The Republic of Bulgaria (Bulgarian: България) in south-east Europe with the capital Sofia covers 110,994 km². It occupies most of the eastern Balkan Peninsula and borders Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south and the Black Sea to the east. The state is divided into 28 provinces.
Bulgaria is one of the countries with the oldest wine-growing tradition in Europe. Based on archaeological finds and traditional texts, the origins on the territory of today's state point to a beginning as early as 5,000 years ago. Thracian tribes to the north and south of the Balkan Mountains cultivated wild vines and practised a pronounced cult in honour of the wine god Dionysus. The Thracians are credited with cultivating the oldest Bulgarian grape varieties and their ancestors such as Mavrud, Pamid, Dimyat, Melnik (Shiroka Melnishka) and Gamza (Kadarka). At the time of the Roman Empire, wine from Thrace was a sought-after export to Greece, Sicily, Asia Minor (Anatolia, Turkey) and Egypt.
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Egon Mark
Diplom-Sommelier, Weinakademiker und Weinberater, Volders (Österreich)