Dark ruby in the glass with aromas of blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, currants, fruit cake, nougat chocolate, vanilla and violets. Velvety soft on the palate with gently supportive tannins and the flavour of shredded coconut, raspberry purée, tobacco, spices, toffee and mocha. Long-lasting and delicate finish.

After numerous tests of the soil and climate around the village of Ognyanovo in southern Bulgaria Count Stephan von Neipperg (owner of six wine cellars in Bordeaux), Dr. Karl-Heinz Hauptmann (co-founder of Europe Capital Management), Marc Dworkin (wine consultant in Bordeaux and elsewhere), Ivaylo Antonov (Marketing Manager at Diageo Bulgaria, Commercial Director of Emmis Bulgaria) as well as Ivo Evgeniev and Spas Shopov (founder of the investment consulting firm Rosslyn Capital Partners) bought 250 hectares of land in 2001, 140 hectares of which were planted with high-quality French grape varieties – Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Petit Verdot. The result is a wine that, despite its French parentage, has an independent character, is pure drinking pleasure and offers a very good value for money.

Further information: www.bessavalley.com/index.php/en.html

Alcohol content: 14.5% by volume, drinking temperature: 14–16 °C, tasting date: 10th March 2013

EUR 11