Brochure Ivo Varbanov wines

WHEN THE TERROIR EXPRESSES A MILLENARY CULTURAL TRADITION

THE STORY Ivo Varbanov has a double identity as expert vigneron in his native country, Bulgaria, and leading figure representing Bulgarian music and culture worldwide. He is recipient of the Ivan Vazov Award for the popularisation of Bulgarian Culture abroad and in 2011 he was also awarded the Silver Lion Award from the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the same time, with his wife Fiammetta Tarli he owns 15.6 hectares of land in the South Sakar Mountain in the south-east region of Bulgaria, of which 7.3 planted with Syrah, Marselan, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay. Since 2017 he is renting 1,5 hectares of Viognier from and planting in 2018 and 2019 additional Syrah, and planning to complete his vineyard with small parcels of Petit Manseng, Fiano, Aglianico, and Gamza. Ivo is the founder and acting President of the Bulgarian Association of Independent Winegrowers (www.baiw.org) which presently counts 28 members chosen among the most representative small estates all over the country. These strong-minded wine producers, together with their president, have kindled a revolution of the entire concept of Bulgarian wine. In 2012 BAIW has become a member of CEVI, the European Confederation of Independent Winegrowers (http://www.cevi-eciw.eu), of which Ivo is Vice-President since 2013. In 2017 he became the first Bulgarian member of Académie Internationale du Vin.

Ivo was born in Bulgaria and at the age of nine he moved to Italy with his mother, a professional cellist who was working in the San Remo Symphony. Ivo was trained as classical concert pianist and has been living in London since 1994, where he completed his postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music. Now he is regularly performing around Europe, USA and Asia in all the major concert halls and has 15 commercial recordings released worldwide.

The wines are all full of vineyard personality and very individual wines, a joy to taste and later to drink!

– Steven Spurrier

Ivo’s second career, and identity, as vigneron started in

In 2009, shortly after the birth of his son Jacopo, planting

2003, while continuing his performing activity as concert

was interrupted as Ivo was diagnosed with Acute

pianist. Digging into the roots of Ivo’s past, in his family

Lymphoblastic Leukaemia and subsequently spent eleven

there was wine heritage at the beginning of the twentieth

months in the Hammersmith Hospital in London. Following a

century, whose story was interrupted in the 1920s: an

bone-marrow transplant in August 2010, Ivo slowly returned to

unmarried great-aunt left in her will 30 hectares of vineyards

his double identity as vigneron-pianist. Yet even in the 2009,

to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Bulgaria has a wine

2010 and 2011 vintages wine production was not interrupted:

history over 3,000 year long; yet it does not have a well-

the flying winemakers and friends Amedeo Albano from Italy

known modern tradition such as France, Italy, or Spain. Over the last twenty years matters have been changed by a number of pioneer winemakers. Slowly but surely they are building Bulgaria's case, to let this promising country become part of the European wine heritage for its future

and Hayden Penny from New Zealand were in charge of vinification, with Stancho Bangiev in charge of viticulture. Since 2012 Ivo has fully returned to guide the operations of the project and has slowly increased production by purchasing additional grapes.

generations.

In 2012 he also founded the Bulgarian Association of

Between 2003 and 2005 Ivo searched through seven different Bulgarian micro-regions to find a suitable land for his project. With the help of Prof. Marin Penkov, who was then in his late seventies — being the person who drew the wine map of Bulgaria in the 1960s — he did both soil and climate analysis. His first choice was the South Sakar Mountain in the south-east region, not far from the Greek and Turkish borders. It is a former submerged volcanic area;

Independent Winegrowers which initially had only seven members but were soon to redesign the whole concept of Bulgarian wine. In the 2013 vintage Ivo made 20,000 bottles of wine. His production takes place at the Bratanovi Winery in Harmanli. In the meantime, he has already started the architectural planning of his own winery near the village of Izvorovo where the vineyards are located. In 2015 he purchased 2.5 additional hectares.

the soil types are very varied with some key indicators suitable for viticulture, such as granite, quartz, fossilised sea shells, clay, and the presence of iron. The climate of this region is hot and dry, but the subsoil at 60-100 metres has enough water reserve, due to the clear distinction of the seasons as well as rainfall in autumn and winter. The altitude of the vineyards varies between 300 and 350 m above sea level and face south-west.

In 2005 Ivo bought 9.7 hectares of land and in 2006 he planted his first plot of 4.8 hectares of Syrah and Marselan.

In 2007 he then planted 1 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and 1.5 hectares of Chardonnay. In 2008 he purchased a further 3.4 hectares of land. In 2008, his first vintage, he produced 1,500 bottles of Syrah and 1,500 bottles of Rosé.

I realise this wine is the product of the most extraordinary story. – Jancis Robinson

Ivo's natural approach to viticulture and winemaking has the greatest respect for the environment: in his vineyards neither herbicides nor pesticides are used, and he has never applied any industrial practice in the winemaking. His conception is simple but rigorous: wine is a cultural product reflecting the positive synergy of human being and terroir. He always prompts the ladies at the sorting table to ask themselves whether they would eat the grapes that are being sorted and are going to be used in the wine.

