Bulgaria’s Aya Estate earns inaugural One to Watch honour ahead of The 50 Best Vineyards 2026

The Struma Valley destination is recognised for combining vineyard visits with art, dining and wellness, ahead of the global ranking reveal in Chile on 18 November.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Aya Estate in Bulgaria’s Struma Valley is the first recipient of The 50 Best Vineyards’ One to Watch Award, sponsored by Grupo Liderazgo.
• The award recognises emerging visitor experiences and does not constitute a place in the 2026 Top 50 ranking.
• The estate combines vineyard tourism with art, hospitality, restaurants, eco-farm activities, horseback experiences and wellness.
• The main 2026 vineyard ranking is scheduled to be announced in Santiago, Chile, on 18 November.

A vineyard destination in southern Bulgaria has been singled out for its approach to hospitality before one of the wine tourism industry’s major annual awards ceremonies. Aya Estate, in the Struma Valley near Melnik, has received the inaugural One to Watch Award at The 50 Best Vineyards 2026, drawing attention to an estate where vineyard tours form part of a broader programme of art, gastronomy, accommodation and wellness.

The distinction, sponsored by Grupo Liderazgo, was announced on 19 October, ahead of the awards ceremony scheduled for 18 November in Santiago, Chile. It recognises a promising visitor destination considered capable of entering the main Top 50 ranking in a future edition. Crucially, the pre-announced honour is not itself a placing in the 2026 list, which has yet to be unveiled.

Why the visitor experience matters

The choice of Aya Estate puts the spotlight on a side of vineyard tourism that extends well beyond tasting rooms. The estate combines guided visits and tastings with restaurants, accommodation, contemporary art spaces, equestrian activities and spa facilities. For travellers, the proposition is a multi-day stay in a vineyard landscape rather than a single-stop excursion; for destinations, it illustrates how food, culture and outdoor recreation can sit alongside local viticulture in a tourism offering.

Among the more distinctive facilities is Ayart, a 3,000-square-metre art hall presenting works by Bulgarian and international contemporary artists. The accommodation described in the announcement spans a boutique hotel, private villas, glamping and houses. Dining includes aEstivum and Bistro 55, with menus influenced by seasonal produce, while a further concept, SALON Kitchen & Stories, was identified in the announcement as planned for 2026.

The estate’s eco-farm supplies ingredients to its dining operations and is also presented as part of its regenerative agriculture ambitions. Vineyard tours, horseback experiences and spa treatments, including warm mineral-water pools, give guests ways to engage with the surroundings beyond the cellar. Details of these facilities and experiences are outlined in Aya’s own visitor information and the award announcement.

Aya also draws on vineyards in different Bulgarian growing areas, including the Danube Plain, Thracian Lowlands and Melnik region. The indigenous Melnik grape is central to its stated identity. This wider geographical range means a stay in one part of the Struma Valley can introduce visitors to styles and landscapes associated with several Bulgarian regions, without suggesting all the grapes come from the estate’s immediate surroundings.

Expanding a destination around Melnik

The award comes as the Aya brand has been broadening its hospitality footprint. In a separate estate update, Aya said that MFG completed the acquisition of the adjacent Zornitza Family Estate hotel, villas and associated agricultural assets in December 2025. The group described the transaction as part of a longer-term plan linking hospitality, culture, agriculture and tourism in the Struma Valley. The transaction adds context to the scope of the visitor destination, rather than being part of the October award itself.

Emma Sleight, Director of Content and Creative for The 50 Best Vineyards, praised Aya’s integration of hospitality, food and wellness with a distinct sense of place. Dilyana Vasileva, Aya Estate’s co-founder, said the recognition supports the team’s aim of introducing more international visitors to Bulgaria’s regional character. Max Raide, President of award sponsor Grupo Liderazgo, highlighted the estate’s ambition and creativity.

A recognition ahead of the global ranking

Under The 50 Best Vineyards’ published methodology, the main ranking reflects votes from an international academy of 720 wine and travel experts. The assessment concerns the public visitor experience, including hospitality, service, food, design and setting, rather than the quality of the wine alone. The organiser says commercial sponsors do not take part in compiling the ranking.

William Reed organises and publishes the awards. The 2026 programme culminates in Santiago on 18 November, when the ranked list will be announced. Until then, Aya’s One to Watch recognition offers Bulgaria international visibility for a developing vineyard-and-hospitality destination, while any future place in the Top 50 remains a possibility rather than an established result.