We were in Sarafovo, a neighbourhood of Burgas, Bulgaria, and in the local shop they had just delivered fresh mussels from a farm on the southern seaside. Somehow, it always happen to us to eat mussels with tamianka in April and May (last year we did the same thing, but in the North). So, we seasoned the mussels with Tamianka and put them to boil. We always cook with the wine we have picked for dinner.
Tamianka – is it Bulgarian variety?
To be honest, I have no idea. While waiting for the dinner, we try to find out. It seems that this grapes originate from the Middle East. Firth they were grown in Greece, then brought to France (Mouscat Blanc). In Wikipedia there is nothing about Bulgaria. But we are used to consider it a local variety because it was very popular and widely grown in the past in Bulgaria. Then it is a bit forgotten but now lives a kind of renaissance in Bulgaria. The tamianka variety makes fine and elegant white wines, very aromatic. We suggest you consume them chilled. Tamianka wines pair perfectly with sushi, seafood, pasta and fresh salads.
Tamianka 2019 by Villa Bassarea
That evening we had prepared a bottle of Tamianka from Villa Bassarea, Bulgaria, vintage 2019. Villa Bassarea is a well-known wine cellar to us and we follow closely their tamianka vintages. Each year we love the tamianka more and more and the most recent one is just amazing. The colour is lemon yellow and sparkling. The aromas immediately grab you and fill the whole room with notes of lime, fresh rosemary, green pepper and fresh flowers. The wine is medium-bodied, tastes of pear and lemon, with middle final.
| Wine: | Tamianka 2019 |
| Country: | Bulgaria |
| Variety: | 100 % Tamianka |
| Vintage: | 2019 |
| Winery: | Villa Bassarea |
| Location of vineyard: | Izvorovo village, Harmanli |
| Price: | 15 BGN |
| Barrel: | No |
| Serving temperature: | 8-10°C |
The mussels paired perfectly with the Tamianka!
Is it worth opening a bottle of Tamianka from Villa Bassarea? Ok, this is a joke, I have always wondered why people write such things. Of course it is worth, otherwise I would not waste my time and your time writing about it. However, taste is a subjective matter. Maria and I love aromatic wines that fill the whole room with scents of flowers and summer freshness. So if you like them too, open a bottle of tamianka and smile to the day. But don’t forget to cool it to 8 – 10°С.
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