RARE GRAPE VARIETAL RESOURCE

The bunch of Zarchin grape is cylindrical, with a keel, of average size (14.6/8.8 cm). The grapes are almost spherical, slightly compressed, 13.6/13.8 in diameter. The skin is dark blue, thick, elastic, with thick wax cover, with large spots. The grapes are juicy-flashy, with pungent taste.

Zarchin is a late-ripening red wine variety. The grapes ripen in late September, early October. The wines are robust with good level of fruity. The sugar content is 20-21% and acidity around 5.5-6.5 g/dm3 . The variety is suitable for dry red wines with wine-red to dark red colour and good density. The taste is strongly pungent with specific aroma. Aging improves the quality of wines.

Zarchin has originated in the valley of Timok river, the cross-border area between Bulgaria and Serbia and it has been cultivated in Bulgaria since ancient times, mainly in North-Western Bulgaria, Vratsa and Montana districts but today is not quite popular in the country.

After 1980 the plantations with this variety have progressively decreased.

(Courtesy of Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity – Ark of Taste) https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/zarchin-grape/

Widespread

(Autoctovino has yet to record a producer that cultivates and bottles the wine as a mono varietal)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Help us populate this website. Whatever verifiable information you could provide re: this varietal or others (story pertaining to the varietal, description, producer, importer etc...) would be appreciated. See Contact page or email please

Produces good yields with high sugar. Copes well with poor soils, winter temperatures.