Let's go on a Spaswinefood adventure to Chateau Copsa, a wine chateau, just 60 km. from Plovdiv. Chateau Copsa is located in Bulgaria's Rose Valley Wine Region. The Rose Valley is the number one producer of rose oil in the world, plus wine is one of the valley's main industries. Moreover, the area is also known as the Valley of the Thracian Kings because of the tombs and other treasures found there. This mysterious society worshipped wine. While there have been many changes in the wine world since then follow me, as I discover what the wine scene looks today.
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| Sunrise, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
Bulgaria's Rose Valley
Rose Valley's Chateau Copsa is part of the rebirth of wine making in Bulgaria. This wine region, South of the Balkans has two sub-regions east and west. The Rose Valley Wine Region is known for its dry and off-dry white wines, and to a less extent red wines. The most popular wines include Muscatel, Riesling, Rkatsiteli, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Wine making in Bulgaria dates back to the Thracians, over 3,000 years ago. In the 1980's Bulgaria was one of the largest wine producers in the world. Following the collapse of communism wine production declined. As state run wineries were privatized and new wineries were established the rebirth Bulgarian wine making began. These days Bulgaria's wine industry is buzzing with excitement.
Enroute to Chateau Copsa we made a short stop in the small town Karlovo. Karlovo in Plovdiv Province is a picturesque town of historical significance. Part of this historical significance is that the first Thracian capital was located near there.
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| Autumn Day, Karlovo, Bulgaria © Spaswinefood |
It was a relaxing, pleasant sunny afternoon, just perfect for a walk through the center of Karlovo. It was warm and leaves were beginning to change, kittens were playing near an old church. Absolutely perfect for a stroll through town. After our walk we continued onto Chateau Copsa, the first winery on our Bulgarian wine country itinerary.
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| Karlovo Art © Spaswinefood |
Chateau Copsa: A Wine Country Retreat
We arrived mid-afternoon at Chateau Copsa, a family owned winery estate. Chateau Copsa sits on a small hill overlooking the Village of Moskovets. Built in 2005 the chateau's architecture is in the style of castle from the early Middle Ages. During our wine country retreat at Chateau Copsa I got a glimpse into enotourism in the Rose Valley.
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| Arriving at Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
Our stay began with a tour of the castle and the wine cellar. Next, we checked into our accommodations in the Chateau Copsa Complex.
When we toured the chateau I marveled at the efforts and details at creating this wine country retreat.
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| Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
Throughout the chateau there were musical instruments on display.
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| Time for Music, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
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| Music Display, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
Visitors can stay in the chateau, or the nearby building at the bottom of the hill. It was exciting to checkout the bedrooms in the chateau.
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| Round Bed, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
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| Chateau Copsa Bedroom © Spaswinefood |
During our stay at Chateau Copsa we stayed in building near the chateau.
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| Wi-Fi Time, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
The rooms are also beautifully decorated but probably do not have the views that the rooms in the chateau do. There is an elevator in the castle; so you do not have to bring your suitcase up and down the stairs.
Our chateau tour also included a visit to the wine cellar. There are tables in the cellar for wine tasting.
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| Wine Cellar, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
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| Cellar, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
While visiting the cellar I just happened to notice the wine barrels of course.
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Table, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood
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Throughout the chateau there were also decorations that would appeal to hunters.
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| Knife Display, Chateau Copsa Cellar © Spaswinefood |
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| Chateau Copsa Knife Display © Spaswinefood |
After our tour of the chateau we had time in the mean while to explore on our own before dinner. I took the time to have a relaxing massage but not, before exploring the vineyards.
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| Chateau Copsa Vineyards © Spaswinefood |
I discovered that there is a spa area at the resort. It was however, closed for the season when we visited.
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| Spa Area, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
Soon, it was time to head back to the castle for dinner. The castle was beautifully lit at night. There was also a full moon. What a perfect wine country evening it was shaping up to be.
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Chateau Copsa at Night © Spaswinefood
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As I walked up the stairs that evening I did get the feeling that I was entering a magical place.
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| Entering Chateau Copsa at Night © Spaswinefood |
When I reached the top of the stairs I entered the restaurant.
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| Welcome to Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
Dining at Chateau Copsa
As I walked through the door on the first level of the chateau I entered an inviting restaurant. The restaurant serves both Bulgarian and international cuisine. We dined there twice during our stay.
