance of some of our most loved wines: Chopin Concerto Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah, Le Voyage Sauvignon Blanc, Le Voyage Cabernet Franc & Syrah, Encore Malbec.
It was a year with a distinctly cold winter, a rainy spring, an extremely dry summer with no rain, and a warm autumn. This led to a difficult year in which the grape harvest started on 18.08.2012. Thanks to the accumulated experience, in the end, a good harvest turned out to be the final result. With the 2012 vintage, Katarzyna complemented one of her best Chopin brands with the wines Chopin Sonata Chardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc, Chopin Nocturne Merlot & Cabernet Franc. The 2012 vintage was the first for our highest white wine category – Le Magnifique Chardonnay.
The year was moderate and balanced. The harvest started on 13.08.2013 and went quickly and well. We processed over 2,200,000 kg of grapes. Overall the harvest was very good and the wines La Vérité Cabernet Franc, La Bella Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot & Syrah & Malbec appeared for the first time.
The year began with a cold winter, a rainy and cool spring, a summer with unusually low temperatures for the region and a large amount of precipitation. Autumn was extremely bad – cold and rainy. We started on 31.08.2014, as for the white grapes and part of the reds that we were processing for rosé, the conditions were good and the results were at a high level. However, with the reds, things were different and not so good. As a result of this, to put it mildly, difficult year for Katarzyna, there were no mid- and high-end red wines on the market. As part of the winery’s history, the 2014 vintage will go down as the worst to date.
Katarzyna’s tenth anniversary harvest features a moderate balance between optimal temperatures and sufficient rainfall. It was somewhat difficult, but the results are very good. We define 2015 as our best vintage. We started on 17.08.2015 and over 2,300,000 kg of grapes were vinified in the cellar, a maximum achievement for Katarzyna. With the 2015 vintage, we will offer several new wines to the market: Contemplations Rose Malbec & Carmenère, the winery’s first BIO wine, and two anniversary wines Tenth Vintage Merlot, Tenth Vintage Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 2016 vintage is one of Katarzyna Estate’s best vintages. The year was characterized by precipitation below the average annual rate for the region (about 500 mm/sq.m.), 75% of which was concentrated in the first 5 months of the year. The conditions with this higher humidity were, on one hand, good for the development of diseases on the vines, which we prevented thanks to our accumulated viticultural experience, and on the other hand, the moisture retention of the soil was a favorable factor for the development and normal vegetation of our vines. After a rainy start to the year, during the next 4 months, when the vineyard needs warmth, sunshine and dry weather without rain to ripen the grapes well, the amount of precipitation was only 29 mm/sq.m. This fact, together with the fact that the temperature in the summer of 2016 was more moderate (31-33 °С) compared to the normal for the region high temperature of 35-38 °С, led to optimal conditions for the ripening of the grapes and most -already for the achievement of optimal phenolic maturity of the fruit. The vintage started on 15/08/2016 with the reception of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. On 27/08/2016 the red grape harvest for rosé started, and for red wine the grape harvest started with the reception of Merlot on 05/09/2016. The 2016 vintage is characterized by fine and elegant white wines and red wines that are balanced, with built-in tannins and can be aged for a long period of time.
the year was characterized by precipitation well above the normal for the region (about 900 mm/sq.m.), which was evenly distributed throughout the year. The summer was characterized by high temperatures – 37-39 ° C. These climatic conditions of the harvest led to the production of ripe, even slightly overripe grapes, which subsequently reflected in the wines, which were characterized by warmer aromas and were slightly sweeter as a sense of taste than usual. The vintage started on 14.08.2017 with the reception of Sauvignon Blanc. On 28/08/2017, the red grape harvest for rosé began, and for red wine, the grape harvest started with the intake of Merlot on 09/08/2017.
the year is characterized by precipitation above normal for the region (about 780 mm/sq.m.). About 360 mm/sq m or 45% of the rainfall fell in the pre-harvest quarter, when the grapes are supposed to ripen. These conditions did not allow some of the grapes to ripen well and accumulate good phenolic richness and concentration. In this case, it was decided not to produce most of our red wines, which are aged for a longer period of time in barrel and bottle, due to their slightly lower aging potential. On 23/08/2018, the red grape harvest for rosé started, and for red wine, the grape harvest started with the reception of Merlot on 01/09/2018. The 2018 vintage is perhaps the worst vintage since the 2014 vintage.
