Terra Tangra winery was established by two Bulgarians who managed to take Bulgarian wines to new global heights by investing their enthusiasm and following the traditions of their predecessors. The company’s vineyards are located on the South-Western slopes of the Sakar Mountain and along the Basin of Maritsa River in the Thracian valley. The winery specializes in producing limited boutique series of selection red, white and rose wines made of different grape varieties. Shortly after launching its products on the international wine markets, Terra Tangra was widely recognized for the strong and elegant style of its prize-winning wines.
Markets
Statistics kept by of the Vine and Wine Executive Agency in Bulgaria show that around 95% of the wines consumed in the country are produced domestically. According to official data, on annual basis the Bulgarian citizens and foreign tourists visiting the country drink between 100 and 110 million liters of wine. Imported wines (incl. from the EU) constitute only 5-6 million liters and cannot compete with the Bulgarian wine producers, who enjoy strong market positions.
Terra Tangra produces its wines from grapes grown in-house in the vineyards located on the slopes of the Sakar Mountain. A number of archaeological finds in the region prove that this mountain was the cradle of wine production around 3000 years ago and this is where the wine elixir for the Gods was produced. The key advantages of Terra Tangra draw on the region’s natural abundance – a favourable mix of climate conditions, soil and geographic location. Thanks to the mild winter and hot summer, the constant gentle wind coming from the Black Sea, the southern exposure of the vineyards, and the soil rich in minerals Terra Tangra is capable of producing both strong and elegant light wines that fascinate with their specific flavour and aroma.
Brand achievements
The combination of terroir and expertise of Terra Tangra’s team of enologists led by world-famous Xavier Meade (successor of a family with centuries-old wine-making traditions from the St Emilion Region – Bordeaux, France) quickly grasped the attention of international connoisseurs and experts.
Terra Tangra’s wines hold an impressively large number of prizes – gold, silver and bronze medals from different expositions and prestigious competitions in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, China, Japan, Canada, Belgium, UK, Russia, etc.
The variety of terroir enables Terra Tangra to make the best of 18 different grape varieties from its vineyards located in three micro-regions: decomposed granite for the Merlo that won the Golden Rhyton award (the highest prize for Bulgarian wines); maroon forest soils with coarse structure for Cabernet Sauvignon that world-famous wine writer Andrew Jefford dubbed “the Best Bulgarian Varietal Wine” on the pages of Financial Times shortly after the wine was launched; sandy soil for Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Thanks to the natural resources and best efforts of the team of agricultural scientists all Terra Tangra vines are grown in an environmentally-friendly manner and each step – from the soil to the bottle, is lined up with the requirements for organic production while maintaining bio-diversity (e.g. we use only wooden stakes in our vineyards, and strictly avoid any harmful chemicals). The European certificate for organic production and the gold medals from the International Exposition of Organic Products Mundus Vini BioFach in Nürnberg, Germany ascertained Terra Tangra as the first Bulgarian organic wine producer.
In 2009, Terra Tangra’s product ranked among the world’s Top 50 at the largest and most prestigious wine exhibition in the world - Vinexpo Bordeaux. The wine that earned this recognition is unique due to the meticulous steps in its production – choosing precisely the date and hour for hand-picking of grapes; strictly assorting each grape; carefully placing the selected grapes in the best French oak barrels, the long and hourly controlled fermentation, a year-and-a-half of maturation, the tailor-made Italian bottle engraved with the Terra Tangra logo whose look is finished with a heavy metal label that has become an symbol of a classy brand and high quality. Because of all this, the TT wine turned into a must-have at luxury receptions and a preferred gift for esteemed government officials from China, Russia, Japan, etc.
One of the latest acknowledgements of Terra Tangra’s ТТ brand was a gold medal from the most prestigious Japanese wine competition – Sakura, Japan Women’s Wine Awards. The prize was handed officially at Foodex Japan 2015.
The product
Terra Tangra’s vineyards sprawling over 400 hectares of land are certified for the production of organic grapes. The numerous sunny days during the year, the constant wind and scarce rainfall in combination with the Southern exposure contribute to the outstanding product.
Terra Tangra’s wines are made of selected white and red varieties, the main among them being:
- Red: Merlo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Mavrud, Melnik, Rubin;
- White: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer, Semillon.
The vineyards are carefully monitored in order to determine precisely the date for the start of harvest. The ripening of grapes is meticulously supervised by the team of enologists and agricultural scientists analyzing each plot individually and waiting for the optimum ripeness.
The grapes are picked by hand, placed and assorted in crates. Only the best grapes are used. After destemming, each lot is verified separately using traditional techniques: controlling temperature and duration of the fermentation. The intensity and intervals of cooling are defined for each vessel individually.
At Terra Tangra blending serves two equally important goals – ensuring quality and identity in order to produce the best wine from each harvest. The quality of the final blend is a combination of all its components. Some seemingly indefinable elements from different lots reveal their remarkable characteristics only after meticulous mixing of specific proportions. This “ritual” is performed by the winery’s owners, the master of wine and the enologist.
Fermentation is achieved in the classic manner – with attention to every detail and carefully preserving and extracting the natural phenols from the grapes. That makes the wine typical, unforgettable and good for the health.
The wines mature in Baric French oak barrels for a period of 10 to 24 months, while sediments are removed periodically. Bottling is done in the wine cellar, which ensures thorough supervision of the overall production cycle.
Latest developments
Terra Tangra winery continues its pursuit of excellence by offering its customers not only the well-known flavours but also new enhanced experiences.
The company’s certification for organic grapes and wine production is in line with the latest trends of preference in Europe. As the concept of urbanism wore out, people increasingly look for natural healthy food.