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Chateau Copsa Restaurant © Spaswinefood
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Our hosts had selected international cuisine for dine that evening. There was also a selection of Chateau Copsa wine made from five grape varieties (Muskat, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah), which was served during dinner.
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| Chateau Copsa Wine Tasting © Spaswinefood |
The wines that were served during dinner included:
1. Chateau Copsa, Zeyla Muskat 2014
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| Chateau Copsa, Zeyla Muskat 2014 © Spaswinefood |
2. Chateau Copsa, INE Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2014
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| Chateau Copsa, INE Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2014 © Spaswinefood |
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| Chateau Copsa, INE Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2014 (Back Label) © Spaswinefood |
Paired with the Chardonnay was a Grilled Pepper dish.
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| Chateau Copsa, Grilled Pepper © Spaswinefood |
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| Chateau Copsa, Grilled Pepper © Spaswinefood |
3. Chateau Copsa, Angelica Rosé 2014 (Cabernet Sauvignon was used to make the Rosé)
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| Chateau Copsa, Angelica Rose 2014 © Spaswinefood |
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| Chateau Copsa, Angelica Rose 2014 (Back Label) © Spaswinefood |
The rosé wine was served with Trout Amondine, or a vegetarian variation.
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| Trout Almondine, Chateau Copsa Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
4. Chateau Copsa, Stradivarius Rouge Selection 2012
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| Chateau Copsa, Stradivarius Rouge Selection 2012 © Spaswinefood |
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| Chateau Copsa, Stradivarius Rouge Selection 2012 (Back Label) © Spaswinefood |
The Stradivarius was served with a choice of Chicken with Prunes, or Grilled Vegetables.
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| Chicken with Prunes, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
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| Grilled Vegetables, Chateau Copsa Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
5. Chateau Copsa, Rosalza (Barrel Aged Grape Brandy)
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| Chateau Copsa, Rosalza (Barrel Aged Grape Brandy) © Spaswinefood |
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| Rosalza (Barrel Aged Grape Brandy) © Spaswinefood |
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| Chateau Copsa, Rosalza Moments © Spaswinefood |
Now for dessert there was an amazing fruit ice-cream.
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| Dessert, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
The pairing of Rosalza (Barrel Aged Grape Brandy) with the ice-cream was excellent.
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| Chateau Copsa, Rosalza (Barrel Aged Grape Brandy) © Spaswinefood |
It was indeed the most delightful dinner.
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| Chateau Copsa Wines © Spaswinefood |
I can imagine dining at Chateau Copsa by the fireplace during colder weather. The wines produced at Chateau Copsa are typical of the new era of Bulgarian winemakers who are establishing new trends in Bulgarian wine making.
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| Fireplace, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
Next morning I arose early. In fact, I was able to catch sunrise over the castle.
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| Early Morning, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
I could not resist capturing some of my only sunrise experience in the Rose Valley.
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| Early Morning View from Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
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| Sunrise View, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
As the sunrise gave way to the light of day I returned to the restaurant for breakfast.
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| Early Morning, Chateau Copsa Vineyards © Spaswinefood |
For breakfast we had more typical Bulgarian fare.
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| Breakfast, Chateau Copsa © Spaswinefood |
Overall dining at Chateau Copsa was delightful. You certainly will find it hard to beat the views from the panoramic terrace at the chateau's restaurant level .
Reflections on Chateau Copsa Stay
After breakfast we were off at 8:45 am. for the Struma Valley. It was definitely a very nice stay at Chateau Copsa and the wines we tasted were good. I could not help but think that the Rose Valley must be a beautiful place when the roses are blooming. However, I did notice some the roses at the end of the rows in Chateau Copsa's vineyard that were still blooming.
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Roses, Chateau Copsa Vineyard © Spaswinefood
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Rose bushes at the end of vineyard rows are planted not just for aesthetic reasons. Given that both roses and grape vines are susceptible to the same diseases roses are used in vineyards to indicate overall health of the grape vines.
Our visit to Chateau Copsa certainly gave me an overall impression that there are exciting things happening in this wine region. Nevertheless, I would need to visit more wineries in the Rose Valley to get a broader perspective of the overall wine scene. In particular, travels on the Rose Valley Wine Trail, should provide a rich enotourism experience. The Rose Valley must be a beautiful place when the roses are blooming.
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