Levunovo
Mindov Winery
A small family winery in Levunovo, created by third-generation winegrowers, with around 120 decares of its own vineyards and a strong focus on the local varieties of the Melnik area.
Mindov Winery is a small family winery in the village of Levunovo, Sandanski Municipality, at the foot of the Melnik Pyramids. Behind it is Kostadin Mindov — a third-generation winegrower who has turned his family tradition into his own wine brand and a modern production facility.
Since 2025, the family has worked from its own winery and with its own vineyards, placing local grape varieties at the heart of the project. The idea is boutique production, direct contact with customers and wines that express the character of the Struma Valley.
The story
The Mindov family has been involved in winegrowing and winemaking for three generations. Before establishing their own winery, the family grew grapes and made wine at home, and in 2025 Kostadin Mindov realised his long-held idea of creating a modern winery of his own in Levunovo.
The new facility was built as a full-cycle winery, covering everything from grape reception through fermentation and filtration to bottling. The project was implemented with support from the Rural Development Programme through the Sandanski Local Action Group, together with bank financing.
Mindov Winery is deliberately small and personal in its approach: limited volumes, its own vineyards and a desire for a direct relationship with the people who drink the wines. The family is also developing its own points for presenting and selling the wines in Melnik and Sandanski.
Land and vineyards
Mindov Winery has around 120 decares of its own vineyards. About 70 decares are under drip irrigation, while 50 decares in the Levunovo area are cultivated without irrigation — vineyards that form part of the family’s long-established winegrowing story.
The principal varieties include Broad-Leaved Melnik Vine, Melnik 55 and Sandanski Misket, alongside Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. In 2026, the family planted a further 10 decares — 5 decares each of Rkatsiteli and Sandanski Misket — following prior soil analysis.
The wines
Mindov Winery’s wines are built around small production runs and a clear connection with local grape varieties. Kostadin Mindov places particular emphasis on Broad-Leaved Melnik Vine, Melnik 55 and Sandanski Misket as varieties capable of giving the region its own recognisable wine identity.
The Veronika range is aimed at a more elegant style for restaurants and wine bars. One of its wines is a white blend of Sandanski Misket and Muscat Ottonel. With Melnik 55, the winery’s philosophy is not to rush the wine to market, but to give it time to develop its potential.
Visiting
- Address
- Levunovo village, Sandanski Municipality