Bulgaria's wine regions: the five viticulture districts in the law
Bulgaria's Wine and Spirits Act (Закон за виното и спиртните напитки) names five viticulture districts: the Danube Plain, the Black Sea, the Rose Valley, the Thracian Lowland and the Struma Valley. This page reports only what the law text says; grape varieties and tourist routes are outside it.
Culture and language · Last reviewed: 2026-10-08
The five districts in the law
| Position in the law | District name |
|---|---|
| Northern viticulture district | Danube Plain (Дунавска равнина) |
| Eastern viticulture district | Black Sea (Черноморски) |
| Sub-Balkan (Подбалкански) viticulture district | Rose Valley (Розова долина) |
| Southern viticulture district | Thracian Lowland (Тракийска низина) |
| Southwestern viticulture district | Struma Valley (Долината на Струма) |
The law also groups the five districts into two viticulture zones: the northern, eastern and sub-Balkan districts fall in one, and the southern and southwestern districts in the other.
What a viticulture district means
Under item 54 a 'лозарски район' is a set of territories with homogeneous and specific natural conditions, with plantings of characteristic variety composition and growing technology, and with established viticulture and winemaking traditions. This is the law's own term, not a tourism classification.
Local wine grape variety
Item 57 defines a 'local wine grape variety' as vines that have a primary local origin from the wild vine through natural selection and are grown only in Bulgaria. The law does not list at this point which varieties meet the definition.
Scope and currency
Frequently asked questions
How many wine regions does Bulgaria have?
The law names five viticulture districts: the Danube Plain, the Black Sea, the Rose Valley, the Thracian Lowland and the Struma Valley.
What is a local grape variety?
Under the law, a vine variety with a primary local origin from the wild vine through natural selection, grown only in Bulgaria.
Sources
The information on this page is based on the official sources listed below. Legislation changes — open the links and verify the current position.
- Закон за виното и спиртните напитки — допълнителни разпоредби, т. 50, 51, 54 и 57 (lex.bg, 8 Ekim 2026'da okunan birleştirilmiş metin) — https://lex.bg/laws/ldoc/2135798102 · 2026-10-08
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