jueves, 9 de agosto de 2018

Georgia

16-01-2017

Las denominaciones de vino georgiano.

Estas primeras semanas de 2017 se han dedicado a analizar varias leyes, reglas, actas de conferencias y otra información para resumir en una forma legible, las denominaciones actuales en la República de Georgia. Esto es todo para el próximo libro de vinos de Georgia que puede ordenar ahora . Pero como una especie de vista previa, a continuación se encuentra la introducción inicial de este nido de denominaciones.
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Georgia pudo salir de la era soviética con varias denominaciones por sus vinos que se extendían por todo el país. En su mayor parte, todavía están en uso moderno y se extienden de este a oeste en un arco vinoso. Trabajan de manera similar a los que se encuentran en Europa occidental, en los que regulan la producción de vino y también implementan protección para las marcas de las regiones que cubren.
Sin embargo, son una colección muy, muy curiosa. El más antiguo es de 1886 y el más nuevo entre ellos se creó cuando Georgia aún formaba parte de la URSS, lo que da un total de 18. Teniendo en cuenta el tamaño de Georgia, esto puede parecer un marco decente para desglosar el país a nivel regional, excepto que 13 de estos 18 son zonas de demarcación en la región oriental de Kakheti.
Hay 12 para los vinos secos (máximo 4 g / l de azúcar residual), uno para los vinos fortificados, uno para los espumosos y luego cuatro para los semi dulces (entre 30-50 g / l de azúcar residual). Actualmente son: Khvanchkara, Tvishi Sviri, Ateni, Kakheti, Tibaani, Kardenakhi, Kotekhi, Akhasheni, Mukusani, Vazisubani, Gurjaani, Teliani, Tsinandali, Kvareli, Kindzmarauli, Napareuli y Manavi.
Este grupo, bastante diverso, está supervisado por la oficina de marcas y patentes de Georgia, Sakpatenti, y ha estado en vigor en Georgia desde 1998 con una revisión masiva en 2003. Desafortunadamente, debido a que no es parte del Acuerdo de Madrid desde la independencia, esto ha significado que Además de investigar y definir nuevas denominaciones, han estado poniendo al día muchas cosas para proteger las que ya tienen. Este trabajo está en curso e incluso hasta el día de hoy, se pueden encontrar imitaciones de sus vinos semi dulces de Khvanchkara, muy famosos (de todos modos en los antiguos países soviéticos), aunque han hecho muchos progresos para ponerle fin a esto.
Esperemos que en el futuro surjan nuevas y más definidas denominaciones que también tengan en cuenta el aumento en la producción de kvevri también.

Vino georgiano

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No debe confundirse con el vino de Georgia (estado de EE. UU.) .

Entre las regiones vinícolas georgianas más conocidas se encuentran Kakheti (más dividida en las microrregiones de Telavi y Kvareli ), Kartli , Imereti , Racha-Lechkhumi y Kvemo Svaneti , Adjara y Abkhazia . Georgia es una de las regiones vinícolas más antiguas del mundo. Los fértiles valles y laderas protectoras de Transcaucasia albergaron el cultivo de vid y la producción de vino neolítico ( georgiano : ღვინო , ɣvino ) durante al menos 8000 años. Debido a los muchos milenios de vino en la historia de Georgia y su prominente papel económico, las tradiciones del vino se consideran entrelazadas e inseparables de la identidad nacional. 
La UNESCO añadió el antiguo método georgiano de vinificación tradicional utilizando los frascos de arcilla Kvevri a las listas del Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial de la UNESCO .

Historia 


Estatua de bronce del siglo VII aC descubierta durante excavaciones arqueológicas en la ciudad de Vani . Esta estatua es la estatua de un Tamada , un maestro de brindis, y como se ve en la hoja de recuerdo, a veces se considera como el símbolo de la elaboración de vino más antigua del mundo. La hoja también muestra ánforas que se usaron en este momento para transportar y almacenar el vino. Sello de Georgia, 2007.
Las vasijas de vino de cada forma, tamaño y diseño han sido la parte crucial de la alfarería en Georgia durante milenios. Los artefactos antiguos dan fe de la gran habilidad de los artesanos locales. Entre los barcos, la cultura vitivinícola más ubicua y única de Georgia es probablemente el Kvevris , vasijas de barro muy grandes con una capa interior de cera de abejas. No solo se usaron kvevris para fermentar el jugo de uva y para almacenar vino, sino también chapi y satskhao ; otros todavía se usaban para beber, como khelada , doki , sura , chinchila , deda-khelada , dzhami y marani .Las raíces de la viticultura georgiana se remontan a la arqueología cuando la gente del sur del Cáucaso descubrió que el jugo de uva silvestre se convertía en vino cuando se dejaba enterrado durante el invierno en un pozo poco profundo. Este conocimiento fue alimentado por la experiencia, y desde el año 6000 aC los habitantes de la actual Georgia cultivaban uvas y enterraban vasijas de barro, kvevris , para almacenar el vino listo para servir a la temperatura del suelo. Cuando se llena con el jugo fermentado de la cosecha, los kvevris se cubren con una tapa de madera y luego se cubren y sellan con tierra. Algunos pueden permanecer sepultados por hasta 50 años.
La importancia continua de la elaboración y el consumo de vino en la cultura georgiana también es visible en varias obras de arte antiguas. Muchos de los artefactos desenterrados de plata, oro y bronce del 3er y 2º milenio antes de Cristo tienen huellas perseguidas de la vid, los racimos de uva y las hojas. El Museo Estatal de Georgia tiene en exhibición una taza de oro de quilates con gemas, una jarra de plata ornamentada y algunos otros artefactos del 2. ° milenio antes de Cristo. Desde la Antigüedad clásica, los museos georgianos exhiben un cameo que representa a Baco, y numerosos sarcófagos con jarras de vino y copas de vino ornamentadas que se encuentran en antiguas tumbas.
Desde el siglo IV dC, el vino ha adquirido mayor importancia en la cultura georgiana debido a la cristianización del país. Según la tradición, San Nino , que predicó el cristianismo en Kartli , llevaba una cruz hecha de madera de vid. Durante siglos, los georgianos bebieron, y en algunas áreas todavía beben, su vino de los cuernos (llamado kantsi en georgiano) y las pieles de sus animales de rebaño. Los cuernos fueron limpiados, hervidos y pulidos, creando un recipiente para beber único y duradero.
Durante la época soviética, los vinos producidos en Georgia eran muy populares. En comparación con otros vinos de Moldaviay Crimea que estaban disponibles en el mercado soviético, los vinos georgianos habían sido más preferibles para los soviéticos. En 1950 los viñedos en Georgia ocuparon 143,000 acres, pero en 1985 ya eran 316,000 acres debido a la creciente demanda. En 1985, la producción de vino fue de 881,000 toneladas. Durante Mikhail Gorbachov 's campaña contra el alcohol , muchos viñedos viejos de Georgia fueron cortadas.
El vino georgiano ha sido un tema polémico en las relaciones recientes con Rusia. Las tensiones políticas con Rusia han contribuido al embargo ruso de 2006 del vino georgiano, Rusia afirma que Georgia produjo vino falsificado . Fue una razón "oficial", pero la inestabilidad de las relaciones económicas con Rusia es bien conocida, ya que utilizan los lazos económicos con fines políticos.  Los problemas de falsificación provienen del etiquetado incorrecto de productores extranjeros y de etiquetas falsificadas de "vino georgiano" en vinos producidos fuera de Georgia e importados en Rusia bajo los auspicios de ser producidos en Georgia.  Algunos productores de vino en Georgia también han sido conocidos por importar uvas y producir vino georgiano "falsificado", lo que llevó al entonces ministro de Defensa. Irakli Okruashvili señaló en 2006 que "pensó" que varias bodegas que aún producen vino falso en Gori deberían cerrarse".  El envío de vino falsificado se ha canalizado principalmente a través de puestos de control aduanero administrados por Rusia en los territorios georgianos ocupados por Rusia, Abjasia y Osetia del Sur , donde no se realizan inspecciones ni reglamentaciones.
Georgia se muestra optimista de que su reciente Acuerdo de Asociación con la Unión Europea ampliará sus mercados de exportación y reducirá el riesgo que presentan los futuros embargos unilaterales de Rusia.

Viticultura en Georgia hoy 


Según el Ministro de Agricultura de Georgia, la producción de vino aumentó de 13,8 millones de botellas de 750 ml en 2009 a 15,8 millones de botellas en 2010. En 2009, Georgia exportó 10.968 millones de botellas de vino a 45 países. En 2010, Georgia exportó vinos a: Ucrania , alrededor de 7,5 millones de botellas, Kazajstán , alrededor de 2 millones de botellas, Bielorrusia , alrededor de 1,2 millones de botellas, Polonia , alrededor de 870,000 botellas y Letonia , 590,000 botellas. [9]Georgia ocupa el segundo lugar (en términos de volumen) en la producción de uva en la antigua Unión Soviética, detrás de Moldavia, y los vinos georgianos siempre han sido los más apreciados y buscados en el espacio soviético. Actualmente, el vino es producido por miles de pequeños agricultores (utilizando principalmente técnicas tradicionales de elaboración de vino), así como también por determinados monasterios y modernas bodegas.

Condiciones crecientes 

Las condiciones territoriales y climáticas de Georgia son óptimas para la elaboración del vino. Los climas extremos son inusuales: los veranos tienden a ser de manga corta, soleados y los inviernos templados y sin escarcha. Abundan los manantiales naturales, y los arroyos de la montaña del Cáucaso drenan agua rica en minerales en los valles. El clima moderado y el aire húmedo de Georgia, influenciados por el Mar Negro , proporcionan las mejores condiciones para el cultivo de la vid. El suelo de los viñedos se cultiva tan intensamente que las vides de uva crecen en los troncos de los árboles frutales colgando finalmente a lo largo de la fruta cuando maduran. Este método de cultivo se llama maglari .

