"The Struma Valley in the south-west is the hottest region, producing substantial reds of great longevity at Damianitza..."

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"Melnik, the small berried variety, is the toothsome specialty of the far south west of the country and the Damianitza winery." "Redark 2001… is seriously attention grabbing..."

"There is also some Italian investment in the Damianitza winery almost on the Greek border in the south-west of the country where the indigenous red Melnik grape can be delicious and where Marc Dworkin of Château Bellefont Belcier in Bordeaux has fashioned a dramatic Merlot called ReDark. Dworkin is also involved in the 250-acre vineyard project of Stefan von Neipperg, of St-Emilion, west of Plovdiv. He should be picking his first Syrah grapes, still very much a novelty in Bulgaria, this September."

"In fact the best wine on offer by far is an oak aged, thoroughly rancio Dessert Melnik 1964 from Damianitza just over the border from Greece which would sell for a fortune if labelled Banyuls."