Every year, the import of foreign wines to Bulgaria increases by almost double, with the greatest number of new products coming from Italy. As a country with a centuries-old wine tradition, Italy is unrivalled on the world market when it comes to the quality-price proportion.

At Wine Fair St George The Victorious, wine admirers in Bulgaria had the chance to taste and buy high-class wines from 12 different wine regions in Italy for the first time. The event took place in the garden of Grand Hotel Sofia from May 4 to 9.

"The event didn't have a commercial goal, but the purpose to increase awareness of wine in this country. As Bulgaria initiates the presentation of Bulgarian products in European Union countries, the production of our European partners deserves to be presented to the local market also," said Ivan Drashkov, head of VAYK Wines for Bulgaria.

In a stylish setting, select wines were presented from Italian wineries such as Castello Banfi, Gaja, Argiano, Blondi Santi, Corte Giara and others from geographical regions in Italy famous for their wine production.

On May 3, a news conference was held to mark the fair's opening. Docent Hristo Spasov from the wine and beverages technology department of the Plovdiv's University of Food Technologies along with VAYK Wine representatives discussed the development of vinting in Bulgaria and the country's wine market.

Each night of the fair was devoted to wineries and wines coming from different Italian regions. Visitors enjoyed wines from Sicilia, Toscana, Piedmont, Calabria, Sardinia and Veneto. Tanyo Shishkov, Bulgaria's sommelier of the year for 2006, assisted with the degustations, presenting the wines and Bulgarian, Balkan and European dishes that complemented their characteristics.

Among the special guests at Wine Fair St George The Victorious was Bulgaria's grand master Vesselin Topalov, a former world chess champion. He attended the evening devoted to the tasting of wines from Tuscany.

The wine fair's highlight was a public auction of selected collectable Bulgarian wines, a unique hand-woven carpet depicting St George by the young designer Izabella Bankova and an icon of St George The Victorious made by the artist Plamen Kapitanski, whose works are included in the collections of Queen Elizabeth II and Pope John Paul II.

Proceeds from the auction will be granted to Green House Association for its project Green House - Sitovo. The project provides for the reconstruction of an old building in the Rhodope village of Sitovo, turning it into an ecological creative arts and demonstration centre with craft shops and lodging. VAYK Wines donated to the auction a unique magnum (five litre bottle) Tuscany-region Brunello di Montalcino.

"The event was a success. I hope it to become annual and to see its further development," Drashkov said.