Variedades de uva georgiana 

Las variedades de uva georgianas tradicionales son poco conocidas en el mundo. Ahora que los vinos de Europa Central y del Este están llegando a la conciencia internacional, las uvas de esta región son cada vez más conocidas. Aunque hay casi 400 para elegir, solo se cultivan oficialmente 38 variedades para la viticultura comercial en Georgia: [11]

Variedades de vino georgiano


Tradicionalmente, los vinos georgianos llevan el nombre de la región de origen, distrito o pueblo, al igual que los vinos regionales franceses como Burdeos o Borgoña. Al igual que con estos vinos franceses, los vinos georgianos suelen ser una mezcla de dos o más uvas. Los vinos georgianos se clasifican en dulces, semidulces, semisecos, secos, fortificados y espumosos. Las variedades semi-dulces son las más populares.

Blanco 

  • Pirosmani es un vino blanco semidulce hecho de un 40% de Tsolikauri, 60% de mezcla de Tsitska. Ha ganado 3 medallas de oro y una de plata en competiciones internacionales.
  • Tsinandali es una mezcla de uvas Rkatsiteli y Mtsvane de las micro regiones de Telavi y Kvareli en la región de Kakheti.
  • Tvishi es un vino blanco semi dulce natural hecho de Tsolikauri en la región de Lechkhumi. Ha ganado una medalla de oro, dos de plata y una de bronce en competiciones internacionales.
  • Mtsvani es un vino blanco seco hecho de Mtsvani.
  • Alaznis Veli es un vino blanco semidulce hecho de Rkatsiteii, Tetra, Tsolikauri y otras variedades de uva industrial cultivadas en el oeste y el este de Georgia. El vino de color paja tiene un aroma característico, un sabor fino, fresco y armonioso. Contiene 9-11% de alcohol y tiene 6-7% de acidez titulada.
  • Anakopia es un vino de mesa semiseco blanco hecho de la variedad de uva Tsolikauri cultivada en los distritos de Sukhumi y Gudauta en Abjasia. El rango de color es de claro a oscuro-paja. Tiene un aroma específico y un sabor fresco y sutil. El contenido de alcohol en el vino listo es 9-11%, contenido de azúcar 1-2 g / 100 ml, acidez titulada 5-8 g / l. El vino ha sido producido desde 1978.
  • Tbilisuri es un vino rosado semi seco producido desde 1984. Está hecho de las variedades de uva Saperavi, Cabernet y Rkatsiteli cultivadas en el este de Georgia. El vino tiene un rico sabor afrutado. El contenido de alcohol es 9-11.5%, contenido de azúcar 1-2%, acidez titulada 5-7 g / l.
  • Khikhvi es un vino de postre blanco vintage elaborado con la variedad de uva Khikhvi cultivada en Kardanakhi. Tiene un agradable color ámbar, un aroma característico y un sabor delicado. Su fuerza es 15% vol., Contenido de azúcar 18-20%, acidez titulada 4-8 g / 1. El vino se produce desde 1924. En competiciones internacionales recibió 4 medallas de oro.
  • Saamo es un postre vintage, el vino dulce blanco está hecho de la variedad de uva Rkatsiteli cultivada en los viñedos Kardanakhi del distrito Gurjaani en Kakheti. El vino tarda tres años en madurar. El vino de color dorado tiene un bouquet fino original, un sabor agradable con una fragancia de miel armoniosa. Cuando esté listo para usar, el vino contiene un 17% de alcohol, un 13% de azúcar y una acidez de 4-6 g / 1. Se ha fabricado desde 1980. En exposiciones internacionales, Saamo recibió 4 medallas de oro y 1 de plata.
  • Gelati es un vino seco blanco ordinario hecho de las variedades de uva Tsolikauri, Tsitska y Krakhuna cultivadas en el oeste de Georgia. El vino de color paja tiene un sabor característico con un sabor afrutado y un sabor fresco y armonioso. Su fuerza es 10.0-12.5% ​​en volumen y acidez titulada 5-8%.
  • Kakheti es un vino de mesa blanco hecho de las variedades de uva Rkatsiteli y Mtsvane cultivadas en Kakheti. El vino de color ámbar tiene un aroma afrutado con sabor a vainilla. Se caracteriza por un sabor enérgico, aterciopelado y armonioso. Su fuerza es 10.5-13.0% vol y acidez titulada 4-6%. En las competiciones internacionales de vinos, el vino Kakheti recibió una medalla de plata y una de bronce. Ha sido producido desde 1948.
  • Bodbe está hecho de la variedad de uva Rkatsiteli en el pueblo de Bodbe en el microdistrito Magaro, uno de los lugares más bellos de Kakheti. El vino tiene un ligero color pajizo, un fino aroma de flores silvestres y un gusto agradable y tierno que le da al vino un sabor especiado muy apreciado por los conocedores. El vino listo contiene 10.5-11.5% de alcohol y tiene un 5-7% de acidez titulada.
  • Dimi es un vino ordinario blanco de tipo Imeretian. Está hecho de las variedades de uva Tsolikauri y Krakhuna cultivadas en pequeñas áreas en Imereti (Georgia occidental) mediante la antigua técnica local que consiste en fermentar la pulpa de la uva a la que se agrega cierta cantidad de cáscara de uvas. El color oscuro-paja tiene un bouquet específico agradable con un sabor afrutado, un sabor armonioso fresco y una astringencia sabrosa. Su fuerza es 10.5-13.0% vol y acidez titulada 6.5-8.0%. El vino ha sido producido desde 1977.
  • Gareji es un vino blanco seco ordinario hecho de las variedades de uva Rkatsiteli y Mtsvane cultivadas en Kakheti. El vino tiene un color que va desde la paja pálida al ámbar, un aroma agradable y un sabor armonioso. Su fuerza es 10.0-12.5% ​​en volumen y acidez titulada 4-7%.
  • Ereti es un vino ordinario seco blanco hecho de las variedades de uva Rkatsiteli y Mtsvane. Tiene un color pajizo, un fino bouquet afrutado y un sabor fresco y armonioso. Su fuerza es 10.0-12.5% ​​en volumen y acidez titulada 5-8%.
  • Shuamta es un vino seco producido desde 1984. Está hecho de las variedades de uva Rkatsiteli y Mtsvane según la receta de Kakhetian. El vino es de color ámbar o ámbar oscuro y tiene un sabor armonioso moderadamente astringente con un aroma afrutado. El contenido de alcohol es 10-12%, la acidez titulada 4-6 g / l, la capacidad de extracción de más de 25 g / l.
  • Alazani (blanco), que lleva el nombre del río Alazani , es un vino semidulce de color medio paja hecho de 100% Rkatsiteli. El clima del Valle de Alazani es ligeramente más cálido que el de otras regiones georgianas vitícolas, por lo que las uvas locales son más dulces que el resto. Ha ganado un metal de plata y uno de oro en competiciones internacionales.

