Our Team

The owner, Nikola Zikatanov, was born in the village across from the winery, Kapatovo, in a family with longstanding traditions in vinegrowing and winemaking.  Nikola decided to dedicate the second, wiser part of his life to reviving his family traditions and building a business for the generations to come. Together with his wife, Lyubka, he planted the vineyards and built the winery. They planted their vineyards with indigenous and international grape varieties with the clear mission to bring back the glory of the Melnik wine and to lead the Renaissance of the region.

At Villa Melnik, we believe in the potential of the local grape varieties. We create brave blends between rare Bulgarian grapes and international grapes, and innovate continuously. We look for the true expression of the Melnik terroir in each of our wines.

Our new, modern winery opened doors in 2013. It boasts state-of-the art wine-making equipment and a dedicated highly-qualified staff. From day one, we welcome wine enthusiasts in the winery for tours and tastings, so that they may experience the winemaking process for themselves.

In 2015, after seven years of study and work experience abroad, Militza, the daughter of Luybka and Nikola, also joined the family business. She is now helping to create the modern legend of Melnik.

At Villa Melnik, we believe that with hard and consistent work, with an honest approach to Wine, and respect for Nature and the Client, we can produce excellent, world-renowned wines with a distinct Melnik character.