About us
The Zornitsa Family Estate was not the result of a premeditated plan. In the spring of 2010, we, the Stoychev family, stumbled upon a small, rocky and overgrown hill in the middle of nowhere, covering an area of four decares. The climate and the proximity to Greece – just 10 km from the border – drew us in. Just a year later, our house, built of wood and stone, was ready. We welcomed in the New Year of 2011 there with the whole family.
The beginning
We bought a lot more land and built a large lake right next to it to balance the microclimate with humidity. We planted a few vines for the family – only Syrah, as that’s the variety we prefer. We built a small greenhouse for vegetables and planted fruit trees – mainly cherries, as they ripen here as early as the beginning of May.
The success story
We planted another twenty or so varieties of vines, set up a farm with a hundred or so animals: cows, goats, sheep, roe deer… We built a cheese dairy, an artichoke garden, and groves of evergreen oaks for black truffles and pine trees for white ones.
We began building: first six villas, then a small reception area, a boutique gourmet restaurant, a hotel with nine spacious luxury rooms, a spa, swimming pools, a practice golf course, a tennis court, children’s play areas…
And the miracle happened: in 2017, we became the first Bulgarian estate to join the Relais & Châteaux family – a prestigious international hotel association. We also received recognition from Wine Spectator – two glasses for our wine list – and earned a key from the Michelin Guide.
A New Beginning
From the start of 2026, the hotel, restaurants and a large part of the estate became part of the magnificent neighbouring project, AYA Estate Vineyards. And we, the Stoychev family, retained our unique house on the hill, as well as our vineyards, winemaking, livestock farming, and the cultivation and processing of organic food. We have retained the Zornitza Family Estate brand, our Farm to Table home-grown produce and Zornitza boutique wines.
We have preserved the spirit we created, and most importantly: we have kept our doors open to our thousands of current and future friends who seek harmony, longevity and togetherness.
Dimitar Stoychev
Production Manager
The estate’s home-made produce, popular under the Farm to Table brand, is created by a small team. Uncle Peter looks after the dairy products and the mini-dairy, Gergana grows fruit and vegetables and processes them, Valeri and his son Valyo take care of
Tsvetomir Veselinov
Cellar Manager
As your host, he will welcome you with a smile and take you on a journey through the world of wine – through the vineyards, the cellar and the stories behind each vintage.
Yoshi and Krum
Security agents
Order, security and good manners on the estate are looked after by the Bernese Mountain Dog Krum (aged two) and the Akita Yoshi (aged one).