Just Drinks

Bulgaria’s Chateau Burgozone looks to new markets amid US uncertainty

The group, based on the banks of the Danube river in Bulgaria, is looking to expand to new regions and countries such as Brazil in South America and Africa.

Chateau Burgozone is looking to expand its presence to new global regions as the Bulgarian wine maker faces uncertainty in the US.

Speaking to Just Drinks at the London Wine Fair last week, the winery's co-owner Emy Marinova said the business was looking to enter new markets "especially with the insecurity around the American market now, and we are looking to find alternative markets in case... we lose positions".

The group, based on the banks of the Danube river in Bulgaria, is looking at new markets such as Brazil and Africa.

When asked why the group wanted to head to those countries and regions, Marinova said "they are more open minded to wine" and that "origin is not so important [as] the quality".

The family-owned business specialises in white wines, producing a mixture of international and more local grape varieties, such as Tamyanka and Gamza.

Marinova added the group's wines were still being sold in the US but they’re coming from inventories before President Donald Trump imposed tariffs.

"It was a little bit frustrating because all this happened just before ProWein, which is the big wine exhibition, and we saw the effect. There were no American buyers at this exhibition," she said. "We also see that many buyers now are on standby."

Chateau Burgozone is sold in over 20 markets worldwide and has been exporting for 15 years, said Marinova.

It's largest market is Belgium, followed by other Benelux countries like the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

It also has presence in Asia such as Japan, China, Singapore and Malaysia, among other markets.

As part of its strategy, Chateau Burgozone is also looking to introduce more of its local grape varieties into markets where it's already well established.

"First, we start with a blend where we would introduce Cabernet Gamza, and then say, 'now let's try this Gamza [by itself]', which is a Bulgarian grape variety," said Marinova.

"This [is our] objective at the end, to position ourselves into what is differentiating us from the others with our local grapes. But this takes time."