AHINORA is an example of a winery where science and a sense of beauty go hand in hand. Behind it stands Antoaneta Genova – technologist, oenologist, and a person who knows wine not only professionally, but intimately. For her, wine is a living organism – it grows, breathes, and tells stories, as long as you have the patience to listen.
The vineyards of AHINORA are located near the village of Selanovtsi, in the Vratsa region – an area with a distinctive northern climate and limestone soils that give the wines freshness, minerality, and finesse. From the first to the last bottle, you can sense attention to detail and a pursuit of pure terroir expression.
In the interview below, Toni shares more about her inspiration, philosophy, and the path behind the winery – a feminine perspective on Bulgarian wine, marked by depth, sincerity, and balance.
Enjoy reading 🍇
1. What do women and wine share in common?
Like a woman, wine exists to bring beauty and delight into the world.
Each asks to be appreciated, not rushed — to be seen, felt, and understood.
For both, only with the right touch and respect do they reveal their deepest essence.
2. Did you choose your profession, or did it find you — and how?
From a young age, I loved to draw and sing — creativity was simply part of who I was. My parents always saw me as an artist at heart. Yet life led me to study winemaking, and only over time did I begin to understand what people mean when they say “wine is art.”
It wasn’t until I created my own line, Equinox, that I truly felt the artistry in every step — from choosing the grapes and shaping the wine, to selecting the bottle, designing the label, and finally sharing it with people. For me, art lies in weaving all these details into one harmonious experience.
3. In Bulgaria, there are many women working as oenologists and winemakers. In your view, what unique qualities do they bring to the profession — and do women have a different kind of sensitivity when it comes to wine?
A woman’s nature is softer and more sensitive.
We’re guided by a stronger intuition, and that allows us to bring flexibility, attention, beauty, and emotion into the winemaking process.
4. What inspires you when creating a new wine?
Two things come to mind.
The first is when I taste an exceptional wine or learn something new — ideas instantly start flooding my mind about how I could apply that knowledge in creating my own wines.
The second is the raw material itself. From the moment the grapes begin to ripen, and especially when they arrive at the winery, a surge of inspiration takes over my whole being. There’s something deeply moving about that transformation — nature offering its gift, and you finding your role in shaping it.
5. Is there a particular vintage you’re most proud of? What makes it special?
I still consider myself quite new to the craft — I have only six harvests behind me.
For now, 2021 remains the most special one. On the one hand, it was an exceptionally good vintage; on the other, it was the year when the first ideas for my own wines were born — ideas I continue to build upon to this day.
6. What are some of the biggest challenges in your work — the ones people might not immediately see or realize?
For a small winemaker, it often feels like you have to be in five places at once.
People also tend to underestimate how deeply dependent we are on nature — on processes we can’t control, yet are completely bound to. That constant balance between patience, trust, and adaptation is both the challenge and the beauty of this work.
7. Which Bulgarian grape varieties are the most special to you — and why?
Vratsa Misket and Kaylashki Misket.
Perhaps because I work with them personally and can truly see the potential they hold.
8. Which trends in winemaking excite you the most right now?
Of course, natural wines — those with nothing added and nothing taken away.
That includes the category of orange wines, which are most often natural as well. I find the process of creating them truly exciting — it’s unpredictable, and the results are different every year. That sense of discovery keeps the work alive and inspiring.
9. What kind of “wine advice” do your friends and family usually ask you for?
“When should I remove the pomace from the wine?” or “Toni, I added sulfites while it was still fermenting… it stopped — did I mess up?”
But most often, it’s simply: “What wine should I order when I’m out?”
10. What’s the most important thing to keep in mind when choosing a wine?
Your mood — and the company you’ll share it with.
11. Which two bottles of wine never fail to bring you joy?
Hmm, that’s a tough one — I always love discovering something new, so it’s hard to name just two bottles.
But a glass of orange wine made from an aromatic variety, or a red from Cabernet Franc, is always a pleasure.
12. If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring female wine professionals, what would it be?
Listen to your heart – and enjoy the process.
13. What does it take for a Bulgarian wine to make its mark on the world stage?
It needs to have a clear and distinctive identity.
14. For you wine is …
a journey through different worlds, times, and dimensions.
AHINORA is one of those rare wineries that doesn’t speak loudly, yet leaves a lasting impression.
Behind each of Toni’s wines lies patience, balance, and a quiet inner discipline — something you can sense not only in her craft but also in her words.
In a world where so many wines try hard to impress, AHINORA simply stays true to itself — and that’s exactly what makes it so unforgettable.
