Bulgaria's Annual Wine Holiday, Trifon Zarezan

Trifon Zarezan celebration at Villa Melnik Winery in Bulgaria’s Struma Valley

February 14th may be Valentine’s Day in the U.S., but in Bulgaria this day is called Trifon Zarezan and is dedicated to vine growers. Everyone dresses up for the special occasion and goes to the vineyard, carrying wine and a loaf of freshly baked bread. In the vineyard, people prune the vines and pour wine into the soil, wishing for a good year. This is the Bulgarian pruning ritual.

According to tradition, the vine growers choose a “king” of the vines for the day – the person with the best vineyard – and make them a crown of vine twigs. The merry group goes back to the village, where people meet them with wine and ask for a blessing from the vine king. Finally, everyone is invited to a celebration in the king’s house, where the party goes on till the wee hours of the next day.