Department of Wine and Chemistry Selection
The research work of the department is conducted in the following more important directions:
- conservation, maintenance and enrichment of the vine gene pool in the country through introduction and study of the adaptive potential of varieties and branches of vines and vine rootstocks;
- hybridisation (intra-species and inter-species) to obtain new dessert and wine grape varieties with valuable economic qualities, including varieties with increased resistance to abiotic and biotic stress factors;
- clonal selection for a team of positive qualities of new branches of local and introduced vine varieties;
- study the affinity of varieties of different genetic origin with well-known species and varieties of rootstocks;
- determining the ecological plasticity of selected and introduced vine varieties, clones, hybrids and rootstocks;
- technological characteristics of local, newly selected and introduced wine varieties and production of new ranges of wines;
- development of technological schemes for the production of white and red wines from local, newly selected and introduced wine varieties, clones and hybrids;
- studying the influence of certain technological and environmental factors on the composition and quality of musts and wines;
- studying the impact of various agrotechnical and plant protection measures in vineyards on the composition and quality of grapes and wine;
- organic production of grapes and wine;
- organoleptic characteristics and assessment of white and red wines;
- gas-chromatographic determination of aromatic components in grapes, wine and high-alcoholic beverages.
The research activity in the department is carried out in four laboratories and in the experimental winery:
- ‘Vine selection’ laboratory – analyses are carried out for: determining the degree of resistance of vine varieties, clones and hybrids to abiotic stressors; identification of the potential and actual germination of buds in winter eyes; mechanical analysis to determine the structure and structure of grapes and grains; organoleptic assessment of table grapes, etc.;
- Laboratory for ‘Mineral Nutrition of the Vine’ – analyses are carried out on plant samples, soils and some indicators of the composition of must and wine;
- Wine Technology Laboratory – analyses are carried out to determine the chemical composition of must and wine;
- ‘Gas chromatography’ laboratory – analyses are carried out to determine the volatile compounds (aromatic complex) in wines and high-alcoholic beverages; Determination of antioxidant activity of grapes and wine;
- Experimental wine cellar – established in 1890 and used to produce experimental white and red wines under microvinification conditions, in the various fields of research at the Institute. Today it houses one of the oldest wine collections in Bulgaria, including exhibits from the first vintages of the cellar, wines from introduced, local varieties and varieties created at the Institute. Every year, the enoteca is enriched with new batches of bottled wines, the best of each harvest. The wines in the cellar are stored under optimal conditions for this purpose. The temperature in the premises is around 15°C throughout the year, maintained naturally, as the cellar is dug into a slope and the walls are about 1 m thick. The walls and ceilings are covered with noble mould transferred from the cellars to the Tokaj wine region (Hungary), which helps to maintain optimal relative humidity in the premises suitable for ageing the wines. In the cellar there are pupittres with exhibits from the experimental production of naturally sparkling wines by a classical method, conducted in the middle of the last century. The enoteca also contains wines and other drinks from Bulgarian and foreign producers, received by the Institute as gifts on the occasion of various celebrations, anniversaries, conferences, symposia, etc.;
- The Pleven ILV also has a production wine cellar, built in 1970, with a capacity of 1 000 000 litres. It produces white, rosé and red wines, grape rakia, which are commercially available. Tests are carried out in semi-industrial and industrial conditions on experimental batches of wines from the different fields of research and applied activities of the Institute.
| Photo | Composition of the department | Scientific competence | Useful links |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Prof. Dr. Ilian Nikolaev Simeonov - Head of Department Email: iliyan_simeonov@ive.bg | General viticulture, Vine selection, Ampelography, Variety maintenance, Vine genetic resources | |
 | Prof. Dr. Eng. Tatyana Radkova Yoncheva Email: t_yoncheva@ive.bg | Technologies for the production of white and red wines; microbiology of wine; chemical composition of grapes and wine; phenolic stock of grapes; phenolic composition of grapes and wine; organoleptic characteristics of wine | |
 | Prof. Dr. Eng. Dimitar Robertov Dimitrov Email: dimitar_robertov@ive.bg | Volatile fraction of wines and high-alcoholic beverages. Aromatic profile of wines. Phenol profile and antioxidant potential of grapes and wine. | |
 | Ace, please. Anatoli Metodiev Iliev Email: a_iliev@ive.bg | Selection, affinity, vine rootstocks, planting material, affinity | |
 | Ace, please. Denitsa Nencheva Toneva Email: toneva_d@ive.bg | General viticulture, selection, varietal maintenance | |
 | Svetoslav Atanasov Krastev Email: s_krastev@ive.bg | Wine technology, wine microbiology and organoleptic analysis |
Scientific and technical staff:
Milena Motova
Julia Vatsova
Milen Georgiev
Verka Yonkova
Olya Abrasheva
Lozka Todorova
Vanya Pandova
Eva Yordanova
Milcho Tarov
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