Rojo 

  • Khvanchkara es un vino tinto de gama alta, naturalmente semi dulce, elaborado con las variedades de uva Alexandria & Mudzhuretuli cultivadas en los viñedos de Khvanchkara en Racha, en el oeste de Georgia. El vino tiene un fuerte aroma característico y un perfil equilibrado de taninos con sabores de frambuesa. Tiene un color rubí oscuro. El vino Khvanchkara es uno de los vinos semidulce georgianos más populares. Contiene 10.5-12.0% de alcohol, 3-5% de azúcar y tiene 5.0-7.0% de acidez titulada. El vino se ha hecho desde 1907. Fue galardonado con 2 medallas de oro y 4 de plata en varias exposiciones internacionales.Akhasheni es un vino tinto semi dulce natural hecho de la variedad de uva Saperavi cultivada en los viñedos Akhasheni del distrito de Gurdzhaani en Kakheti. El vino tiene un color granate oscuro, tiene un sabor aterciopelado armonioso con un sabor a chocolate. Contiene 10.5-12.0% de alcohol, 3-5% de azúcar y tiene 5-7% de acidez titulada. El vino se ha elaborado desde 1958. En exhibiciones internacionales fue galardonado con 6 medallas de oro y 5 de plata.
  • Kindzmarauli es un vino naturalmente semi-dulce de alta calidad, de color rojo oscuro. Está hecho de la variedad de uva Saperavi cultivada en las laderas de las montañas del Cáucaso en el distrito Kvareli de Kakheti. Tiene un fuerte aroma y aroma característico, un sabor suave, armónico y aterciopelado. El maravilloso sabor y propiedades curativas han ganado el reconocimiento general de Kindzmarauli. El vino contiene 10.5-12.0% de alcohol, 3-5% de azúcar y tiene 5.0-7.0% de acidez titulada. Se ha fabricado desde 1942. Por sus cualidades supremas, Kindzmarauli obtuvo 3 medallas de oro, 4 de plata y 1 de bronce en competiciones internacionales de vinos.
  • Mukuzani es un vino tinto seco hecho 100% de Saperavi en Mukuzani, Kakheti. El vino proviene de los mejores vinos de la vendimia que han sido fermentados a temperaturas controladas y con cepas de levadura seleccionadas . Los vinos se maduran durante 3 años en barricas de roble para darles complejidad y sabor a los vinos. Mukuzani es considerado como el mejor de los vinos tintos georgianos secos hechos de Saperavi. Ha ganado 9 medallas de oro, 2 de plata y 3 de bronce en competiciones internacionales.
  • Napareuli
  • Ojaleshi es uno de los mejores vinos semi-dulces rojos hechos de la variedad de uva del mismo nombre cultivada en las laderas de las montañas que dominan las orillas del río Tskhenis-Tskali, particularmente en la aldea Orbeli y el distrito Samegrelo (Georgia occidental). Odzhaleshi tiene un color rubí oscuro, un aroma y un bouquet suaves, un sabor rico y armonioso con un sabor afrutado. Contiene 10-12% de alcohol, 3-5% de azúcar y tiene una acidez titulada de 5-6%.
  • Pirosmani es un vino tinto naturalmente semi dulce. Está hecho de la variedad de uva Saperavi cultivada en los viñedos Akhoebi del pueblo de Kardanakhi en el Valle de Alazani. El vino se fermenta en tarros de arcilla enterrados en el suelo, una antigua técnica de elaboración de vino de Kakhetia. Cuando esté listo para usar, el vino contiene 10.5-12% de alcohol, 1.5-2.5% de azúcar y tiene un 5-7% de acidez titulada.
  • Saperavi es un vino tinto elaborado con la variedad de uva Saperavi que se cultiva en algunas zonas de Kakheti. Es un vino extractivo con un bouquet característico, un sabor armonioso y una agradable astringencia. Su fuerza es 10.5-12.5% ​​y acidez titulada 5-7%. En las competiciones internacionales de vinos, este vino recibió una medalla de oro y una de plata. Ha sido producido desde 1886.
  • Usakhelauri es un vino naturalmente semi dulce, que es superior a todos los otros vinos de este tipo por sus cualidades suaves y sutiles. Se produce a partir de la excelente variedad de uva Usakhelauri cultivada principalmente en el distrito Zubi-Okureshi en el oeste de Georgia. Los viñedos están dispuestos en las laderas de las montañas. El vino tiene un atractivo color rubí, armoniosa dulzura con un sabor a fresa silvestre. Se caracteriza por un agradable sabor aterciopelado, un delicado aroma y una inimitable picazón. El vino contiene hasta 10.5-12.0% de alcohol, 3-5% de azúcar y tiene 5-7% de acidez titulada. Se ha fabricado desde 1943. La palabra "Usakhelauri" significa "sin nombre" en Georgia. El vino era tan fino que era difícil encontrar un nombre adecuado para él. En exposiciones internacionales, Usakhelauri recibió 2 medallas de oro y 3 de plata.
  • Apsny es un vino tinto semi dulce natural hecho de variedades de uva roja cultivadas en Abjasia. El vino de color granada tiene un aroma agradable, un sabor pleno y armonioso con dulzura suave. Cuando esté listo para usar, el vino contiene un 9-10% de alcohol, un 3-5% de azúcar y un 5-7% de acidez titulada. En una exhibición internacional, el vino recibió una medalla de plata.
  • Lykhny es un vino rosado naturalmente semidulce elaborado con la variedad de uva Izabela cultivada en Abjasia. El vino tiene un color rosado, un aroma específico y un sabor fresco y armonioso. Cuando esté listo para usar, el vino contiene 8-9% de alcohol, 3-5% de azúcar y tiene un 5-7% de acidez titulada. En exhibiciones internacionales, Lykhny recibió una medalla de plata y una de bronce.
  • Mtatsminda es un vino semiseco de mesa rosa producido desde 1984. Se prepara con la tecnología original de Saperavi, Tavkveri, Asuretuli, Rkatsiteli y otras variedades de uva cultivadas en los distritos de Tetritskaro , Kaspi , Gori y Khashuri . El vino se caracteriza por un sabor armonioso con un aroma afrutado y un hermoso color. El contenido de alcohol es 9-11.5%, contenido de azúcar 1-2%, acidez titulada 5-7 g / l.
  • Aguna es un vino rosado semi seco producido desde 1984. Está hecho de las variedades de uva Saperavi, Cabernet y Rkatsiteli cultivadas en el este de Georgia. El vino tiene un rico sabor afrutado. El contenido de alcohol es 9-11.5%, contenido de azúcar 1-2%, acidez titulada 5-7 g / l.
  • Sachino es un vino rosado semiseco producido desde 1984. Se elabora con el método original de Aleksandreuli, Aladasturi, Odzhaleshi, Tsitska, Tsolikauri y otras variedades de uva cultivadas en el oeste de Georgia. El vino se caracteriza por un sabor suave, una moderada capacidad de extracción, un aroma puro y un hermoso color. El contenido de alcohol es 9-11.5%, contenido de azúcar 1-2%, acidez titulada 5-7 g / l.
  • Barakoni es un vino tinto, naturalmente semiseco, elaborado con las variedades únicas de uva Alexandreuli y Mudzhuretuli cultivadas en el oeste de Georgia en las empinadas laderas del desfiladero de Rioni en las montañas del Cáucaso. Este vino de alta calidad, de color rubí claro, tiene una fina fragancia de violetas, dulzura agradable natural y un sabor armonioso y tierno. Cuando esté listo para usar, Barakoni contiene 10-12% de alcohol, 1.5-2.5% de azúcar y tiene un 5-7% de acidez titulada. El vino ha sido manufacturado desde 1981.
  • Salkhino es un licor de vino de postre elaborado con la variedad de uva Izabella, con la adición de Dzvelshava, Tsolikauri y otras variedades de uva cultivadas en el distrito de Mayakovski (Georgia occidental). Tiene un color característico de rubí o granada. El contenido de alcohol es 15%, contenido de azúcar 30%, acidez titulada 3-7 g / l. En las competiciones internacionales, el vino recibió 6 medallas de oro. Se ha producido desde 1928
  • Alaverdi (Blanco y Rojo)
  • Alazani (Red) es un vino semi-dulce, de color rojo claro, elaborado con 60% de Saperavi y 40% de mezcla Rkatsiteli. Ha ganado 3 medallas de oro y 3 de plata en competiciones internacionales. El nombre proviene de uno de los principales sistemas fluviales de Georgia que limita con Georgia y Azerbaiyán. El clima es ligeramente más cálido que el resto de las regiones vitícolas georgianas y da lugar a uvas mucho más dulces que las encontradas en elseware.
  • Rkatsiteli Mtsvani
  • Saperavi Dzelshavi

Fortificado 

  • Kardanakhi es un vino blanco vintage fortificado del tipo. Está hecho de la variedad de uva Rkatsiteli cultivada en los viñedos de Kardanakhi del distrito de Gurdzhaani. El vino madura en barricas de roble durante tres años. El vino de color ámbar tiene un agradable bouquet específico con un típico sabor a vino de Oporto y una fina fragancia a miel. Contiene 18% de alcohol, 10% de azúcar y tiene un 4-6% de acidez titulada. Fue galardonado con 8 medallas internacionales de oro y una de plata.
  • Anaga es un vino fuerte de alta calidad tipo madeira hecho de las variedades de uva Rkatsiteli, Khikhvi y Mtsvane cultivadas en los distritos de Gurjaani , Sighnaghiy Dedoplistskaro . El vino tiene un color dorado claro a ámbar oscuro, un aroma fuerte y peculiar, un sabor armonioso extractor con un toque claramente pronunciado de Madeira. El contenido de alcohol es 19%, contenido de azúcar 4 g / ml, acidez titulada 3 - 7 g / l. El vino de Anaga fue galardonado con 1 medalla de plata internacional.
  • Sighnaghi es un vino fuerte ordinario del tipo de puerto hecho de la variedad de uva Rkatsiteli cultivada en el distrito de Sighnaghi en Kakheti. El vino de color ámbar tiene un sabor armonioso extractor con un toque afrutado claramente pronunciado. El contenido de alcohol es de 3 g / 100 ml, la acidez titulada es de 5 g / l.
  • Veria es un puerto blanco vintage fortificado hecho de Rkatsiteli, Mtsvane, Chinuri y otras variedades comerciales de uva cultivadas en el este de Georgia. El vino de color ámbar tiene un aroma peculiar y un sabor armonioso. Su resistencia es 18% vol., Contenido de azúcar 7%, acidez titulada 3-7 g / 1. En una competencia internacional de vinos recibió 1 medalla de oro. El vino ha sido producido desde 1977.
  • Lelo es un vino tipo puerto hecho de las variedades de uva Tsitska y Tsolikauri cultivadas en los distritos de Zestaphoni, Terjola, Baghdati y Vani. El vino tiene un rico sabor armonioso con un aroma afrutado y un hermoso color dorado. El contenido de alcohol es 19%, contenido de azúcar 5%, acidez titulada 6 g / l.
  • Marabda es un vino tipo puerto hecho de la variedad de uva Rkatsiteli cultivada en los distritos de Marneuli y Bolnisi. Tiene un sabor armonioso completo con un aroma afrutado y un color dorado claro. El contenido de alcohol es 19%, contenido de azúcar 5%, acidez titulada 6 g / l.
  • Kolkheti es un puerto blanco vintage fortificado hecho de Tsolikauri, Tsitska y otras variedades comerciales de uva blanca cultivadas en el oeste de Georgia. El vino de color ámbar tiene un aroma específico y un sabor armonioso. Su fuerza es 18% vol., Contenido de azúcar 7%, acidez titulada 3-7 g / l. En una competencia internacional, el vino recibió una medalla de plata. Ha sido producido desde 1977.
  • Taribana es un vino tipo puerto hecho de la variedad de uva Rkatsiteli cultivada en Kakheti. El vino tiene un sabor graso suave, bajo contenido de azúcar y un hermoso color. El contenido de alcohol es 19%, contenido de azúcar 5%, acidez titulada 5 g / l.

