The legend tells a story of the St. Panteleymon monastery, high in the mountains of west
Bulgaria, where the monks used to make raspberry wine. The monastery was a very popular place for pilgrims, seeking enlightenment and the notorious raspberry wine. Today the monastery is gone and a stone cross stands proud to remind of the sacred place. Around its ruins we grow our plantation of 95ha organic raspberries. We have recovered the recipe and dedicated the last 19 years to organic farming and each year we carefully select the best fruits to produce this unique wine, that has a history of making and a memory of tradition amongst the Bulgarian people.
The legend tells a story of the St. Panteleymon monastery, high in the mountains of west Bulgaria, where the monks used to make raspberry wine. The monastery was a very popular place for pilgrims, seeking enlightenment and the notorious raspberry wine. Today the monastery is gone and a stone cross stands proud to remind of the sacred place. Around its ruins we grow our plantation of 95ha organic raspberries. We have recovered the recipe and dedicated the last 19 years to organic farming and each year we carefully select the best fruits to produce this unique wine, that has a history of making and a memory of tradition amongst the Bulgarian people.
Trastena is the first producer of organic fruit wine in Bulgaria. Having 14+ years experience in winemaking, the company is the leader of the segment with its famous wine made of “100% organic raspberry”, “Raspberry and Merlot” and “Raspberry Rose”. All wines are made from our own produce that we grow in our certified plantation in Stara Planina Mountain.
We are also the first ever Bulgarian wine to be certified as Vegan. We were first in many things and we are always the first thought that comes to mind when you ask a Bulgarian about raspberry wine.
For us, the real success of Trastena lies in the way we managed to impose an impossible product for the wine industry and develop it in a way that opened up a whole new segment in the wine trade. And despite everything, to remain leaders in our segment, watching as our imitation products one after another are withdrawn from the commercial network due to irregularities and prohibited ingredients.
In the interview shared below, we gain insights into the winery products with a fresh perspective on the values and qualities producer is looking for in the production journey.
1. How do you choose the designs for your wine labels?
Answer : We actually have changed our label design multiple times because we were searching for that ONE design. We finally found our true soul label in 2016, when after a contest we organized our memorable raspberry lips logo came to life. After that each of our labels are in the same vibe because we do, after all, produce a sexy wine.
2. Can you describe your winemaking process and the techniques you use to create your unique blends?
Answer : We accept and develop organic farming as our mission. Our products are a natural result of the
love and care we have put into nature for nine years. Trastena wines bring a real experience and a rich taste that makes our eyeballs spin at every first sip. With our wines, you can be free to experiment, be the center of attention and allow yourself the luxury of knowing exactly what you’re consuming.
3. Can you tell us about your signature wine and what sets it apart from other wines in your collection?
Answer : Our signature wine is Trastena Raspberry wine. It is made of 100% organic raspberries, hand- picked at our own plantation. The sort of berries we use is by far the world’s most aromatic one and we are proud to say that you can easily smell our wine even from a social distance of 2 meters.
4. Can you tell us about any awards or recognition your wines have received?
● Special Judge Award for “Best Food and Wine Pair”- Wine and Gourmet Festival Old Town Plovdiv 2015;
● 2nd place Award for “Best Food and Wine Pair”- Wine and Gourmet Festival Old Town Plovdiv 2016;
● “Best Package Design 2016” National Design and Advertising Association;
5. Can you talk about any initiatives or programs your winery is involved in to give back to the
community or support local causes?
● We were the first business in Eastern Europe which openly supported LGBTQ cause.
● We also support the women in business in Bulgaria with different collaborations.
● Trastena is a brand that bets on non-standard advertising and is behind the most successful entertainment events in 2018 and 2019. For example, the new vintage of the brand was celebrated with a noisy party with masks and costumes, which gathered many musical artists and over 1600 people in a large factory. specially decorated for the purpose.
● On March 8, 2019, to celebrate International Women’s Day, Trastena organized the first of its kind all-female comedy performance, which managed to sell out Hall 1 of the National Palace of Culture (one of the biggest event centers in Bulgaria) for only 20 days.
6. Can you talk about your future plans and goals for your winery and wine brand?
● At the end of 2022 we opened our own winery and now we can not only produce more of our already amazing wine, but can experiment and deliver even more awesome tastes. Our main goal is to never stop making wine that our clients fall in love with over and over again.
● At the beginning of this year we launched a phenomenal cherry wine which turned out to be an even greater hit than we could possibly imagine and it was sold out in less than a month.
● Our plan until the end of Q1 is to release 2 more wine tastes.
This company has recently been awarded Gold Medal Award by JAPAN Awards 2023 competition:
Trastena Raspberry Wine
Awarded Gold by Business News Japan
Company Details :
Trastena Wines Bulgaria
Sofia, Totleben Blvd. 34 Floor 2
office@trastena.com
+359885888566