Terroir: Katarzyna Estate is located at the foot of the Eastern Rhodopes, in the southernmost part of Bulgaria, 2 km. from the village of Mezek and the border with Greece. The Byalata Prist microdistrict, where the estate is located, is characterized by a temperate continental climate, with a strong Mediterranean influence. Specific features are the warm summer, mild winter and relatively small annual temperature amplitude. An important prerequisite for the favorable development of vineyards in the region is also the peculiar air corridor that forms between Sakar Mountain and the Eastern Rhodopes.
Katarzyna Estate is located in the area with the longest sunshine, as during the growing season the temperature sum reaches 4000°C. Within the boundaries of the estate there are areas with diverse qualities and soil characteristics, which allows for the production of grapes with different indicators and, accordingly, the production of wines in different styles.
Leached cinnamon forest soils (Chromi-eutric cambisols), heavily eroded cinnamon forest soils shallow (Eutric regosols) and leesified cinnamon forest soils (Chromi luvisols) form the soil composition.
The wines from the Mezzek series emphasize the individual characteristics of the variety. An advantage of the winery is that it has many and, above all, different in quality and specificity areas in our vineyard areas, which makes it possible to make a selective selection of the best grapes of the respective variety.
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon and Mavrud
Grape harvest date: 15.09.2024 – 25..09.2024
Grape harvest: manual harvesting in boxes and careful selection of the grapes
Vinification: Before processing, the grapes are tempered in a cold room for about 20 hours. It is then sorted on sorting lines, crushed, sorted again and crushed. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel fermenters of 10m³ and 15m³. The technological process includes maceration of the grape must at a temperature of 7-10˚С for 7 to 10 days, fermentation at a temperature of 27-29˚С for 7-9 days and subsequent maceration with solid particles for up to 6 days at a temperature of 26-28˚С. For lactic acid fermentation, the wine is transferred to French oak barrels of 225 liters. 35% of the blend matures in oak barrels for 6 months.
Organoleptic characteristics
Color: deep, ruby red
Aroma: rich and intense aroma, combining sensations of spices, red fruits, earthy notes and light wood
Taste: full and balanced, with a pleasant juiciness and a lasting aftertaste
Food pairings: risotto, red meats or spicy dishes
Serving temperature: 18⁰-20⁰C.
