Struma Wine Fest shifts north to Kocherinovo on 27 Sep
The second Struma Wine Fest lands at Villa Montevino in Kocherinovo on 27 September 2026 — tastings, a farmer market, wine painting, optional harvest breakfast and vineyard dinner, plus Struma Vine Run with Rila views. Last year’s South Struma debut drew 16+ local producers around Melnik and Sandanski.
Southwest Bulgaria is moving the picnic table upriver.
Bgtourism.bg reports that the second Struma Wine Fest will open on 27 September 2026 at Villa Montevino in the village of Kocherinovo — North Struma / Blagoevgrad country, with Rila on the skyline. The day is built for people who want wine with dust on their shoes: tastings, a farmer market, games with grapes, wine painting, an optional harvest breakfast among the rows, and a vineyard dinner after dark.
Struma Vine Run sits in the same programme — three distances through vines and valley air, with panoramic looks toward Rila. Registration is required in advance via the organisers’ Urbo link.
Last year’s first edition lived in South Struma (Melnik, Petrich, Sandanski) with more than sixteen local producers. Year two flips the map: same river brand, new latitude, and a clear pitch that the Struma valley is a tourism product — wine, sport, nature, and farm food in one ticket.
Mini-concept: a regional wine fest works when it moves. Repeating the same town is comfort; shifting north teaches visitors that Struma is a corridor, not a single cellar door.
A flavoured can has no Rila view and no harvest breakfast. This Sunday is for glasses that remember where the grapes grew.
Remember: 27 Sep 2026, Villa Montevino Kocherinovo — second Struma Wine Fest; Vine Run + North Struma after South Struma’s 16+ producers.
Source: Bgtourism.bg