Before Retirement, Vance Petrunoff Was Selling Bulgarian Wines from Sonoma, CA

Bulgarian Wines Offer Quality, Value and History to Changing Wine Market (Sonoma, Calif.) VINI, the leading Bulgarian wine brand sold in America has released an outstanding Sauvignon Blanc to its portfolio of premium wines. The astounding popularity of the VINI brand represents the continuing trend toward superb value-priced wines from Bulgaria. VINI is produced by Sonoma-based Bulgarian Master Vintners, America’s leading importer of Bulgarian wines. VINI’s Sauvignon Blanc is produced and bottled in Bulgaria from the best vineyards in the historic Thracian Valley. The Thracian Valley has a rich history as a premium wine producing region dating back to 1,000 B.C. In fact, some of the oldest grape seeds and wine goblets known to man were recovered from Thracian tombs in this region. The warm climate of the Thracian Valley is ideally suited to Sauvignon Blanc, a varietal that is emerging as one of Bulgaria’s most respected wines. VINI produces Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvign...

-WINE ENTHUSIAST Dear Vance, Congratulations! The following wine has been selected as one of Wine Enthusiast Magazine Top 100 Best Buy Wines for 2009! Wine Enthusiast Magazine will publish the rank, rating and review in the November issue, (on-sale October 7) and we will also publish the results on November 1st on-line at www.winemag.com Rank:82 Score:87 VINI 2006, Merlot Thracian Valley, Bulgaria $8, Bulgarian Master Vintners Thank you for your consideration and Congratulations on making this year’s Top 100 Best Buy List! Cheers! Denise Valenza

Chardonnay is vinified many ways, including without oak, which seems to be a growing trend. Without the influence of new oak, the fruit takes center stage. A good unoaked Chardonnay has expressive fruit and zippy acidity - traits of a good food wine. The most classic example is Chardonnay from Chablis in northern Burgundy in France, which is traditionally fermented in all stainless steel or in combination with used or neutral oak. Not fermenting or aging in oak means none of the butter, vanilla and toast character that many people associate with California Chardonnay. Even so, winemakers still use other techniques such as time on the lees, which adds a creamy texture, and malolactic fermentation, which softens the wine's acidity. Judicious use of oak can add much to a wine, but if you want one without, look for terms on the label like "unwooded," "inox" or "acero," which is Spanish for steel. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/16/...

Sofia reborn as a cultural crossroads - The Boston Globe Posted using ShareThis

Program Day 1: Flight London, Manchester or Dublin – Sofia Arrival at Sofia airport, where a representative of Profi Tours will wait for you and will accommodate you in a hotel. Sofia sightseeing tour. Dinner and overnight in a hotel in Sofia. Day 2 - Bessa Valley: Sofia – Pazardhzik (at about 100 кm.) Wine tasting in “Besa Vali” wine-cellar. Afternoon travel to Starosel (at about 60 кm.). Wine tasting and lunch in Starosel. Sightseeing of the ancient Thracian temple. Dinner and overnight in Starosel. Day 3 - Villa Vinifera: Travelling to the village of Brestovitsa (at about 60 кm). Wine tasting and lunch in “Vila Vinefera” . Travelling to Plovdiv. ( at about 25 km) Dinner and overnight in Plovdiv. Day 4: Travelling from Plovdiv to Asenovgrad (at about 25 km) Sightseeing of the wine factory and wine tasting. Sightseeing of the Bachkovo monastery and the Asenova fortress. Dinner and overnight in Plovdiv. Day 5: Sightseeing of Plovdiv, the old city and visit to the Ethnographic museum. L...

VINI 2008 Sauvignon Blanc from Thracian Valley is now available in the US, cheers!

August 3, 2009 Rebecca Gibb The European Union's new wine regulations have come into force, ushering in a new era for the European wine industry. The hotly-debated plans - agreed by agriculture ministers in December 2007 - aim to modernize the European wine trade and improve its competitiveness in the face of a growing challenge from the New World. The reform will also bring in new simpler labeling laws. From August 1, all wine labels are now allowed to mention grape variety and vintage on the label. The French AOC becomes AOP (Appellation d'Origin Protegée) and the equivalent of vin de pays wines will now be known as IGPs (Indication Geographique Protegée). Mariann Fischer Boel, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, said: 'Member States and producers have a great opportunity to make the best use of the new wine regime to build on Europe's international reputation for excellence. I truly believe this marks a turning point in our wine sector's ...

We have to share the good moments in life, so today's gift was that my daughter Anika, my son Troy and I had the luck to stumble on a very fine young jazz vocalist and composer Kathleen Grace and her band. http://www.myspace.com/kathleengrace