Bulgaria is a country of just over seven million people, located in Southeast Europe. It has a long history as an agricultural nation that exports its products worldwide. Now, their wine producers are eyeing China’s lucrative and expanding wine market.

In 2016, Bulgaria exported over five million liters of wine to China. Exporters expect that number is likely to double very soon. And most of Bulgaria’s top wines are coming from the South of the country, the area close to the Turkish and Greek borders. 

Endless fields of Bulgaria’s best vineyards can be seen there with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and 14 other kinds of grapes that are grown here. Those vineyards are meticulously cared for, for generations in this region. 

A few months from now, these berries will be ready for harvest and will be used for their primary purpose. It is grapes from these vineyards that are turned into wine that then finds its way onto the tables of oenophiles in China. We came to Southern Bulgaria, to the village of Kolarovo, and experts are saying that this exact location is the best for winemaking.

On the outskirts of Kolarovo, one of Bulgaria’s best wineries produces almost eight million bottles of wine every year. And it is the place where all the local harvested grapes are brought in. People working here are proud of their craft, and that because of them, Bulgarian wine is slowly becoming a bestseller in markets across the globe. Vladimira Kabakova from Castra Rubra Winery is one of those people who work here with passion to grapes and wine. She’s also proud of the company’s export portfolio.

“We work with 28 countries,” Vladimira said. “We export mainly to China, USA and Japan. I think the Chinese customers like wines that are typical of the French, of the French type of producing wine. And because of that we use a lot of the French techniques.”

In the winery we’ve met a wine buyer from China. Mr. Zhang Changqing doubled the exports of this Bulgarian wine in just one year, from 500,000 bottles to one million. And he hopes that next year he’ll double that figure again, to two million bottles. But during that process he faced the obstacle of promoting Bulgarian wine in a country where most of the people have hardly even heard about this small European nation.

“Yes it is really very difficult because you know most of the Chinese, they don’t know Bulgarian wines, even they don’t know Bulgaria, you know,” Zhang Changqing said. “So, we have to make a lot of events, a lot of exhibitions, a lot of tasting parties, and promote Bulgarian wines.”

Bulgaria is producing almost 150 million liters of wine every year, and both Bulgarian wine producers, as well as authorities, are hoping to boost their wine exports to China. They understand the potential of China’s growing appetite for wine, and they hope that by offering very competitive prices and quality, they will be able to secure their position in the Chinese wine market.