Traditional houses in Melnik
  (photo by courtesy of "Bulgarian Photography" Archive

 
In the middle ages, dignitaries fallen into disgrace were exiled to these parts by the Byzantine emperors. You should not, however, fathom Melnik to be some kind of Balkan Siberia. On the contrary, situated in the bosom of the Pirin mountain, in the southernmost parts of Bulgaria, this historical place is rather remindful of paradise. Surrounded by beautiful "pyramids" of yellow sandstone, itself all green and enjoying a benign climate, Melnik is also a place of gorgeous vineyards.

Here, raising grapes has been a common occupation since time immemorial. It was in this region of the Balkans that Thracian God Dionysus (Bacchus) and his company of forest gods, satires and maenads were doing pranks and frolicking. Dark and "heavy", the Melnik wine goes down the throat before one is aware of it, and only genuine drinkers know when to say  "stop" to this irresistible temptation.

For more than one thousand years the red nectar had been exported to Western and Northern Europe but at stiff prices.