Bulgarian Wine Number 1 in Russia

Standart daily, 13 Sept. 2007

In Russia, the sales of Bulgarian wines are way ahead of the wines from Moldova.

Russia announced that the Bulgarian wines held place N 1 in sales in the country. Russian National Association of Alcoholic drinks reported that the figure of wines imported from Bulgaria held the record sales at present. Import of Bulgarian wines and other alcoholic drinks increased by 70 percent in the first seven months of 2007, compared to the same period in 2006. The Russian newspaper Novye Izvestiya reported that wine imports from Moldova had been replaced by Bulgarian production and that the vodka produced in Russia could be replaced by imports from abroad. Bulgarian wines hold between 25 and 27 percent of the market in Russia, said Krassimir Krastenov, chairman of Vini-Sliven before The Standart.

The Bulgarian wines are at reasonable prices and that make them favourite among consumers, writes Novye Izvestiya in its report. French wines take the second place on the Russian market, but they come at much higher price, followed by the Spanish wines. The Bulgarian wines are sold between 100 and 110 rubles, which come around 4 - 4.5 US dollars per bottle.

The wines make around 75 percent of the Bulgarian exports to the Russian Federation; Merlot, Cabernet, Muscat and Chardonnay and the sweet-flavored Kadarka wine. Bulgarian wine producers, who export their production to the Russian market, are Chateau Roussinovo and the wine factories in Rousse, Dolna Banya, Pomorie, Slavyantsi, Vini-Sliven and Sunny Castle.