Estilos de vino 

  • Lelo es un vino tipo puerto hecho de las variedades de uva Tsitska y Tsolikauri cultivadas en los distritos de Zestaponi, Terjola, Baghdati y Vani. El vino tiene un rico sabor armonioso con un aroma afrutado y un hermoso color dorado. El contenido de alcohol es 19%, contenido de azúcar 5%, acidez titulada 6 g / l.
  • Akhasheni es un vino tinto de forma natural semi-dulce hecho de la Saperavi variedad de uva cultivada en los Akhasheni viñedos de la Gurdzhaani distrito en Kajeti , una provincia de Georgia . El vino de color granate oscuro tiene un sabor armonioso y aterciopelado con sabor a chocolate. Contiene 10.5-12.0% de alcohol, 3-5% de azúcar y tiene 5-7% de acidez titulada. El vino ha sido fabricado desde 1958.
  • Khvanchkara es un vino tinto naturalmente semi dulce de las variedades de uva Alexandrouli y Mudzhuretuli cultivadas en los viñedos de Khvanchkara, cerca de la ciudad de Ambrolauri, en la región de Racha , al oeste de Georgia . [12] Es uno de los vinos semidulce georgianos más populares. Junto con Kindzmarauli , era el vino favorito del líder soviético Joseph Stalin . [13] [14] Es de color rubí oscuro. Contiene 10.5 - 12.0% de alcohol, 3 - 5% de azúcar y tiene 5.0 - 7.0% de acidez titulada. El vino se ha hecho desde 1907.

Regiones vinícolas de Georgia 

Hay cinco regiones principales de la viticultura, la principal región es Kakheti , que produce el setenta por ciento de las uvas de Georgia. Tradicionalmente, los vinos georgianos llevan el nombre de la región de origen, distrito o pueblo, al igual que los vinos regionales franceses como Burdeos o Borgoña . Al igual que con estos vinos franceses , los vinos georgianos suelen ser una mezcla de dos o más uvas. Por ejemplo, uno de los vinos blancos más conocidos, Tsinandali, es una mezcla de uvas Rkatsiteli y Mtsvane de las micro regiones de Telavi y Kvareli en la región de Kakheti.


10 Varieties from the Birthplace of Wine
The Caucasus region encompasses the countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Iran, Russia, and Turkey. This region is considered to be the birthplace of wine. We know this because archaeologists have discovered the oldest wine making facility in Armenia, along with grape residue in clay jars in Georgia, and signs of grape domestication in eastern Turkey – all dating back to the time between 8000 B.C. and 4100 B.C.
Today, the Caucasus is at it again. They’re making wines with rare and fascinating grapes, sometimes coupled with ancient techniques–and they’re good!
The Caucasus wine regions span the area between the Greater Caucasus Mountains to the north and the Minor Caucasus Mountains (and plateau) to the south in the countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Iran, Russia, and Turkey.
Of course, Caucasus is a not your typical wine region. You have to remember that these countries may be next to one another, but they aren’t exactly best friends. The brutal war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the 1990s is still causing political turmoil between the neighboring countries. Then, there’s Georgia’s mysterious moving border (there are now two contested border areas along the Russian-Georgian border).
To make wine in Caucasus is either insane or visionary…we think the latter.
To help us understand the wines of this area, we’ve invited the authors of Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia, who’ve traveled the region extensively, to highlight the best grapes to know.
10 Varieties to Look for from the Caucasus

Areni
“ah-reh-nee”
This red grape hails from a town of the same name in south Armenia. Because of geographical isolation and its harsh growing climate, it was never affected by phylloxera. Its thick skin protects it from the summer sun and the harsh, high-elevation, continental climate. It makes red wine with light hue, high clarity, fresh acidity, and soft tannins. Wines made from this grape can have sour cherry, herb, spice, and grassy flavors – which, at times, remind us of a cross between Pinot Noir and Sangiovese. The grape gained some international fame when Zorah Karasi, a varietal wine made from Areni, was featured in the list of Bloomberg’s Top Ten Wines of 2012.
Khndoghni
“khhhang-douhhh-nee”
The name Khndoghni is derived from the Armenian word “khind”, which means laughter. This is a native red wine variety from the controversial Nagorno-Karabakh area, which – depending on the source – is considered a region of Armenia, a separate nation, or a part of Azerbaijan. This grape has high tannins and offers interesting characteristics of black and blue fruits, cotton candy, and earth. Wines made from this grape have grippy tannins, precise structure, and exhibit aging potential. Khndoghni is usually aged in Caucasian oak barrels that are sourced from the same area.
Voskehat
“voh-ski-hut”
If Areni is the signature red grape of Armenia, then Voskehat is the poster child of Armenian white wine. Voskehat translates to “golden seed.” It is a hardy and thick-skinned grape that gets along well with the hot summer and bitterlyft cold winter of the high Armenian Plateau. Almost all the winemakers in Armenia who make a white wine use this grape, either in varietal wine form or in a blend. It makes smooth- and medium-bodied white wine with floral, savory, tropical fruit, and stone fruit notes.

Goruli Mtsvane
“go-roo-lee mahts-vah-nay”
This is a different variety from Mtsvane, which grows in almost every region in Georgia. Goruli Mtsvane means “green from Gori,” and Gori is a city in south-central Georgia. A late-ripening grape that oxidizes easily, only a few winemakers make wine from this rare variety. When made in the qvevri, it delivers one of the most interesting experiences in wine. Its high-toned aromas range from peach, lime, apricot, wildflower, pine, and nut. On the palate, the weighty body is reminiscent of a light red wine. Hunting down a Goruli Mtsvane wine can be challenging but also incredibly rewarding.
Rkatsiteli
“rah-kats-ee-teh-lee”
Rkatsiteli, whose name means “red stem,” is a ubiquitous white wine variety that comprises nearly half of Georgia’s vineyard plantings. It is a hardy and easy-to-grow grape as it is resistant to cold and maintains a high level of acidity and sugar as it ripens. It can be made into dry, semi-sweet, and fortified wines, and also brandy. This variety is treated in both the traditional Georgian qvevri-style with extended skin contact and conventional-style white wine technique. In the conventional style, it becomes a well-balanced, medium-bodied white wine with a touch of spice. When made in qvevri style, it takes on an amber tone, a forceful structure, and beautiful creaminess on the palate. What Chardonnay is for California, this grape is to Georgia.
Saperavi
“sah-per-ra-vee “
Saperavi means “color/dye.” This is the most widely planted red wine variety in Georgia. Like Alicante Bouschet, it is teinturier with red flesh and red juice. This dark-skinned and dark-fleshed grape makes deep red, inky, and often opaque wine with heavy body and profound texture. Some wineries in the country label it as black wine instead of red. Due to the grape’s marked acidity and myriad characteristics of black fruit, licorice, chocolate, earth, smoked meat, tobacco, savory spice, and pepper, it is extremely versatile and can be made into rosé, dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and fortified wines. A dry red Saperavi wine resembles a mix between Blaufrankisch and Syrah.
Usakhelouri
“oosa-hello-oory”
Usakhelouri translates to “a grape with no name.” A native of western Georgia, this is an extremely low-yielding and rare variety that grows on the slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. The total annual harvest is only a few tons. It is grown in a few small, remote villages and can be made into dry red or naturally semi-sweet wine with a high price tag. The wines made from this variety are aromatic and velvety, with vibrant acidity and light tannins. The flavors are red fruit, purple flower, mint, pepper, and forest floor. The semi-sweet wine made from Usakhelouri is a wonderfully complex wine that somehow reminds us of what Pinot Noir might taste like if it were made into a dessert wine.
Going Natural
Georgia has struck a chord with worldwide fans of natural and organic wines. The method of making wine in buried clay vessels known as qvevri (pronounce “kway-vree”) in Georgia is a UNESCO listed Intangible Heritage of Humanity and is Georgia’s claim to fame.

Boğazkere
“bow-ahz-keh-reh”
This grape is native to the Diyarbakir area in Southeast Turkey. It prefers to grow in a hot, dry climate, at high altitude. The name Boğazkere translates to “throat burner” – a possible reference to its strong tannins and medium acidity, which is reminiscent of Tannat. Boğazkere can be used as a blending grape and can also be made into a varietal wine. In varietal wine, it expresses notes of dark berry, pepper, dark chocolate, clove, eucalyptus, tobacco, and licorice.
Emir
“eh-meer”
Native to and grown exclusively in the famous Cappadocia region of Turkey, this grape thrives in high altitude, volcanic soil, and diurnal temperature variation (hot during the day and cool at night). Its name translates to “lord/ruler,” as the wine made from Emir was once a popular choice at the local lords’ tables. It produces a smooth and crisp white wine with yellow-green hue. The flavor profile includes apple, yellow pear, pineapple, blood orange, kiwi, melon, and a touch of pine. Emir is often compared to Albarino and Pinot Grigio.
Öküzgözü
“ur-kuz-gur-zuh”
This grape is native to the Elazig area in Eastern Turkey. It likes hot, dry summers, and cold winters, which matches up perfectly with the extreme continental climate of the Anatolian Plateau. The name means “ox eye,” which hints at its round and fleshy appearance. Öküzgözü has high acidity and floral aromas. On the palate, it leans towards raspberry, plum, pomegranate, brown spice, and earthy flavors. The high acidity is what stands out the most in this grape. It is often blended with Boğazkere for added structure. On its own, it makes some memorable, fruit-forward wines.


Food Pairing with Orange Wines

Because of their boldness, orange wines pair excellently well with equally bold foods, including curry dishes, Moroccan cuisine, Ethiopian cuisine (like those spongelike pancakes called Injera), Korean dishes with fermented kimchi (bibim bap), and traditional Japanese cuisine, including fermented soybeans (Natto). Due to the high phenolic content (tannin and bitterness) and the nutty tartness they exhibit, orange wines pair with a wide variety of meats, ranging from beef to fish.