Despite his busy schedule, Ivo is involved in all aspects of winemaking. His disciplined musical training has helped him to absorb information and knowledge on wine in a structured way; with his passion for wine he remembers almost any single wine he tasted – and due to his lifestyle as a musician, he tasted many wines all over the globe. He does not delegate crucial decisions to his winemaker, wine consultant, or vineyard manager; therefore, the wines reflect his vision, taste, and personality. They are not tailored to please wine critics but are among the most successful examples of Bulgarian wines abroad among open-minded wine critics, connoisseurs, collectors, and wine lovers.

The present production is 30,000 bottles per year and the wines are sold in Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, and Montenegro.

Chardonnay 2017, 14,5% Alc. Don Basilio Vinification in oak 70% Bulgarian (600 L tonneau) and French 30% (500 L tonneau). Half of the wine is made with spontaneous fermentation.

12 months ageing in the same barrels.

5,700 bottles produced.

Fine lemon yellow, bright and classy, nicely ripe on the nose, yellow summer fruits, oak very well blended in, good breadth of fruit continues on the palate with well-defined flavours and good structure, sowing citrusy elements and natural acidity. This is a serious Chardonnay, comparable in vineyard expression and structure to a 1er Cru from the Cote de Beaune. Good

17.5/20 {91/100} (tasting May 2020, Steven Spurrier)

future.

Viognier 2018, 14,5% Alc. Seriosa e piccola Vinification in stainless steel with 30% of the wine aged in Bulgarian oak (500 L tonneau).

3,660 bottles produced.

Pale silver yellow with lovely lively brightness, some florally and summer stone fruits on the nose, attractively less “exotic” than some more flashy Viogniers, ripeness and natural richness are there on the palate which is refreshingly young and summery with good natural

17/20 {90/100} On retaste this shows really good length of fruit, a very good Viognier and a potential benchmark for Bulgaria. 17.5/20 {91/100} acidity for the future.

(tasting May 2020, Steven Spurrier)

Rosé 2017, 14,5% Alc. "Ceci n'est pas un rosé" Bacchanale Cofermentation of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah in stainless steel with 2 years ageing in Bulgarian and French oak (500 and 600 L tonneau).

2,100 bottles produced.

Syrah and Cabernet co-fermented. Fine fleshy pink rose with a hint of orange reminiscent of the Tavels from the southern Rhone, light red fruits on the nose, cherries and cranberries, fine clarity of red fruits on the palate that fill out towards a firm finish, definitely a wine for food as the depth of fruit deserves this.

17/20 {90/100} (tasting May 2020, Steven Spurrier)

Merlot & Syrah 2016, 14,9% Alc. Winter Morning 80% Merlot and 20% Syrah fermented in stainless steel and a passage in oal only for the Syrah.

7,971 bottles produced.

Fine carmine ruby red but lighter than expected from a Merlot/Syrah blend, youthful and fresh with quite autumnal red/black fruits on the nose and a dry herb spice that comes through on the palate. Merlot and Syrah are not normal bedfellows and here the Merlot fruit dominates with Syrah providing back-up richness, no heaviness from 14.9 abc, an interesting wine that leads to a

17/20 {90/100}

second glass, with food the Syrah ill be more present and more welcome.

On retaste, much more richness from both grapes while retaining the firm finish.

17.25/20 {90/100} (tasting May 2020, Steven Spurrier)

Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah 2016, 14,5% Alc. Sweet Dreams 61% Cabernet Sauvignon and 39% of Syrah fermented in stainless steel and aged in Bulgarian and French oak.

1,530 bottles produced.

Deep carmine red with young rim, really attractive briary summer red/black fruits on the nose, smooth and vigorous on the palate, Syrah spice and warmth blend in well, good length and depth and full of clearly defined vineyard fruit, a more serious wine than the Merlot/Syrah, to

17.25/20 {90/100} On retaste confirmed the vigour with more elegance, both grapes showing what they can do. 17.5/20 {91/100} (tasting May 2020, Steven Spurrier) 2026.

Syrah 2015, 15% Alc. Merlin 100% Syrah fermented in stainless steel with 40 months ageing in Bulgarian and French oak of various sizes.

4,600 bottles produced.

Superb black red with purple rim, rich black fruits on the nose, plum cake spice and velvety texture on the palate, slightly exotic fruits coming through over serious depth and structure, a very robust expression of Syrah, the 15%abv quite acceptable for the richness of fruit. To 2028.

17.5/20 {91/100} On retaste (over three nights) the richness and structure impress, but the texture is a bit thick. 17.25/20 {90/100} (tasting May 2020, Steven Spurrier)

Contacts: Ivo Varbanov ivo@ivovarbanov.com Mob.: +44 7956 377 705 (UK) Mob.: +359 884 194 700 (BUL)