31 Jul The Netherlands leading wine & food magazine features Villa Melnik
The official online publication of the Netherlands’ Wine and Food Association, https://proefschrift.nl/ featured Villa Melnik. Wines were tasted by Jan van Lissum – Dutch veteran in the wine industry.
The full text can be found here: https://proefschrift.nl/moderne-bulgaarse-wijnen-van-villa-melnik/
And here are the tasting notes by Jan van Lissum
Tasting Notes
8+
Orange Wine, Villa Melnik, Struma Valley, Bulgaria 2018
85% sauvignon blanc, 15% keratsuda, 2 weeks maceration and fermentation, followed by 4 weeks sur lie; golden yellow to amarillo, compact scent, ripe aroma and taste aromas, slightly exotic, impressions of mandarin and nuts, juicy attack, salty, nice acidity and balance, slightly oxidative, somewhat reminiscent of fino, interesting wine
8-
Bergulé Melnik & Pinot Noir, Villa Melnik, Struma Valley, Bulgaria 2018
80% shiroka melnik, 20% pinot noir, 9 months aging in Bulgarian oak barrels; elegant colour, calm open scent, slightly stewed fruit, cherries, friendly attack, red fruit, spicy spiciness, tannin, good acidity, supple taste, good length, accessible meal wine (14%)
8
AplauZ Melnik 55 Reserve, Villa Melnik, Struma Valley, Bulgaria 2017
Early melnik, 10-year-old vineyard, fermentation in stainless steel, 15 months aging in Bulgarian oak barrels; fairly fiery colour, elegant smell and taste, some stable tones in combination with development, fine attack, a lot of flexibility, broad aromas, fruit, acids and spiciness, pleasant palate, small pepper in the final, nice balance (14.5%)
7.5
AplauZ Mavrud Reserve, Villa Melnik, Struma Valley, Bulgaria 2016
Mavrud, 18 months aging in Bulgarian oak barrels; nice even dark red colour, compact fragrance, slightly stewed, sweltering, warm, alcoholic, ripened fruit, especially development in the taste, good balance, intense spicy spiciness, correct acidity, slightly drying, good length
8
AplauZ Shiroka Melnik Reserve, Villa Melnik, Struma Valley, Bulgaria 2017
Shiroka melnik; elegant, developed colour, strong fragrance, compact, ripe, sultry, stewed fruit, soft aromatic attack, fine structure, good tannins, rich in wood, fruit and spiciness, nicely developed, round, good balance and length (13.5% )
7.5
Rare Varieties Ruen, Villa Melnik, Struma Valley, Bulgaria 2017
Ruen (regional grape variety), 18 months aging in new Bulgarian oak barrels; very colourful, even, filling aroma with ripe fruit note, clearly more wood influence and toasting, aromatic, slightly sultry, correctly composed meal wine (14.5%)