Where is the Origin of Orange Wine?

The process of making orange wine is very old, but the reinvigoration of this ancient process has only resurfaced in the last 20 odd years. Many modern-day orange winemakers look as far back as 5000 years in Caucasus (modern-day Georgia,–not the state) where wines were fermented in large subterranean vessels called Qvevri (“Kev-ree”) that were originally closed with stones and sealed with beeswax.

Orange wines are still very rare, but many countries have growing interest in this natural winemaking style.

Italy

Most orange winemaking can be found in northeastern Italy, along the border of Slovenia in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Here you can find orange wines produced with the indigenous grapes of the region, including Sauvignon Vert (Friulano), Ribolla Gialla, and Pinot Grigio. The orange wine process was popularized in Italy by winemaker Josko Gravner who first attempted an orange wine in 1997.
Example Italian Orange Wine Producers:
  • Bressan “Carat” (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) 
  • Antonio Caggiano “Béchar” (Campania) 
  • Donati Camillo “Malvasia dell’Emilia” (Emilia Romagna) 
  • Frank Cornelissen “Munjebel” (Sicily) 
  • Cos (Sicily) 
  • Gravner (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) 
  • Edi Kante (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) 
  • Angiolino Maule “Sassaia” (Gambellara, Veneto) 
  • Radikon (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) 
  • Rinaldini (Emilia Romagna) 
  • Franco Terpin (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) 
  • I Vigneri by Salvo Foti (Sicily) 

Slovenia

Just over the border from Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Italy is the region of Goriška Brda (“Gore-eesh-kah Barda”) in Slovenia, which has a long history of orange winemaking. The wine is very well-integrated here, and you’ll often see wines poured in standard glasses, like beer. There is another odd wine to be found here too, called Motnik. It is made in a natural method, like orange wine, in barrels that are disinfected by smoking herbs like rosemary, bay leaves, and sage.
Example Slovenian Orange Wine Producers:
  • Klinec 
  • Movia “Lunar” 
  • Princic

Georgia

A Kvevri is an ancient Georgian fermentation vessel that is buried in the ground to control the temperature.

Georgia is most famous for their qvevri-aged wines. Qvevri (aka Kvevri) were the first vessels ever to be used for wine fermentation, with archaeological findings supposedly dating back to 6000 BC. Qvevri are clay vessels lined with beeswax and completely buried under the ground where the temperature stays consistent throughout the year, allowing the wines to ferment in the natural coolness of the earth. The grape of choice from Georgia for natural qvevri wines is called Rkatsiteli (“Awr-kat-seh-telly”), which is known to produce wine with a deep red-orange hue.
Example Georgian Orange Wine Producers:
  • Pheasant’s Tears 
  • Alaverdi Monastery “Gurjaani” in Kakheti 
  • Our Wine in Kakheti 
  • Tbilvino “Quevris” 
  • Lagvinari “Goruli Mtsvane,” “Tsolikouri” and “Tsitska” 
16-01-2017

The appellations of Georgian wine

These first weeks of 2017 have been spent poring over various laws, rules, conference minutes, and other information to distill down into a readable form, the current appellations in the Republic of Georgia. This is all for the forthcoming Georgian wine book that you can order now. But as something of a preview, below the is the initial introduction to this nest of appellations.

Georgia was able to emerge from the Soviet Era with a number of appellations for their wines that stretched across the country. For the most part, they still are in modern use and stretch from east to west in a vinous arc. They work in a similar fashion to those found in Western Europe wherein they regulate the production of wine as well as implementing protection for the brands of the regions they cover.
They are however a very, very curious collection. The oldest is from 1886 and the newest among them were created while Georgia was still part of the USSR, giving a grand total of 18. Taking in to account Georgia’s size, this may seem like a decent framework to break down the country regionally except that 13 of these 18 are demarcating zones in the eastern region of Kakheti.
There are 12 for dry wines (maximum 4g/l of residual sugar), one for fortified wines, one for sparkling, and then four for semi sweet (between 30-50g/l of residual sugar.) Currently they are: Khvanchkara, Tvishi, Sviri, Ateni, Kakheti, Tibaani, Kardenakhi, Kotekhi, Akhasheni, Mukusani, Vazisubani, Gurjaani, Teliani, Tsinandali, Kvareli, Kindzmarauli, Napareuli, and Manavi.
This rather diverse group is overseen by Georgia’s trademark and patent office, Sakpatenti and has been in force, within Georgia ever since 1998 with a massive revision in 2003. Unfortunately, due to not being part of the Madrid Agreement upon independence this has meant that rather than researching and defining new appellations, they’ve been playing a lot of catch-up in terms of protecting the ones they already have. This work is ongoing and even to this day, imitations of their quite famous (in former Soviet countries anyways) semi sweet wines from Khvanchkara can be found although they’ve made a lot of progress in putting a stop to this.
Hopefully in the future, new and more tighter-defined appellations will emerge that also take in to account the rise in kvevri production as well.



A week of Georgian wine and culture

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Steve Slatcher
Here, I try to set the scene for the next few blog posts, which will be about Georgian wine. In this one I just want to let you know how we, my wife and I, came to be in Georgia, and very briefly relate what we got up to there.

Map of Georgia (click to enlarge)
In case there should be any doubt, I am writing here about a recent trip to Georgia the country; not the US state. It lies 4 time zones to the East of the UK, which translates to 3hrs in the summer as they do not have daylight saving time, and around 6 hours of actual flying on two flight. Its location is a lot better defined by physical geography than I first imagined, with the Black Sea to the West, and along the Northern border is the spectacular Greater Caucasus mountain range, the Lesser Causasus range being a much less distinct feature in Georgia’s South. To the East though, Georgia slips gently into Azerbaijan, with no obvious geographical feature to separate the two countries.
Initially we stayed a couple of nights in the capital, Tbilisi. Then two nights in the town of Sighnaghi and two at the Lapoto Lake Resort in the Easternmost region of Georgia, Kakheti – the largest wine producing region. And finally back to Tbilisi for a night before our return flight. This was not a press trip, but booked with the specialist wine tour company Arblaster and Clarke, and once in Georgia the 10 us on the trip were looked after by Living Roots. In practice, that was John Wurdeman, also of Pheasant’s Tears Winery, who was our wine guide for one evening in Tbilisi and most of our time in Kakheti, and Tamara Natanadze. She was with us for the rest of the tour, and guided us around Tbilisi and some monasteries, as well as accompanying us on a couple of wine tastings and the qvevri maker visit. Feel free to contact me if you think my views could help you plan a visit to Georgia, but I don’t intend to write much here about the tour companies, hotels, restaurant etc. Suffice to say that as a whole we had a jolly good time.
Looking back, just over a week after having returned, I still don’t think I have totally absorbed the rich experiences of the trip. The main impressions are perhaps of the beauty and humanity of the country, closely followed by the generous food and wine, and singing and dancing. It’s difficult to fully express these impressions in words or pictures, especially the humanity, but here at least are a couple of images that might help: a moment towards the end of a supra at the Pheasant’s Tears restaurant, the table still groaning under the weight of food; and the view over Sighnaghi and the Alazani valley, with the snow-capped Causasus mountains in the distance.
As usual here, in the blog posts that follow I shall not be giving a blow-by-blow account of my encounters with Georgian wine, but will give a very personal selection of experiences and thoughts, and also some more general aspects of Georgian wine that do not generally get much coverage.



Grapevine Regions Of Georgia

♦ Georgia's diverse natural conditions create the best environment for the development of high quality viticulture-winemaking according to the peculiarities of which the country s territory is divided into the following viticulture zones and micro-zones:


·         Kakheti. 

Sub-zones: Shida Kakheti, Gare Kakheti.

This glorious province, dominated by its surrounding mountains, is the most eastern and important of Georgiass wine regions. Thus, for this reason alone, it is also at the top of the tourist routes. Yet there is still more to see in this highly diverse province: to the north it also includes the beautiful, isolated Tusheti mountain region and to the south the chain of ancient monasteries of Davit Gareji speards across the lunar landscape of the high steppe land.
The climate and terrain are ideal for viticulture. Here are 65 per cent of the countrys vines, the vineyards filling the valleys of the rivers Alazani and Iori and the foothills of the CauCasus Mountains, Tsiv-Gombori range and lowlands of the Azerbaijan border.
In kakheti, visitors can feel the power of Georgian wine, its softness, depth and unforgettable flavor. 
Georgian winemaking is renowned for its unique methods. The tradition of making wine in Qvevri is a key sign that distinguishes Georgian wine from all other wines in the world. Qvevri wines are produced throughout Kakheti in all two sub-zones.
The most widespread white varieties of grapes in Kakheti are: Rkatsiteli, Mtsvane Kakhuri, Khikhvi, kisi, Grdzelmtevana, Vardisferi Rkatsiteli, Kumsi, Ghrubela and Chitistvala.
Reds are: Saperavi, Tsiteli Budeshuri, Kumsi, Ikaltos Tsiteli, Kharistvala and Jghia.

·         Kartli. 

Sub-zones: Kvemo Kartli, Shida Kartli and Mtskheta-Mtianeti.

