History, Wine and Lavender Aroma Tasting - Summer Sea Adventure at DiVes Estate
Located on Simeonova Mogila near the Black Sea coast just 12 km north of Pomorie and very close to the town of Aheloy and Nessebar, DiVes Estate wine cellar attracts visitors from all over the world, combining history, wine and aroma tastings. А spectacular view of the entire Pomorie Bay presents itself from the hill including the salt pans, the protected area of Pomorie Lake, the mouth of the river and, of course, the vineyards of Dives.
The winery has 41 acres of its own vineyards where 5 wine grape varieties are carefully grown: Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, Pamid, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Thanks to the moderately hot summer and long autumn the grapes ripen superbly. The warm sun, the salty sea and the constant sea breeze are an integral part of the terroir.
The winery integrates modern technologies which help the work of the experienced team of technologists and technician-winemakers. The team shows 100% commitment by taking care of every detail to create their wines with a lot of love but also to convey this love to their visitors during the cellar tour and the tasting in their tasting room.
The winery is open year-round for visits although it has to be said that the summer season on the Southern Black Sea coast is the perfect time to give (yourself) the gift of such a wine escape.
During the period May – September tastings are offered every day in 4 languages: Bulgarian, English, German and Russian. Following that between October and April the winery offers tastings and tours within the working hours of the team – Monday to Friday until 4 pm in Bulgarian and English.
DiVes Winery offers three options that can turn your vacation into a real pleasure:
Historical tour
The winery is located on a historic hill, Simeonova Mogila, linked to one of the most epic battles in our history: the Battle by the Acheloi River on August 20, 917.
King Simeon the Great led the battle precisely from the place where the winery is located, which is why the area is called “Simeononova Mogila” (translates to “Simeon’s Mound”). Led by an experienced guide, visitors can learn about the history of the battle and the Eye of the Victor monument.
Aroma tasting of lavender
The winery offers a unique chance to immerse yourself in the world of 5 varieties of high-quality Bulgarian lavender and to enjoy the pure and delicate aromas unique to each variety, through a special technique. This attraction undoubtedly excites the senses of guests during the months of June, July and early August and enriches their knowledge of the plant and its origins. The amazing pictures of the lavender terraces against the sea background complete the experience.
Wine tour – wine tasting
For almost 10 years the winery has been developing its Wine and Historical Tour and has established itself as a preferred destination for wine visits in the Nessebar and Sunny Beach region. During the tour visitors can learn how to appreciate wine paired with selected foods, following the Food&Wine Pairing concept.
SPECIAL WINE & HISTORICAL TOUR and LAVENDER AROMA TASTING – a combination of different experiences that only DiVes Winery offers in Bulgaria:
- Historical and wine tour of the winery
- Tasting of 6 medalist wines with snacks, 2 of which from the Special Selection
- Aroma tasting of 5 varieties of high-quality Bulgarian lavender
The terraces around the winery are home to around 10,000 organically grown plants. The climatic conditions this spring favour the earlier blooming of lavender and those more curious can give (themselves) this aroma experience as early as the end of May. The tours are led by a guide who reveals details about the lavender plant, the type and size of the tufts of the different varieties, the colour of the corolla, the yield, the benefits of using the oil, its different applications and of course the most exciting part – the evaluation of the aroma.
It is this exact wine offer that we have included in our online shop for wine experiences in Bulgaria.
Evidence of the quality of their wines are the medals and positions they win in important wine events in Bulgaria.
Two of their wines (Merlot Barrique 2020 Special Selection and Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Aged in Oak Barrels) were awarded gold medals in the competition with a long tradition – Vinaria in Plovdiv.
In the ranking of DiVino TOP 50 – the 50 best wines for 2023, their wines also ranked high. Among them are Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot Barrick 2019 Grand Reserva, winner of a silver medal from MUNDUS VINI 2023 and a gold medal from Vinaria 2023, and Sweet Muscat which were honoured as part of the best wines in Bulgaria during the ceremony on February 24th in Toplocentrala, Sofia. Our team had the pleasure of presenting this award.
The sweet dessert wine deservedly became the winner in the category for the best dessert wine for 2023 and last year it also received a Gold Medal from Vinaria 2023.
The success of the winery has expanded beyond the borders of Bulgaria ever since the creation of the cellar and its first harvests and in 2023 the winery was awarded a total of 9 medals:
- 1 gold and 2 silver medals from MUNDUS VINI
- 1 silver medal from the Decanter World Wine Awards
- 2 gold medals from the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles
- 1 silver medal Concours Mondial du Sauvignon
- 2 gold medals from the Winery
Each award inspires the team at DiVes Winery to continue putting in a lot of love and effort into winemaking.