From our friends at Grapes & Barley, LLC...
Robert Hayk, founder of Grapes & Barley, LLC, a direct importer and distributor of fine wines from Bulgaria and other undiscovered appellations from emerging markets, is pleased to host a walk-around industry tasting of Bulgarian wines on Thursday, October 8th. This event will be held at Chef Geoff’s Downtown and is by exclusive and by invitation only. Sommeliers, wine buyers and interested members of the press will have an opportunity to sample a variety of wines from several of Bulgaria’s leading wine producers. Wines from Bulgariana, K Cellars, Telish, Miroglio, Burgozone, Logodaj, Melnik, Asenovgrad along with additional Bulgarian wines will be featured.
WHEN: Thursday, October 8, 2015 from 6 PM to 9 PM.
WHERE: Chef Geoff’s Downtown is located at 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (between E and F Streets) Washington, DC, 20004; (202) 464-4461. The restaurant is located three blocks from the Metro Center Metro Station accessible on the Blue, Orange, Silver and Red lines, and three blocks from the Federal Triangle Metro Station accessible on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines.
WHY: Bulgaria is a Balkan nation with diverse terrain encompassing the Black Sea coastline, rivers, including the Danube, and a mountainous interior. The country has a long history of grape growing and wine production, dating back to the times of Alexander the Great. Its rich fertile valley was occupied by the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines, and the Ottomans for a period of more than 2,000 years; one of the reasons so many empires coveted this territory was the quality and quantity of the wines it produced.
Wines from this region represent great quality and value and have earned many awards and accolades, including for example, the following scores in Wine Enthusiast Rating 2014: Bulgariana 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah 90-point “Best Buy”; Bulgariana 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon 89-point “Best Buy” and also came in at #29 on the Wine Enthusiast top 100 Wines of 2014.
The valleys of Thrace, as well as certain other sub-regions in Bulgaria, have developed some unique grape varietals, such as Mavrud and Melnik, which trace their origins to 3,000 years ago; the wines made from these varietals, were praised in Homer’s immortal Iliad. While the names are new to many American consumers, the wines made from these local varietals either by themselves or in blends with grape types which are better known to current day wine enthusiasts make for some very intriguing, unique, and truly delicious wines.
About Grapes & Barley, LLC:
Founded in June 2011 by Robert Hayk, Grapes & Barley LLC is a direct importer and distributor of fine wines from Bulgaria and other undiscovered appellations from emerging markets. The company contracts with family-owned and operated wineries to produce wines under their proprietary labels (e.g., Bulgariana, K Cellars) as well as to import wine under their partners’ labels.
Grapes & Barley focuses on the premium segment of the wine market ($9-15 at retail) with an emphasis on quality and value. It works closely with producers to ensure a unique, quality product and competitive pricing.
When it comes to selecting wines for their portfolio or the partners they work with, the company avoids big names and brands and champions the “little guy” of the industry. The long-term goals are to support and help promote conscientious, biodynamic, and sustainable farming practices.
Grapes & Barley works with its channel partners to build awareness of Bulgaria’s reputation as a region for quality wines of exceptional value. The company welcomes American wine drinkers that are adventurous and open to new and unique, quality wines from around the globe.
For more details, please visit: http://www.gandbimporters.com.