Kartli is a large region made up of 3 administrative units: Shida (inner) kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti and Kvemo (lower) kartli. Kartli also includes Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. There are other factors that give special importance to this region - it is a great wine tourism destination, a historical-cultural heritage rich with tourist attractions and rich in agriculture.
Kartli is a very distinguished winemaking region of Georgia. Due to the existence of many endemic varieties of grapes, Kartlian wines are very different from the wines of other regions. In Kartli, vineyards are often situated at an altitude of 750-800 meters above sea level, however, some of the best wines are made from the grapes grown at an altitude of 400-50 meters. Vineyards in Kartli are located primarily on the plains and on the gentle slopes; although, there are some rare examples when they are located on steeper slopes and on terraces. The vast majority of the vineyards are arranged in classical style, with the vines supported by stakes, but in some gorges (e.g. the Ateni Gorge) the vines are trained to grow in a vertical manner on pergola type structures.
The traditional method of winemaking in Kartli - as in the regions of Kakheti, Imereti and Racha - stipulates the use of Qvevri. 
The Kartli region is also famous for its sparkling wines. Most of the grapes grown in this region - Goruli Mtsvane and Chinuri, as well as French varieties such as Pinot Noir and Aligote - are used for producing Georgian wines.

·         Samtskhe-Javakheti

The Samtskhe-Javakheti region lies in southern Georgia. It borders the regions of imereti and Shida (inner) Kartli to the north, Kvemo (lower) Kartli to the east, Adjara and Guria to the west and Turkey and Armenia to the south. The primary viticulture area is Meskheti (commonly referred to as Samtskhe). This area is comprised of the municipalities of Akhaltsikhe, Aspindza and Adigeni. Traditionally terraced, the vineyards were grown in the gorgos and on the slopes of the Mtkvari River and its tributaries.
The region of southern Georgia are the most archaic hearths of viticulture and winemaking of the country. Several monuments related to wine culture, such as wine cellars, former vineyards, centennial vines and other significant artifacts are preserved here, proving the special role of this area in the development of the Georgian wine culture over the millennia.
Samtskhe-Javakheti vineyards start at Kvishkheti. In Kvishkheti, Kvishkhuri (Goruli Mtsvane), Shavkapito and other varieties of grapes have been grown over very large territories. However, some consider Kvishkheti as part of Shida (inner) Kartli region, therefore, it is more proper to refer to Akhaltsikhe, Aspindza and Adigeni regions as viticulture and winemaking hearths of the southern Georgia. Vineyards in Samtskhe-Javakheti are traditionally planted in the gorges and on the slopes of the Mtkvari River and its tributaries. The viticulture zones are broken down by the altitude above sea level. There is a lower zone at an altitude of 900-1000 meters, the middle zone at 1000-1200 meters and the upper zone at 1200-1400 meters.
The meskheti region is one of the highest vine-growing regions in Georgia and perhaps even in the whole world. Here, vines grow at an altitude of 900-1700 meters above sea level.
The Varieties of grape grown in Meskheti include Roketula, Samariobo, white and red Tskhenisdzudzu, Bezhana, Shavi Aspindzuri, Akhaltsikhis Tetri, Tskhenis Dzua, Tamaris vazi, Meskhuri Kharistvala, Meskhuri Mtsvane, Meskhuri Kurdzeni, Tavdakiduli, Tavtsetskhla, Meskhuri Tita, Kldis Tsiteli, Sapareuli, white and red Budeshuri, Mamlitvala and Klertmagara. Additionally there are several Kartlian and Kakhetian grape varieties, including Goruli Mtsvane, Shavkapito, Rkatsiteli and Saperavi.

·         Imereti

Imereti is one of the most diverse wine regions in Georgia. It stretches from the Likhi Mountain Range in the east to the Kolkhrti Lowlands in the west, and from the Racha-Lechkhumi region in the north to the Meskheti Mountain Range to the south. Imereti comprises the Sachkhere, Chiatura, Kharagayli, Zestaponi, Baghdati, Tkhibuli, Terjola, Tskhaltubo, Vani, Samtredia and Khoni municipalities. Its vineyards mostly grow in the gorges of the Rioni River and its tributaries - Chkherimela, Dzirula, Kvirila, Khanistskhali, Tskhenistskhali and Sulori rivers and their own tributaries.
70% of Imereti's territory is mountainous and many places have different climates and types of soil, which is why Imeretian wines are extremeley diverse. The most widespread wine in Imereti is Tsitska-Tsolikouri, and when pressed together these two varieties of grape very often give amazing results. Of the region's white wines, Krakhuna, is the most distinctive, but the number of red wines produced from the Otskhanuri-Sapere grape has increased over the past years.
In Imereti - as other regions of Western Georgia - traditional winemaking calls for the use of churi ( same as qvevri ) that are kept in the ground in the yard.
In Imereti, the following varieties of white grape are the most common: Tsolikauri, Tsitska, Krakhuna, Kvishkhuri, Kapistoni, Dondghlabi, Bazaleturi, Kundza and Tklapa. Similarly, the most common varieties of red grapes include Otskhanuri-Sapere, Dzelshavi, Argvetuli-Sapere (Shavi), Rko, Mgaloblishvili, Adanasuri, Bzvanura, Shavi-Dondghlabi and Aladasturi.

·         Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti

The Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo (lower) Svaneti region consists of three historical regions: Racha, Lechkhumi, and Kvemo Svaneti. The viticulture and winemaking region of Racha is located in the north-eastern corner of western Georgia. It includes a large part of the Ambrolauri municipality as well as the Oni municipality. Vineyards there are mostly situated in the gorges of the Rioni River and its tributaries, along the right and left banks of the Rioni River. To the north-west, Racha borders Kvemo-Svaneti, Ossetia lies to the north, Shida (inner) Kartli-to the east, Imereti-to the south and Lechkhumi-to the west.
Lechkhumi is located in the north-eastern corner of western Georgia, and borders Racha to the east, Kvemo-Svaneti to the north, the mountains of Samegrelo to the west and imereti to the south. The region is comprised of the Tsageri municipality and the villages of the Rioni, Tskhenistkhali and Lajanuri River gorges.
Kvemo-Svaneti stretches from the source of the Tskhenistkali River gorge to the Mure Bridge, near the town of Tsageri. It borders Zemo (upper) Svaneti to the north and Lechkhumi to the south. It is separated from Zemo-Svaneti by the high Svaneti mountain range and Latphari pass.
This magnificent region of Georgia has its own unique wines and, unlike Kakheti, vineyards occupy much less space (approximately 1600 ha). 
The most importent micro-zone in Kvemo-Racha is Khvanchkara, which stretches from the village of Tsesi up to village of Kvishara. For Kvanchkara, grapes are harvested when their sugar level is no less than 23 percent. Almost all the harvest is purchased by the local wineries and wineries of other regions of Georgia that produce the "Khvanchkara" PDO wine.
The most notable wines to be produced in Lechkhumi are the naturally semi-sweet wine Tvishi made from Tsolikouri grapes, ideally-suited to the summer. This wine is the PDO of the Lechkhumi region. Tvishi grapes grown locally are used to make spendid dry Tsolikouri wine.
Most of the varieties of grape found in Racha are local, and the most widespread white grapes are Tsulukidzis Tetra and Tsolikouri. Common red grapes include Aleksandrouli, Mujuretuli, Rachuli-Dzelshavi and Saperavi. Rare varieties from Racha include White Aleksandrouli, Arabeuli, Tkhmorula, Kapistoni, Kudurauli, Mokaturi, Rachuli-Mtsvivani, Nakutvneuli, Rachuli-Mtsvane, Natsara, Sakmevela, Rachuli-Khikhvi, Rtskhila and Khoteuri.
Tsolikouri, Orbelis-Ojaleshi and Usakhelouri are widespread varieties of grape in Lechkhumi; however, the Orbelis-Ojaleshi and Tsolikouri from Tvishi varieties of grape are relatively recent arrivals in Georgia winemaking and were unknown in this region in the early 19th century.
Vines do not grow in Kvemo-Svaneti due to its severe climate conditions; therefor, viticulture and winemaking is not developed. The local people bring wine from other regions.

·         Guria

Guria is situated in south-west part of Georgia. It borders Imereti to the north-east, the Black Sea to the west, the Guria-Adjara mountains to the south, and the Rioni River lowlands to the north. Guria comprises the Ozurgeti, Ckokhatauri, and Lanchkhuti municipalities. The region's vineyards are primarily located in the gorges of the Supsa, Bakhvistskhali, Pichori, Khevistskhali, Gubazouli, Achistskhali, Bjuji and Natanebi rivers.
Guria is another region in Georgia, where viticulture and winemaking is experiencing a revival and where the first wine tourism attractions have only recently appeared. This region is very interesting for wine-lovers.
vineyards in Guria are mostly planted in the river gorges and on the slopes. Among the Georgian varieties, the most popular are Tsolikouri and then Guria's pride and joy, Chkhaveri, which is sometimes harvested as late as November or even December. The best Chkhaveri grapes are grown in several of the villages of the Chokhatauri and Ozurgeti municipalities.
Guria had been one of the tradutional hearths of Qvevri-making, and the masters of this rarest craft still produce Qvevri in Guria.
The most samous from local historical varieties of grapes are: ChKhaveri, Jani, Mtevandidi, Skhilatubani, Zenaturi, Sakmiela; however, in Guria, the most widespread variety is still Tsolikouri.

