Published on May, 2023
This was an amazing experience. One of the highlights of our time in VT.
Our wine tasting guide, Preslava, was AMAZING. I cannot say enough glowing things about her. Not only was she knowledgeable about the wine (she was, incredibly so; and it was all DELICIOUS, but more on that later), but she was also very friendly and sweet and taught us TONS about Bulgarian culture, cuisine, festivals, etc. We learned SO much from her. She also gave us recommendations for where to go to dinner, and what kinds of foods to try during the rest of our trip (including in other cities). She was a true joy to be around and if every employee at this place is as great as her, they should win tourism board awards. She was an extraordinarily excellent ambassador for the city and the country, not only for this wine tasting center.
As for the wine itself, we did a mixed tasting of Roses and Reds. They were all so good. Many of them were from wine varietals specific to the region (or to Bulgaria as a whole) and we learned a lot about them. I thought they were all smooth and delicious. Another very cool thing was that Preslava brought us a sommelier smelling kit, with like 80+ scents to compare to try and pick out things in the wine, including things like horse and leather and charcoal. You really could pick things up in the wine after smelling the scents. It was amazing. My friend bought a couple bottles (I would have, if I had any room in my suitcases) and the prices were VERY reasonable. As was the price of the tasting.
Overall, it was a perfect afternoon experience. It is located on the craftsman street, in a lovely cellar.