– the 2019 harvest is the first of 4 consecutive very good harvests for our vineyards and winery. Precipitation during the year was below normal for the region on an average annual basis – about 550 mm/sq.m. At the end of June, part of our vineyards were hit by hail, which led to a reduction in the yield of some plots with grapes. In July, August and September, when the grapes were ripening, there was almost no precipitation and this, together with the warm sunny days characteristic of the region, led to the achievement of optimal qualities of the white and red grapes of our massifs. The vintage started on 17/08/2019 with the reception of Sauvignon Blanc. On 29.08.2019, the red grape harvest for rosé began, and for red wine, the grape harvest started with the reception of Merlot on 09.04.2019.
the 2020 harvest is the second of 4 very good harvests in a row for our vineyards and winery. Precipitation during the year was below normal for the region on an average annual basis – about 500 mm/sq.m. From June 20 to the end of September, the rainfall that fell on our vineyards was only 16 mm/sq.m. This together with the traditionally hot weather for this time of year resulted in exceptional concentration of the grapes and very good phenolic content. The red wines from the 2020 vintage have exceptional bottle aging potential. The harvest started on 15.08.2020 with the reception of Sauvignon Blanc. On 08/24/2020, the red grape harvest for rosé began, and for red wine, the grape harvest started with the intake of Merlot on 09/01/2020.
The 2021 vintage is one of a series of very good vintages for our vineyards and winery. Rainfall during the year was above the average annual rate for the region – about 800 mm/sq.m. Rainfall in July, August and September was just 36mm/sq.m, resulting in healthy, ripe grapes of exceptional quality, producing balanced and elegant wines with great bottle aging potential. The vintage starts on 20/08/2021 with the reception of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. On 08/29/2021, the red grape harvest for rosé began, and for red wine, the grape harvest started with the intake of Merlot on 09/08/2021.
The 2021 vintage is one of a series of very good vintages for our vineyards and winery. Rainfall during the year was above the average annual rate for the region – about 800 mm/sq.m. Rainfall in July, August and September was just 36mm/sq.m, resulting in healthy, ripe grapes of exceptional quality, producing balanced and elegant wines with great bottle aging potential. The vintage starts on 20/08/2021 with the reception of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. On 08/29/2021, the red grape harvest for rosé began, and for red wine, the grape harvest started with the intake of Merlot on 09/08/2021.
The 2021 vintage is one of a series of very good vintages for our vineyards and winery. Rainfall during the year was above the average annual rate for the region – about 800 mm/sq.m. Rainfall in July, August and September was just 36mm/sq.m, resulting in healthy, ripe grapes of exceptional quality, producing balanced and elegant wines with great bottle aging potential. The vintage starts on 20/08/2021 with the reception of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. On 08/29/2021, the red grape harvest for rosé began, and for red wine, the grape harvest started with the intake of Merlot on 09/08/2021.
The 2022 vintage is one of a series of very good vintages for our vineyards and winery. Precipitation during the year was below the average annual norm for the region – about 530 mm/sq.m. Rainfall in July, August and September was only 35mm/sq.m., resulting in healthy, ripe grapes of exceptional quality, producing balanced and elegant wines with great bottle aging potential.Perhaps the 2022 vintage is our most balanced vintage so far in terms of ripeness, freshness, concentration and potential of the grapes, which accounts for the high level of the wines of the 2022 vintage. The vintage started on 12/08/2022 with the intake of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. On 24.08.2022, the red grape harvest for rosé began, and for red wine, the grape harvest began with the reception of Merlot on 09.05.2022.