Until recently this wine was unknown to the world… Its story is a real challenge. Two 5-ton oak barrels (one with Melnik and another with Muscat) were left and forgotten in the winery in a dark over-ground premise with poor ventilation, a concrete slab for a roof and two external brick walls. For years on wine was protected here only from moisture ... Before it was forgotten (for some unknown reason) that wine was made with great care. The well ripe grapes was gathered manually at the right moment when the sugar was at least 24%. Fermentation took place in big barrels. When sugar of the fermenting must dropped down alcohol was added and it stopped the fermentation, preserved the grape sugar and increased the alcohol content of wine. Year after year while it aged and developed in oak barrels, the precious liquid stayed in this cellar in winter and under the sun of Melnik from early in April until late in October. When it was accidentally found in 1998, more than 1/3 of the volume of each barrel disappeared as a result of evaporation, leaks and winemaker's carelessness. Luckily! Because the decades of oblivion created that unique magic – two Bulgarian varieties, Bulgarian winemakers, lost and then found in a Bulgarian style... When found in 1998, wine was bottled without any further treatment and without filtration.
Melnik 1964
