(BTA) - Bulgarian wine is wonderful in quality and the 2015 vintage is remarkable, Bulgarian Wine Export Association (BWEA) Chair Galina Niforou said in a BTA interview. BWEA took part in a recent presentation of Bulgarian products with protected geographical status in the EU.

Niforou said the country exports 60 million litres of wine annually, both in and outside the EU. Usually between 60 and 65 per cent of local wines are red. Over the last few years, buyers have shown a lasting preference for lighter and more fruity wines whose oak finish is not too heavy, and producers have adjusted their product lists accordingly, she said.

A Protected Designation of Origin Can Be a Quality Guarantee

According to Niforou, a protected designation of origin (PDO) does not ensure a higher selling price and greater popularity in Bulgaria, but when the product is sold on international markets, a PDO is perceived as an indication of higher quality. Bulgaria boasts 54 PDO wines, she said, noting that this is a designation which indicates the area where the wine is produced, such as Asenovgrad, Plovdiv, Svishtov, Melnik, or Blagoevgrad.

The new markets where Bulgarian wine-makers are trying to make a massive breakthrough are, first and foremost, the United States, and also China and Japan. They are also exploring opportunities in the Benelux countries, the United Kingdom, the Scandinavian region and South Korea.

The Russian market is unappealing to BWEA, Niforou said. She explained that BWEA members offer really good wine, but the Russian market is too unregulated and it is too difficult to work there amid all the regulatory changes. Besides, Bulgarian wine does not have a very good image in Russia because a number of companies supply cheap products.

In trying to expand its presence on the US market, BWEA places much hope in a programme which will be launched in February or March 2016 and will promote foodstuffs and wines with protected geographical status. The programme is expected to boost Bulgarian wine export quantities and prices. The trouble is that prices cannot be increased until a good image is built and until buyers are assured of the high quality of the products, Niforou said. She was positive that Bulgarian wine is wonderful in quality and the 2015 vintage is remarkable. She noted that one particular Bulgarian wine is on the menu of one of the most expensive Michelin three-star restaurants in Las Vegas, selling at 80 dollars per bottle.

Bulgaria Exports 60 Million Litres of Wine in 2014

Niforou went on to say that Bulgaria exported 60 million litres of wine in 2014, up by 5 per cent compared with 2013. After a strong advertising push, the annual growth rate is expected to rise to at least 15 per cent in three years' time.

Even now, Bulgarian wine is drunk in New York, and also in Chicago, where there is a very large Bulgarian community. Things will really pick up as a result of the planned promotion effort, Niforou predicted. For now, BWEA is coping on its own, relying on its own money and contacts. When more money becomes available, the effect will be much better, she said.

The Americans drink all sorts of wine, including Bulgarian wine, because the United States is the world's largest market, she said. BWEA is focused on a particular market segment, seeking to win over consumers who want to try something different - that is to say, it wants to build a niche market. At present, Bulgarian PDO wines are available in US stores for prices ranging from 10 to 20 dollars per bottle.

Asked what the Bulgarian government should do to help open the US market to quality Bulgarian wine, Niforou said that all sectoral associations, the Economy Ministry and the Agriculture and Food Ministry should pool their efforts for the common cause.