Mavrud (Bulgarian: мавруд, from Greek, μαυρό (mavró), "black") is a red wine grape that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines, indigenous to the Balkan region. It's growing in some regions in Albania, Thrace region in Bulgaria, some regions in Greece and in Romania.^[1]

The grape has been described as a characterful, low-yielding, small-berried and late-ripening grape capable of producing tannic, spicy wine with a potential for ageing.^[2][3][4]

Regarded as one of the most highly esteemed local wines, Mavrud vineyards are mainly found around Asenovgrad and Perushtitsa, as well as more rarely near Pazardzhik, Stara Zagora and Chirpan.^{[citation needed]}

There is speculation amongst grape growers that Mavrud may be an ancient clone of Mourvedre, imported into Bulgaria by the Romans.^{[citation needed]}

A legend that the oenophiles of the Mavrud wine like to repeat in order to explain the restoration of this locality as wine-growing country^[5] was that during the reign of Khan Krum of Bulgaria, all vineyards were ordered destroyed. Later, a lion escaped from its cage and terrorized the city. However, a fearless young man named Mavrud (now the name of a wine grape) confronted and slew the lion. The king summoned Mavrud's mother to learn the source of such courage. She said she had secretly saved a vine, made wine, and that this was the source of Mavrud's bravery. Khan Krum ordered the vineyards replanted.^[6][5]

In the original Bulgarian version the legend says it was a monster called the lamya (ламя) which was vanquished, according to one book on wine.^[7]

• Bulgarian wine
• Bulgarian cuisine