I just returned from the Struma Valley in southern Bulgaria, where I attended the grand opening of Aya Estate’s new winery. This impressive establishment features beautifully designed architecture that blends harmoniously with the stunning landscape nearby.
Surrounding the historic town of Melnik, the area boasts scenic views, particularly as you drive south from Sofia through a picturesque gorge, leading into rolling hills reminiscent of Tuscany. The Struma Valley, bordered by mountains on almost all sides, offers a remarkable backdrop for wine production.
Aya Estate has two vineyards located quite a distance from each other. The main vineyard is situated in Harsovo, close to Melnik, where the climate is warm enough to cultivate various Melnik varieties alongside international grapes such as Cabernet Franc, Cinsault, Syrah, Grenache, and Sangiovese. This vineyard spans 35 hectares and includes some ancient broadleaf Melnik vines that have been carefully restored.
On the Black Sea Coast, their second vineyard—established in 2014—carries a cooler climate suitable for white wines and Pinot Noir, covering an area of 10 hectares. Both vineyards operate under biodynamic practices, yielding a total production of 250,000 bottles annually.
The timing of the winery’s opening coincided perfectly with the 2025 vintage, and they have set up the facility to accommodate contract winemaking as well. The winery features substantial use of Italian CLC concrete and large format oak barrels, although new tronconic fermenters had not arrived in time for this vintage.
Aya Estate began producing wine in 2015 but only released its first commercial vintage in 2017, marking this venture as relatively new in the wine industry.
During my visit, I met with co-founder Dilyana Vasileva, who oversees the vineyard management. We tasted several of Aya’s bottled wines as well as samples from the 2025 vintage. Dilyana expressed a particular passion for the Shiroka Melnik grape, also known as broadleaf Melnik, highlighting her efforts to revive older vineyard blocks. Contrary to the belief that this grape produces heavy wines, she emphasized its elegance and finesse. One standout wine was a 2023 Shiroka Melnik aged in amphora, which was exquisite—easily the best Bulgarian wine I have ever tasted.
Among the other selections we sampled was Aya’s first Grenache, which impressed me with its supple elegance, and a 2025 Syrah that exhibited rich, textured, and peppery notes.
The Wines:
- Aya Estate Ayano 2024: Lively with density, featuring citrus and melon richness. 93/100
- Aya Estate Colorito Rosé 2024: Bright and dry, with cherry and plum notes. 90/100
- Aya Estate Colorito Red Shiroko Melniska Loza Pinot Noir 2021: Juicy, tart, and expressive, with good acidity. 93/100
- Aya Estate Ayano Syrah Blend 2022: Juicy and bright, with cherries, plums, and a peppery twist. 92/100
- Aya Estate Avano Shiroka Melnishka Loza 2021: Balanced and expressive with sweet strawberries and spice. 94/100
- Aya Estate Avano Shiroka Melnishka Loza 2022: Fresh and elegant with cherry and raspberry fruit. 95/100
- Aya Estate Sangiovese 2018: Juicy with fresh raspberry notes; quite expressive. 92/100
- Aya Estate Early Melnik 2022: Focused and vivid with sweet cherry and raspberry flavors. 93/100
- Aya Estate Disegno Cabernet Franc 2021: Stylish with blackcurrant and blackberry notes. 94/100
- Aya Estate Disegno Petit Manseng Late Harvest 2019: Rich with apricots and a spicy edge. 94/100
- Aya Estate Shiroka Melnik 2023 (yet to be named): Aromatic with cherries and almonds, well-defined with elegance. 96/100
As Aya Estate continues to innovate and redefine Bulgarian wine, the dedication to quality and sustainable practices is clear, setting a new standard for the region. Their approach reflects an exciting future for Bulgarian wine culture.
For more information about Aya Estate, visit their website: Aya Estate