·         Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti

In terms of viticulture and winemaking, Samegrelo must be one of the archaic and most interesting regions in Georgia. The region is located in northwestern Georgia, which borders Svaneti and Abkhazia to the north, Guria to the south, Imereti to the east and the Black Sea to the west. It comprises the regions of Martvili, Senaki, Abasha, Chkhorotku, Tsalenjikha, khobi and Zugdidi. Samegrelo's vineyards are mostly located on the foothill areas, in the gorges of the Tekhura, Abasha, Enguri, Khobistskhali and Tskhenistskhali rivers.
Samegrelo is a very distinctive region of Georgia in terms of viticulture and winemaking. As in Guria and Adjara, the Maghlari growing method was used to grow vines up trees until the 20th century. Grapes grown in Samegrelo's lowlands are inferior in quality, whereas those grown in the foothills, in the gorge of the rivers Abasha and Tekhura, make the best wine. Despite the region's high humidity, spendid wines are made from vineyards located on the southern and south-eastern slopes.
Samegrelo's most famous variety is Ojaleshi. Ojaleshi grapes are usually harvested relatively late, in November and sometimes even in December or January. Winemaking methods are extremely diverse. In Samegrelo wine is sometimes left in contact with its marc and stalks during fermentation while other methods are quite unique due to their antique origin. 
The best Ojaleshi grapes are grown in the Salkhino and Tamakoni zones. In terms of winemaking, the region of Samegrelo must be the hearth of the most archaic culture in Georgia. Ancient sources refer to the region of Colchis, and many European travelers have described the local wine culture in their writings. Additionally, ethnographic literature on viticulture and winemaking in Samegrelo is also very rich.
While the red variety Ojaleshi remains the icon of Megrelian viticulture and winemaking, Tsolikouri is the most commonly grown variety in the region. The main Megrelian varieties of grape include Ojaleshi, Godaaturi, Chvitiluri, Chechipeshi, Paneshi, Chergvali and Cheshi.

·         Adjara

Adjara is located in south-western Georgia, which borders the Guria-Adjara Mountains to the north, the region of Samtskhe-Javakheti to the east, Turkey to the south, and Black Sea to the west. Adjara comprises the municipalities of Kobuleti, Khelvachauri, Keda, Shuakhevi and Khulo. Vineyards in the region are mostly located on the mountain foothills and in the valley of the Chorokhi and Acharistskhali rivers and the tributaries of the Acharistkhali, the Chakvistskhali and Kintrishi rivers.
Adjara is one of the most importent wine regions of and subtropical zones in Georgia. Many people are actively involved in winemaking and do their best to rejuvenate older varieties of grapes. Additionally, vineyard owners have begun to cultivate varieties brought from other parts of Georgia.
The most widely grown varieties of grape in the Adjara region is Tsolikouri and the Gurian variety Chkhaveri, from which the Adjarians make marvelous wines, no lesser in terms of quality and quantity than those made in Guria itself. Local varieties include: Brola, Khopaturi, Klarjuli, Mekrenchkhi, Burdzghala, Kviristvala, Skhaltauri, Shavshura, Chodi, Javakhetura, Jineshi, Satsuri and Batomura.






The qvevri is inescapable in Georgia. Depictions of this traditional, earthenware winemaking vessel, on T-shirts, tea towels and fridge magnets, fill the tourist shops in the spruced-up centre of the capital, Tbilisi. They’re also a feature of roadside billboards and the signs of small-town cafes, bars and hotels with rows of the real things the prize exhibit in any winery tour.
The qvevri’s ubiquity is more than quaint tourist-board marketing. It’s a symbol of just how proud the Georgians are of being the oldest winemaking country in the world: in November last year, archaeologists on a dig south of Tbilisi uncovered fragments of qvevri with residual wine compounds dating back 8,000 years.
Paradoxically, the qvevri is also a symbol of the country’s pursuit of a very particular kind of modernity – one based on what John Wurdeman, an American painter-turned-winemaker and restaurateur making wine in the country’s main Kakheti region, calls “a way of living and creating informed by the past”. Along with dozens of other natural-minded winemakers looking to make modern wines in the old way, Wurdeman’s Pheasants Tears project with Georgian winemaking partner Gela Patalishvili, has returned to the qvevri as their vessel of choice.
It’s a means of production that leads to highly distinctive wines. After being lightly pressed, whole bunches of grapes are thrown into the beeswax-lined pots, which are buried in the ground, and once fermentation has taken place, sealed and left to age. The result: amber-coloured whites with the grippy structure of reds, and reds that often display a wild, spicy, herby quality.
Though it represents a small, albeit highly visible and growing, fraction of the country’s output, the qvevri renaissance has put Georgia at the forefront of winemaking fashion. Their wines have become a must-have for the world’s best restaurants and wine shops, and they’ve inspired a global movement of likeminded producers to work with clay. For a country that spent much of the 20th century making vast quantities of rough industrial plonk at the behest of Soviet central planners, it’s quite a turnaround – as well as being quite a journey for the evergreen clay pot.

Six of the best Georgian wines



 Schuchmann Mtsvane Georgian Dry White, Kakheti, Georgia 2015 (£8.25, The Wine Society)
For many observers, Georgia’s greatest winemaking asset isn’t the qvevri, it’s the array of high-quality, individualistic native grape varieties such as mtsvane, which here shows floral fragrance and grapefruit zinginess in an easy-drinking dry white.

 Pheasant’s Tears Saperavi, Kakheti, Georgia 2016 (from £19.95, Noel Young Wines; smilinggrape.com) Château Mukhrani Rkatsiteli 2015 (£10, Marks & Spencer)

Characteristically, M&S has been one of the few mainstream retailers to give Georgia a spin, with both this spicy, fresh dry white and the chewier, fuller-bodied, qvevri-made, herb-and-apple-scented Tblvino Qvevris 2015 (£10), worth your attention.
Thanks to the evangelical eloquence of American co-owner John Wurdeman, Pheasant’s Tears is arguably the best-known member of the natural qvevri movement. But with wines such as this ever-evolving, nutty, tangy, earthy red, they deserve to be.
Orgo Saperavi, Kakheti, Georgia 2015 (£20, Roberson Wine)
The Dakishvili family was the standout producer for me on a recent trip to Georgia, this qvevri-made red so delectably dark but pure and supple, with wild dark cherry and blackberry, a superb expression of the great Georgian native saperavi grape variety.
Dakishvili Family Vineyards Vita Vinea Kisi Amber (£22.50, Bottle Apostle)
Another qvevri beauty from the Dakishvili family, using the native kisi variety for an amber wine that fills the mouth with white flowers, silky textured ripe quince and apple, and a patisserie creaminess. Complex, it evolves in the glass as you drink.
Telavi Marani Satrapezo Qvevri Saperavi, Kakheti, Georgia 2014 (£24.99, georgianwinesociety.co.uk)
One of Georgia’s largest producers has a small qvevri cellar alongside its vast ex-Soviet facilities, and the output is really impressive, not least in this deep, dark, sumptuously ripe, rich, glossy saperavi red, with its intense blackberry fruit.
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· LINK Andrew Jefford DECANTER II
Wine History
To some, wine is more than just a drink, it is a lifestyle. The vast array of flavors display an extensive variety that many find fascinating. In the Republic of Georgia, wine has not only unique flavors, but also comes from several lush regions which all have their own rich history. Between archaeological discoveries and the Georgians clear appreciation for the creation of fine wine, this area has given the world delicious and recognizable bottles that can be enjoyed by any wine enthusiast.
There have been discoveries of wine making in Georgia dating back 8,000 years. Some of the very first cultivated grape vines were found in the South Caucasus. The people of the region discovered that grape juice would ferment and turn into wine after being left in shallow pits throughout the winter. The wine was stored in a clay pot called a kvevri. Storing the wine in the ground made it the perfect temperature for drinking, further showcasing the advanced techniques that were used in the very beginning. The creation of wine was held with great significance, there have been many artifacts found that depict grape clusters, vines and leaves. It seems that even in ancient times, everyone knew the importance of a good bottle of wine.
As the influence of Christianity grew in Georgia, so did wine making. Because it was associated with the blood of Christ, wine was thought to be sacred. The medieval hymn, “Thou Art a Vineyard,” shows that wine making had been prevalent in Georgia for hundreds of years by that time. St. Nino, who spread the word of Christianity in the Kartli region, is most often pictured with a cross made of wood from grape vines. For many years, especially during the Ottoman Empire, wine consumption was forbidden in other parts of the world, giving areas in Georgia much more time to advance than other countries. It can be seen through all the delicious varieties of wine that it is not a skill that was perfected overnight.
During Soviet times, Georgian wine was preferred to that of the more common wines from Moldavia and Crimea. Unfortunately, in the late 19th century an outbreak of mildew and phylloxera devastated hundreds of acres of vineyards, slowing the production of wine until after Soviet control ended. When the vines were replanted and grapes were once again available in abundance, modern wine making was once again perfected by the regions in Georgia’s lush countryside.
The Kakheti Region in Georgia is made up of two micro-regions, Telavi and Kvareli. Today it has become one of the most visited regions of Georgia because of its beautiful landscape and abundant accommodations. It is in this particular region where the famous Kindzmarauli red semi sweet wine, Tsinandali White wine is made. As with many Georgian wines, it is a blend of two types of grapes, Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane. This process of blending is similar to French wines, giving each bottle a distinctive taste of the place from which it came. Throughout the course of history, the Republic of Georgia has proven time and time again how important their experience actually is.
Today, Georgian wine is sold all over the world, and is becoming exceedingly popular in the United States. The vineyards in California have become somewhat common, and other flavors are being sought out all over the country. Georgian wines in the USA are in high demand all over the country because of the unique blends and original flavors. With dry reds and sweet whites, there is something to satisfy every taste. People all over the United States seem to be grateful for the skill and practice that Georgian wine country has to offer.
Wine making is so much more than providing a beverage. The process that goes into growing the grapes and turning them into wine is extensive. The Republic of Georgia has spent centuries perfecting their trade showing evidence that makes them the first region to learn such a procedure. Since ancient times, the people of the region have created wines that countries across the globe have come to know and love. By introducing their signature blends to people everywhere they have cemented their place in the history of wine. I just go to show that with the right experience wine can be made into art.








· LINK decanter I

· LINK decanter II

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· LINK decanter V

Georgia / FOOD & DRINK
Everything You Need to Know About Georgian Wine

Baia Dzagnidze


Updated: 28 December 2017

The lush valleys and shielding slopes of Transcaucasia have been home to vine cultivation and winemaking for at least 8,000 years. Due to this, the traditions of wine are weaved into Georgia‘s national identity. Here are all the essential facts and information you need to know about Georgian wine.

