The culture of wine is not something newly found; it dates back to the ancient Greek and Romanian times. In fact, just like everything else, Greek mythology apprises of Dionysus, the God of wine, who represented the enthralling power of wine, its influence on society, fertility and rebirth. Wine was used as an emblem of power, civilization and sophistication, and thus was associated with an unspoken status symbol. While we have come so far in time and have seen massive variations in terms of beliefs and values, Wine is still seen as status symbol in many cultures.
Whether you believe in your cultural heritage or not, you have to agree that Wine is something that carries an intoxicating allure and recently, winemaker, Peter Kirilov has introduced a new brand named Kukeri, which entwines mystical symbolism and ancient tradition to create something fascinating. He explained his reasons to choose to combine this mystical symbolism and ancient tradition that he wanted to create a name and label that reminds people that good things always surround us, even if often ignored. His ultimate vision is to become the California’s new generation of cult wines and go-to boutique brand known for producing the finest wines from Napa and Sonoma County.
Kukeri- The California’s new generation of cult wines
While there have been many wine brands in the past, Kukeri is believed to be the newest and hottest trendsetter at present, owing to its unique label. Kukeri’s label embodies original artwork in vibrant red, white and black colors by Anatoly Stankulov, a well-known Bulgarian artist and exhibits the story of an ancient Thracian tradition. Each color is associated with nature; for instance, red represents the fierceness of the Sun, white represents the tranquility of Light and Water, and Black represents the fertility and stability of Earth. As a matter of fact, the name ‘Kukeri’ itself symbolizes the same.
‘Kukeri’ is an ancient Bulgarian ceremony that has been prevalent since ancient Greek Times when Dionysus was worshipped. The ceremony is a form of celebrating the festive spirit and beginning of the spring season. It is celebrated by performing a ritual wherein men dress up in costumes to represent the co-existence of the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ in the world. The costumes are made up of colorful, handmade attires coupled with large bells hung around the waist and bold, expressive and scary wooden masks. The men who perform the ritual are called as the ‘kukers’. It is believed that the ritual of Kukers dancing in circles scares the evil spirits away and welcomes good health, happiness, prosperity, land fertility and good harvest to their land.
Now, with the launch of Kukeri Wines in California, this lively tradition has been made acquainted to the rest the world, too, for its mystical symbolism. The brand was introduced with its signature ‘Mt. Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010’ wine, which was widely appreciated for its enchanting flavor.
Indeed, the Director of Winemaking at ‘Constellation Brands’, Janet Myres described couldn’t contain his appreciation for Mt. Veedar and went on to say that the dense yet fruity and sweet herbal notes of the wine reminds him of the goodness of small vineyards of the mountainside locale.
If the director of Winemaking fell in love with Kukeri Wines in the first sip, who’s to say we will not?