Terra Tangra’s wines are bottled under different brands:
- Single Barrel – full-bodied alluring wine with great potential for development inside the bottle. Leaves long-lasting taste after the first sip.
- Roto – wine made out of 5 grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlo, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Mavrud. It is prepared in special 400–liter French barrels called “Roto”. During winification, the barrels need to be rotated manually for better flavour formation. The wine ages between 16 and 20 months and finishes its maturation in the bottle for three months.
- Grand Reserve – with its black berries and wild cherry flavours, this wine combines the best qualities of Cabernet, Merlo and Syrah. It matures for 16 months in French oak barrels.
- Yatrus Red – mild flavour coming from the ripe fruit. Leaves an overall impression of rich tight texture. Matures in French oak barrels between 12 and 14 months.
- Yatrus Sauvignon Blanc – distinctive aroma of freshly cut grass. Beautiful light yellow colour with green hues. Exotic finish.
- Organic – the first Bulgarian wine made of organic grapes. Dark ruby colour and black-berries flavor. Excellent texture and long-lasting aftertaste. The terroir of the Sakar Mountain is present in every sip.
- Terra Tangra Chardonnay – straw golden colour, exotic fruit flavor in fine combination with noble French oak and minerals.
- Terra Tangra Red – intense ruby colour. Matures between 6 and 10 months in French oak barrels.
- Terra Tangra Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon – straw-like color, rich and fresh aroma with a touch of many citrus fruits, moderate freshness, thick.
- ТТ Red – sparkling ruby red color, unique flavor and complex aroma of red berries.
- ТТ White – sparkling yellow-green colour, tropical blossom aroma, elegant and harmonious flavor, thick pleasantly lasting aftertaste.
- Rose – fine soft colour, enchanting flavor with discreet harmonious aroma.
Being an innovative winery, Terra Tangra invests in new technologies. It uses crystal bottle caps for the white and rose wines. These caps have zero influence on the wine’s aroma and flavor and ensure 100% safe storage while solving naturally all problems associated with cork caps.
Promotion
The secret of Terra Tangra’s popularity is in the quality. Due to its quality consistency and specific character Terra Tangra has become the wine-of-first-choice for numerous connoisseurs in Bulgaria and overseas.
The winery’s brands are present at a number of social, official and diplomatic events.
The winery supports numerous charity and sponsorship programmes. Terra Tangra is the official wine and partner of one of the greatest global golf tournaments – Volvo World Match Play Championship. The winery is also an official partner of Airline Retail Conference – one of the most important airline leadership events.
Terra Tangra often surprises its fans with attractive campaigns aimed at raising wine awareness in Bulgaria, promoting organic production and the qualities of good wines.
The band’s values
Terra Tangra values highly the trust of its customers earned through quality consistency, expert combination of traditions and innovations, attention to details and blending fine new elements to ensure a richer and more beautiful product. The company constantly seeks to optimize its production processes to achieve better quality and lower prices.
Less known facts
- Terra Tangra is the first Bulgarian winery producing wine from organic grapes.
- Andre Jefford said in his article for the Financial Times that Terra Tangra’s Cabernet Sauvignon was the new Bulgarian wine that would revive the glory of great Bulgarian wines.
- Ron Dennis – long-standing team principal of the McLaren Formula One team became a fan of Bulgarian wines after trying Terra Tangra’s Merlo.
- You may order Terra Tangra’s Rose at the marina and in the restaurants of Saint Tropez - the Cradle of Rose.
- In 2009, Terra Tangra’s Single Barrel Wine was ranked among the world’s Top 50 in Bordeaux, France.
- Terra Tangra and football legend Hristo Stoichkov designed Wine No 8 as part of the noble initiative of supporting talented your football players.
- Terra Tangra’s Single Barrel Wine became the official wine of the Chinese government.
- The crystal cap of Terra Tangra’s Rose preserves the wine’s fresh and delicate flavor twice as long as a cork cap.
History
1998 Owners Robert Stanev and Emil Zaychev discovered “a goldmine” in the Sakar Mountain – an exceptional terroir for wine grapes production.
1998 – 2001 The owners developed and planted 400 hectares of proprietary vineyards with 15 different grape varieties.
2001 The Terra Tangra brand was launched.
2004 First harvest was processed and bottled by hand.
2005 Terra Tangra presented for the first time its Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon at an international exposition. The result was surprising and impressive – ten gold medals earned with a maximum score.
2006 The owners built a winery and created a team of young ambitious enologists led by Xavier Meade – successor of a family of enologists and owner of chateaus in the St Emilion Region, France.
2007 Terra Tangra was awarded the highest prize for wines in Bulgaria – the Golden Rhyton.
2008 The year of awards from China, Japan, Canada, Europe – Terra Tangra was recognized internationally for the high quality and character of its products.
2008 Terra Tangra produced the first Bulgarian wine made of organic grapes, which was EU-certified.
2008 Terra Tangra started exporting wine to Japan, China and Europe.
2009 Terra Tangra was ranked among the world’s Top 50 wines at Vinexpo – Bordeaux, France.
2011 Terra Tangra’s Rose became the official wine and partner of the international golf tournament Volvo World Match Play Championship.
2012 The Cradle of Rose – St Tropez offered a warm welcome to fledgling Terra Tangra
2013 The Rose fashion conquered Bulgaria. Terra Tangra dictates style, quality and innovation – its unique crystal cap not only adds to the beauty of the brilliant Rose bottle but also preserves the fresh and delicate rose aroma longer.
2014 US lifestyle bloggers were charmed by the character of the Terra Tangra wine.
