Midalidare Estate wine house opens New Zealand branch.

Bulgarian winemaker Midalidare Estate has set up a separate company in New Zealand where it will produce sauvignon blanc and pinot noir for export to Europe, Asia and the United States, a company spokesman told SeeNews on Wednesday.

Midalidare New Zealand has entered into a ten-year lease with an option to renew for vineyards in two wine regions on New Zealand's South Island, a company spokesman said in an email, without giving details on the size of the investment.

"The investment is significant, although it is spread out over time. It is certainly a far cry from the scale we see in Bulgaria, where much of the activity takes place in specialized production facilities, and ownership''Such premises are not necessarily available [in New Zealand]. We cannot comment on the timing of the return on investment as the wine is not yet on the market and we cannot predict how it will be received,' said a spokesman, declining to be named.

Midalidare's vineyards are in the Marlborough region, famous for its sauvignon blanc, and Central Otago, known for its pinot noir.

The company, headquartered in Stara Zagora, has produced 25,000 bottles of Midalidare New Zealand Marlborough sauvignon blanc.