Friendsips Merlot & Rubin

An elegant and daring blend of Merlot and the enigmatic Bulgarian Rubin, the grapes for this wine are carefully sourced from private growers in the Thracian Valley. Handpicked in small trays, grapes are macerated on skins for several days, with constant temperature control during fermentation. After a month, malolactic fermentation occurs before final blending and bottling. 

The result is a wine of intense ruby appearance with crimson hues. A pronounced fruity nose shows black cherry and plum, whilst the medium palate is fresh and lively, yet smooth and harmonious, with forest fruits, herbs and light spice on the long finish. Try with barbecue dishes, lamb, pork, sausages, tomato sauce pasta and vegetarian dishes, or soft cheeses.

Made by friends, for friends, the Friendsips range is created by Petar Georgiev and Radostin Milkov who travelled the world from 2014 to gain fresh ideas, before embarking on their creation of contemporary Bulgarian wines that celebrated native varieties such as Mavrud, Rubin, Misket and Dimyat. Joined by celebrated young winemaker Nikolay Krastev, their style allows for all their wines to feel modern and elegant, revealing the beauty of native grapes alongside international varieties.