An expo of 200 elite Bulgarian wines from 37 winemakers and wine cellars is being held over the weekend in the capital Sofia.

The DiVino.Taste forum is organized under the patronage of Bulgaria's Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism and the Agriculture Ministry.

The wines are not for sale, just for tasting. Each maker is presenting up to 7 wines.

Economy and Energy Minister, Traicho Traikov, who visited DiVino.Taste Saturday, says that Bulgarian wines are fully competitive compared to any other European ones, but are yet to secure positions in the mid and high price segment both on the international and local market. He stressed that when a particular product is a symbol of higher living standards, its right positioning is key.

"There is a visible change in winemakers' understanding about the role of marketing, the image and high quality of Bulgarian wine. As a result, in the last few years, we have outstanding wines from many wine cellars, imposing on the market not just a variety and a geographic region, but their brand name," the Minister is quoted saying by the Bulgarian National Television, BNT.

According to Traikov, wine is also part of Bulgaria's tourism package and gives it diversification and image with foreign visitors being impressed by the quality of Bulgarian cuisine and wine, according to recent research.

The Minister points out that gourmet and wine tourism are among the most prospective forms of tourism for Bulgaria, especially when they are combined with other forms of specialized tourism such as SPA, golf, visits to historical sites, eco-tourism and others.

DiVino.Taste is a novel expo format for Bulgarian wine makers. It also includes master classes and lectures. It is held at the Military Club in downtown Sofia. Admission is BGN 12 and wine tasting is unlimited.

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