A Champagne & Sparkling Wine Festival is scheduled to be held at the Grand Hotel Millennium Sofia in Bulgaria’s capital city on November 20 and 21, each day from 1pm to 9pm. “In a luxurious and cosy atmosphere, visitors will give their senses a unique experience and enjoyment of tastings of exquisite brands of wines and delicacies from renowned world and Bulgarian producers,” organisers say.
Grape growing and wine production have a long history in Bulgaria, dating back to the times of the Thracians. There is evidence of Bulgarian winemaking since 4000 B.C. Wine is, together with beer and grape rakia, among the most popular alcoholic beverages in the country.
Bulgarian tradition February is the month of vine-growers and wine-makers. With the start of the month of February the pruning of the vines begins. Once the ritual pruning of the first vine twig was done on 14 February, the day of St. Trifon, old style. This day came to be known as Trifon Zarezan (Pruner) – a tradition that is still popular to this day. After the calendar reform the church started celebrating the day of St. Trifon on 1 February or 13 days earlier.
