2022 Libera Estate - Keratsuda Thracian Valley Orange (750ml)

Libera Estate is a Bulgarian winery founded in 2013 with a mission to showcase the country's indigenous grape varieties in a modern style. Its vineyards, spread across the villages of Hotovo, Lozenitsa, and Zornitsa in the Struma Valley, cover roughly one hundred acres and are tended by a small local team focused on careful, low-intervention farming.

This orange wine is made from one hundred percent Keratsuda, a white variety native to the region and rarely found outside it. The old vines, around twenty-five years of age, benefit from a warm, near-Mediterranean climate that helps the grapes ripen fully while retaining acidity. Winemaking follows a traditional orange wine method, with the juice left on its skins for an extended period of around forty-five to fifty days before pressing. The wine sees no oak and is left unfiltered before bottling, preserving its natural texture and character.

The result is a dark gold wine with amber highlights, showing aromas of ripe pear, apricot, and white flowers alongside subtle citrus and spice. The extended skin contact lends noticeable, well-integrated tannin, balanced by a fresh, lively acidity that keeps the palate from feeling heavy. Medium-bodied with good length, it pairs nicely with richer fish dishes, roasted shellfish, or a well-stocked charcuterie board.