Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/288975
36 / the tasting panel / april 2014 AL » Alliance Beverage of Alabama AK » Young's Market AR » Glazer's AZ » Alliance Beverage of Arizona CA » Young's Market CO » Beverage Distributors Company CT » Eder Bros. CT » Alan S. Goodman DC » Washington Wholesale DE » United Distributors of Delaware FL » RNDC GA » General Wholesale HI » Young's Market ID » Young's Market IL » Wirtz Beverage Company IN » Glazer's IA » Glazer's KS » Glazer's KY » RNDC LA » Glazer's ME » MS Walker MD » Reliable Churchill MA » MS Walker MI » Great Lakes Wines & Spirits MN » Wirtz Beverage Company MS » Glazer's MO » Glazer's MT » Young's Market NE » RNDC NV » Wirtz Beverage Company NH » MS Walker NJ » Fedway Associates NM » National Distributing Company NY » Empire Merchants NY » Empire Merchants North NC » RNDC ND » RNDC OH » Glazer's OK » Glazer's OR » Young's Market PA » Capital Wines & Spirits RI » MS Walker SC » RNDC SD » RNDC TN » Athens Distributing Company TN » B & T Distributing Company TX » Glazer's UT » Young's Market VT » MS Walker VA » Associated Distributors WA » Young's Market WV » RNDC WI » Badger Liquor WI » Frank Liquor WY » Young's Market USVI » Premier Wines & Spirits CANADA » Glazer's of Canada INSPIRED BY THE ISLAND LIFE OF MULTIPLATINUM SINGER-SONGWRITER KENNY CHESNEY PILE UP 2 oz. Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum 5 raspberries 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice splash of simple syrup splash of ginger ale DIRECTIONS: Shake all ingredients (except for ginger ale) in a cocktail shaker. Strain over ice into a rocks glass. Top o with the ginger ale. Garnish with a lime wheel and raspberries—what else? Imported and bottled by Fishbowl Spirits, Rochester, NY. Blue Chair Bay White Rum, 40% ABV, Blue Chair Bay Coconut and Coconut Spiced Rum, 26.5% ABV. L ike their counterparts in other Eastern European nations, Bulgarian winemakers, partner of the European program "European Wine Treasures," are working diligently to carve a niche for themselves. They're accom- plishing this with the proposition that they offer trade and consumers the best of Old World winemaking traditions and a New World outlook, appealing to a generation of wine drinkers who think outside the bottle when choosing wines that are new to them. For this reason Bulgarian wine producers, under the European Wine Treasures campaign, participate this month at the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) Expo in Las Vegas, as well as staging a tasting event in New York City. Several wines will also be submitted into wine competi- tions and professional tasting events. As representatives of Bulgaria's National Vine and Wine Chamber (NVWC, established in 2000) see it, tasting is believing. "We are a non-governmental association of all profes- sionals engaged in vine-growing and wine-making in Bulgaria," explains Radoslav Radev, a chairman of the NVWC on behalf of the organization. "It was established to defend and promote the professional interests of our members as well as the qual ity, authenticity and origin of Bulgaria's wines. We define the strategies for the development of vine growing and winemaking, as well as im plement policies in our industry." A Long History Wine production in South Europe, including Bulgaria, dates back 3,000 years and can be traced to the Thracians, whose civilization co-existed with ancient Greece. Oenoculture in the region thrived through the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages. Historical records indicate that wineries of varying qualities existed. Gofais de Villardouainne, a participant in the Fourth Crusade in 1205, was said to have spared the area of Asenovgrad because he loved their local quality wines. Records from Italian sources in 1366 note that the Count Amadeus of Savoy, after conquer- ing Nessubur, acquired the quality wineries in the area. The first creators of standards within the Bulgarian wine industry can be traced to the monasteries. The wine industry saw a revival in the 1920s and 1930s, and by the 1980s Bulgaria was the world's second-largest wine producer. Although the reform period during the 1990s halted progress, today, wine production is growing again, with products worthy of an international audience. The NVWC itself traces the initial success of Bulgarian wines stateside to 1970, when the wine studies depart- ment at the University of California Davis supported their promotional endeavors. Reaching American Buyers "For American buyers and consumers new to Bulgarian wines, the fact that Bulgaria is on the European continent is reassuring," says Radev. "While Bulgaria is not a major travel destination for U.S. customers, people attending our booths at trade shows or at tasting events are interested to learn more about Bulgaria. However, one of our challenges is to get past their desire to connect our country with something or someone famous or familiar." Radev goes on to explain that to help trade and consumers familiarize themselves with Bulgaria's potential and high-qual- ity products, they draw parallels in their presentations with regions in France or Italy that the taster is already familiar with (such as Bordeaux- or Loire-style wines). They also have a Brand Ambassador on hand to answer questions and discuss the history and future of Bulgarian winemaking. Ripe in History, Tradition and Possibilities BLENDING HISTORIC VITICULTURE, NEW WORLD WINEMAKING TECHNIQUES AND FASCINATING GRAPES TO DISCOVER! by Elyse Glickman A winery on the very banks of the Danube River. CAMPAIGN FINANCED WITH AID FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION, GREECE AND THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA TP0414_034-71.indd 36 3/24/14 10:16 AM