At 10 or 15 kilometres west of Karnobat, near the Burgas-Sofia road, you can see the Minkov Brothers Wine Cellar rising neatly on a hill surrounded by vineyards. Its architecture pleases the eye at first sight – an elegant retro style balanced out by some modern elements implying the comfort and discreet luxury inside.
The wine cellar is located exactly where the oldest, best vineyards used to be grown in the Karnobat area. It revives the glory of the famous winemakers, the Minkov Brothers, who, in late 19th century, won Bulgaria the then most prestigious international award from a wine fair. A long time ago, in 1875, devoted to their greatest passion, winemaking, Ivan, Vasil and Nikifor Minkov found a wine cellar in the trade-and-craft centre of the town of Karnobat – the Church Quarter. The brothers’ exceptional wines and the Karnobat area winemaking traditions led to great success. The gold medal from the Brussels Wine Fair of 1894 was followed by awards from the elite London Wine Competition and the Plovdiv International Fair. A century later, the restored Minkov Brothers Wine Cellar is again the winner of prestigious international and national awards.
The wine has two museum areas – one is devoted to the winemaking family and features authentic possessions of the Minkov brothers, and the other one tells the millenary history of winemaking in this region.
Guests have the opportunity to trace the whole winemaking cycle – from harvesting to ageing in oak barrels in the underground tunnels. They can enjoy their favourite wines by the fireplace, among the barrels, or up on the tower where a splendid view opens up.
The combination of high-quality wines, picturesque scenery, comfort and selected dishes matching the characteristics of the different wines make the visitors’ stay memorable and inspire a feeling of elegance and style.