Bulgaria - Eastern Europe - page 93

Moments

Drinking Wine with “Six Fingers” Manolev

Ironically, given how famous the region is for its red wines, there is no wine
shop dedicated to promoting a selection of the winemakers in the village,
nor is it possible to arrange a wine tasting (as an individual at any rate) with
the region's best cellar— Damianitza Cellar (www.melnikwine.bg)—which
caters only to groups. If you're not a wine snob, there is, however, a delight-
ful wine-tasting experience to be had in a 250-year-old cave cellar overlook-
ing the village. As you leave Kerdopulova Kushta, take the high path that
curves along the hill in the direction of town to find Mitko Manolev
( & 0887 545 795 ), aka “six fingers,” brooding over his barrels. He will offer
you a tasting of his wines direct from the barrel (1lev/65¢/35p), all the while
ranting about how the E.U. regulations will be the ruin of independent
winemakers. Mitko will bottle your wine of choice (two types of red, both
not dissimilar to grape juice, made with no preservatives and slightly
sparkling, rather good when served ice cold). It may not be entirely to your
liking but worth purchasing all the same, if only to watch him personally fill,
cork, and label it right in front of you—the most personally handled bottle
of wine you're likely to purchase anywhere.

happens. Ironic, given how often the monastery has been pillaged since it was founded
by Alexius Slav in 1220. Within the small courtyard, which is surrounded by a two-
story structure in timber, is the Church of the Birth of the Holy Virgin. Like Rila, it
attracts pilgrims seeking miraculous answers to their prayers all the while educating the
illiterate on just how terrifying the wages of sin are, with a florid mural depicting
demons tossing those sinners trying to flee into the gaping mouth of the Serpent.
While Rozhen is one of the smallest of Bulgaria's monasteries, it is in relatively good
condition, with well-tended gardens and orchards—proof of how loved it is by the
monks. There is a strong sense here that this is very much a living monastery into which
you are intruding as a tourist rather than a pilgrim, so be sensitive to noise levels. Also
note that it is strictly forbidden to photograph the monks or the inside of the church.
7km (4 1 ⁄ 3 miles) by road from Melnik, via Karlanovo. Free admission. Daily dawn-dusk.
BANSKO
150km (93 miles) from Sofia
Sprawling at the base of the Pirin, Bansko is Bulgaria's fastest growing winter resort,
with a cumulative 65km of marked ski runs and brand-new lifts to ensure that the
resort continues to attract the lion's share of foreigners keen to experience conditions
on the slopes of “Bulgaria's Alps.” Besides the range of runs—ideal for a group com-
prising beginners, intermediate, and experienced skiers—Bansko is also the only Bul-
garian ski resort that is centered around a historic old quarter—a tangle of cobbled
streets lined with thick stone walls and metal-studded gates behind which half-tim-
bered double-story homes can be glimpsed. Many of these are now atmospheric
mehanas, their windows aglow with crackling fires in winter and the sound of lilting
traditional songs wafting out along with the delicious aroma of Bulgarian fare, served