Producers in Bulgaria’s Yambol region are anticipating a sharp rise in the price of wine from this year’s harvest, predicting increases of 30 to 40 percent. The main driver, they say, is the reduced grape yield caused by extreme weather conditions.

Winery owner Georgi Chalakov explained to BNR that a combination of persistent drought and abrupt climate shifts in the spring severely affected the vineyards. “Our average yield normally ranges between 650 and 680 kilograms per hectare. This year, we are barely reaching half of that due to the spring frost, which hit us particularly hard,” he said.

Alongside the smaller harvest, producers are facing significantly higher production costs. Fuel, plant protection, labor, and other consumables have all risen by roughly 30 percent, a factor that will inevitably be reflected in the retail price of wine. Chalakov noted that when the grape yield is smaller, these fixed costs are spread across fewer grapes, amplifying the effect on final prices.

In addition to these challenges, shifts in climate and consumer preferences are influencing vineyard practices. Many winemakers are replacing traditional red grape varieties with new ones favored for white wines, reshaping both production and pricing in the region.