🥃 Grape Rakia from Targovishte (Grozdova rakya ot Targovishte)
Bulgarian wine spirit with an EU GI from Targovishte Province: Hungarian oak barrels and mineral water from the Boaza spring.
Grape Rakia from Targovishte (Гроздова ракия от Търговище) is an EU-protected geographical indication for a Bulgarian wine spirit from Targovishte Province in the eastern Danube Plain. The spirit matures in barrels of Hungarian oak (Quercus frainetto) and is diluted with softened mineral water from the Boaza spring; it is pale yellow with a vanilla aroma, strength from 40% vol.
The vineyards lie in Targovishte Municipality, on the lands of six villages: Kralevo, Dalgach, Ovcharovo, Pevets, Strazha and Ruets. The terrain is hilly, 200–520 m above sea level, the climate temperate continental with a maritime influence, and the average annual temperature about 10.7 °C. The soils are sandy-loam chernozems and grey forest soils. Nine white varieties are permitted, among them Chardonnay, Rkatsiteli, Muscat Ottonel and Tamyanka, plus two red ones, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pamid.
The mash macerates for 4–12 hours, and the clarified must ferments for about 20 days at 14–18 °C. The wine is distilled once or twice in a Bulgarian K-5 column to 65% vol.; the spirit matures in oak barrels and goes into the blend. Volatile substances are 267–365 g/hl of absolute alcohol, methanol no more than 120 g/hl. The Boaza spring lies 8 km south-west of Targovishte.
The name was approved by Order No. T-RD-27-13 of 27 November 2013; the EU application was filed on 7 January 2014. The specification was published on 5 September 2017, and Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/1850 of 21 November 2018 registered the GI, correcting an error in the spelling of the name.
Why it matters for you. Unlike most Bulgarian rakia GIs, the barrels here are made not of Strandzha oak but of Hungarian oak. Look for the full name on the label. WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | EU GI PGI-BG-01864; Regulation (EU) 2018/1850 of 21.11.2018 |
|---|---|
| Raw material | wine of 9 white and 2 red varieties of Targovishte Municipality |
| Distillation method | one or two distillations in a K-5 column, to 65% vol. |
| Cask type | Hungarian oak (Quercus frainetto) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | from 40% vol. |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Grape Rakia from Targovishte (Grozdova rakya ot Targovishte) → kind of → 🍇 Grape brandies → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation, ⚗️ How spirits are made
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🍇 Muscat Ottonel, 🧪 Water
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape brandies, 🥃 Grape rakia
- Related to
- 📜 Targovishte, 🗺️ Bulgarian wine
Frequently asked questions
What is Grape Rakia from Targovishte?
A Bulgarian wine spirit with a protected EU geographical indication from Targovishte Province. It is pale yellow, with a vanilla aroma and a strength from 40% vol.
Is it true that all Bulgarian GI rakias are aged in Strandzha oak?
No. For the rakia from Targovishte, the technical file specifies barrels of Hungarian oak (Quercus frainetto), not Strandzha oak.
What water is used for dilution?
Softened mineral water from the Boaza spring, 8 km south-west of Targovishte. According to the technical file, it also affects the taste.
How is it distilled?
Once or twice in a Bulgarian K-5 rectification column to 65% vol. Before that, the must ferments for about 20 days at 14–18 °C.
When was the name registered in the EU?
By Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/1850 of 21 November 2018; the application was filed on 7 January 2014, and the specification was published on 5 September 2017.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation — Yeast eats the sugar in the must and releases alcohol and carbon dioxide.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- ⚗️ How spirits are made — Fermentation, distillation (below 96% vol.), oak ageing, blending and dilution with water: five steps from grain or fruit to bottle.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Karnobat Grape Rakia (Karnobatska grozdova rakya) · 🥃 Straldzha Muscat Rakia (Straldjanska Muscatova rakya) · 🥃 Suhindol Grape Rakia (Suhindolska grozdova rakya) · 🥃 Slivenska Perla (Sliven grape rakia) · 🥃 Sungurlare Grape Rakia (Sungurlarska grozdova rakya) · 🥃 Burgas Muscat Rakia (Bourgaska Muscatova rakya)
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/1850 of 21.11.2018 registering «Гроздова ракия от Търговище/Grozdova rakya ot Targovishte» (GI), Annex: corrected main specifications of the technical file (OJ L 302, 28.11.2018)
- OJ C 294, 05.09.2017, p. 15: publication of the application (main specifications of the technical file), CELEX 52017XC0905(03)
- eAmbrosia (EU register of GIs): Гроздова ракия от Търговище / Grozdova rakya ot Targovishte, PGI-BG-01864 (EUGI00000015420), EU protection 07.01.2014 (registered by Reg. (EU) 2018/1850)
- Bulgaria: Wine and Spirit Drinks Act (Закон за виното и спиртните напитки), State Gazette No 45 of 15.06.2012, Art. 123 (grape rakia), Section VII of Chapter Nine (GI procedure) — as quoted in the technical files
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks, Annex I, category 4 «Wine spirit» (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)