Final del formulario
What are Georgia’s leading wine-producing regions?
The whole country produces wine, and the particular grape varietals all have their specific micro-zones scattered across the national territory. However, the most well-known region for producing Georgian wine is Kakheti, divided into the two micro-regions of Kvareli and Telavi. Then comes Imereti, Kartli, Svaneti, Adjara, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, and Abkhazia.
The traditional winemaking method Georgia uses calls for egg-shaped clay jars called qvevri. This technique caught the eye of UNESCO, which has listed it as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
How big is Georgia’s wine market?
After Moldova, Georgia is the second country in terms of the volume of grape production in ex-Soviet states. Georgian wines have always been highly praised in the former Soviet countries. Today, the beverage is produced by hundreds of small farmers, monasteries, and factories using both traditional and European methods.
What’s different about Georgian grapes?
Georgia’s climate and territorial conditions are perfect for wine production. Here, extreme weather is very unusual; summers are sunny, while winters are mild and frost-free. The country is rich with natural springs that come from the Caucasian Mountains and flow into the valleys.
Tatulashvili Family Vineyards | © Chateau Zegaani 
Georgia’s mild climate and humid air, affected by the Black Sea, provide the best conditions for vine cultivation. Here, you can see grapevines growing up the stocks of fruit trees and hanging down. This method of farming has its own term and is called maglari.
Traditional Georgian grape varietals are less known in the world. Even though the country has almost 400 different types of grapes, only 38 are grown for commercial winemaking.
Similar to French wines, Georgian wines are also named according to the source region, village, or district. Also, like French wines, Georgian wines are mostly made from the blend of two or more grape varietals.
Here, you can try sweet, dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sparkling, and fortified wines.
What are some of the most important grape varietals and wines in Georgia?
Ojaleshi
Ojaleshi is grown on the mountain slopes above the banks of the Tskhenistskali River, particularly in the Samegrelo region of Western Georgia.
Saperavi
Saperavi produces rich dark red wines suitable for extended aging – up to fifty years. It can provide high alcohol levels and is used widely for mixing with other lesser types. Saperavi is one of the essential grapes used in Georgian red wines.
Mtsvane
Mtsvane, or green in English, is another very essential grape varietal in Georgian winemaking. It is often mixed with Rkatsiteli to add an aromatic, fruity balance to the wine.
Variety of Georgian wines | © Revolweb / WikiCommons

Usakhelauri
Usakhelauri translates into English as “without name” or “nameless” and is an indigenous grape varietal. The name translates with the meaning of “priceless” or “beyond words” and perfectly describes the exceptional and unparalleled quality of the grape. Grown on the mountain slopes of Lechkhumi, the cultivation process is quite difficult and is characterized by a low harvest volume. Each year, only three tons of grapes can be harvested, leading to Usakhelauri wines being very expensive.
Rkatsiteli
This is another very important grape varietal highly used in Georgian winemaking. Rkatsiteli also grows outside of Georgia, particularly in former Soviet countries.
Alexandreuli
Alexandreuli is considered to be one of the oldest grape varietals in Georgia.

Chinuri
Chinuri, or Chinebuli, translated into English as “excellent” is grown in the Kartli region. It reaches full maturity in late October and is usually used in sparkling wines by mixing Goruli Mtsvane and Aligote.
What are the most common Georgian wines?
1. Tsinandali is a white wine made from a combination of Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane grapes from the micro-zones of Kvareli and Telavi in the Kakheti region.
2. Tvishi is a naturally semi-sweet white wine made from the Tsolikauri grape.
3. Alaznis Veli is a white semi-sweet wine made by mixing Rkatsiteli, Tsolikauri, Tetra, and other grape varietals grown in Western and Eastern parts of the country. The wine has a straw color and a harmonious taste.
4. Mukuzani, a dry red wine made from only Saperavi grapes grown in Mukuzani and Kakheti, is matured for three years in oak to give it flavor and complexity. It is one of the best dry red wines made from Saperavi.
5. Kindzmarauli is a high-quality naturally semi-sweet wine with a dark red color and is made from Saperavi grapes grown on the slopes of the Caucasian mountains in the Kvareli district, in the Kakheti region.
6. Khikhvi is a white dessert wine made from the Khikhvi grape cultivated in Kardanakhi, which has been producing wine in Georgia since 1924. The wine is an amber color and has a delicate taste.
7. Akhasheni is a naturally semi-sweet red wine produced from the Saperavi grape cultivated in Kakheti. The dark pomegranate color wine has a velvety taste with a chocolate character.
8. Khvanchkara, a high-end, naturally semi-sweet red wine is the blend of Mudzhuretuli and Alexandria grape varietals grown in the Khvanchkara vineyards in Racha. The wine has well-balanced tannins with a raspberry flavor. This dark ruby color wine is one of the most famous Georgian semi-sweet wines..


Wines in Georgia


Wines from over fifteen appellations are currently produced in Georgia. Approximately forty different grape varieties are used for wine manufacturing in Georgia. Wines are traditionally named after the location in which they are produced. Singular varietals bear the name of the grape from which they are produced.

Favorite Red grape varieties:

Saperavi is by far the most popular red grape variety used in production. The word “saperavi” translates to “for color”. While often combined with other grape varieties, Saperavi is most commonly vinted as a singular dry red varietal. This grape is a staple in Georgian red wine manufacturing.
Tavkveri is a red grape known for its flexibility. It is used to produce wines ranging from dry red to sparkling.
Mujuretuli grapes are used in partnership with Alexandrouli grapes to produce the deliciously sweet Kvanchkara wines of the Racha region.
Usakhelouri grapes are native to Western Georgia. The dark orb shaped berries ripen late and are revered for their “peppery” characteristic.
Chkhaveri grapes are grown along the Black Sea coastal areas of Adjara and Guria to produce an array of rose wines, including sparkling varieties.
Ojaleshi grapes are native to the Semegrelo region. Ruby colored berries yield semi-sweet/sweet wines with red fruit bouquet and spicy undertones.
Shavkapito grapes are indigenous to the region of Kartli. These grapes produce robust, full bodied deep red wines.

Favorite White grape varieties:

Rkhatsiteli grapes are the most predominant white variety in Georgia. Grown in the eastern region of Kakheti, sommeliers commonly note hints of citrus and apple.
Mtsvane Kakhuri grapes are named as such because they yield wines of a greenish hue. They are grown throughout Georgia.
Kisi grapes are native to Kakheti. This grape variety is notable for producing finer wines.
Tsolikouri grapes are an ancient variety native to the region once known as Colchis (Imereti). These grapes are the most popular white variety of western Georgia.

Below is a list of famous wines of Georgia which are popular domestically as well as internationally.

Tsinandali
This special white wine is a source of pride for Georgian wine makers. It bears a light straw color with a fine fruity bouquet and soft delicate taste. It has been produced in Georgia since 1886.
Made from 80% Rkatsiteli and 20% Mtsvane grapes

Alcohol 10 – 12%

Akhasheni
A premium red semisweet wine with a bold fragrant bouquet and dark pomegranate hue, it flaunts hints of chocolate. It has been produced in Georgia since 1958.
Made from Saperavi grapes

Alcohol 11 – 12%

Kindzmarauli
This is a high-quality red semisweet wine with the intense color of overripe cherry. Its special bouquet delivers a mild velvety taste. Kindzmarauli is one of the most famous wines of Kakheti.
Alcohol 10 – 12%
Saperavi
Perhaps the most oft regaled of Georgian wines among international sommeliers, Saperavi is a dry red varietal of opaque incarnadine hue. It has been produced in Georgia since 1886.
Alcohol 10.5 – 13%
Tbilisuri
This is a semidry white wine, light straw in color. Tbilisiuri boasts a sweet and sour disposition with the subdued aroma of immature grapes. This is made from a combination of grapes from the Kartli region.
Alcohol 10 – 11.5%
Tvishi
Produced in the western region of Racha in the Rioni valley, this semi sweet wine is made from Tsololikouri grapes. It is light amber in color with fruity bouquet and a soft palate.
Alcohol 10 – 12%
Kisi
A rare amber wine considered being among the top 5 Georgian wines.
This varietal made from exclusively from Kisi grapes grown in vineyards no less than 50 yrs old. The wine is aged on skins. It boasts peculiar smoked pork tones and is seasoned with wood spice.
Alcohol 12.5%
Kakheti
This is a natural dry amber wine made in Georgia since 1948. The wine possesses a golden color, full body and distinctive fruity nose.
Alcohol 10.5%
Alazani Valley (white)
The white variety yields a semisweet wine. It is characterized by its maize hue, aromatic bouquet and mild fruity palate. It is made from Khatsiteli grapes.
Alcohol 11.5%
Alazani Valley (red)
The red variety yields a semisweet ruby tinted wine with innuendos of wild berry. Both red and white varieties have been produced in Georgia since 1977.
Alcohol 12%
Napareuli
This dry amber variety has a harmonious bouquet with soft fruity tones. It is typically made according to European methods. Due to the mild climate of the region, the berries yield a softer, yet complex flavor. It is made from Khatsiteli grapes grown on the left bank of the Alazani river.
Alcohol 10 – 12.5%
Tsolikouri
This singular varietal white wine from Western Georgia has a characteristic light barley hue. It typically vints for a minimum of two years in oak casks. It is produced in Imereti according to European methods.
Varietal 10.5 – 12.5%
Kvanchkara
Made from Alexandrouli and Jushuretuli grapes grown on the southern slopes of greater Caucasus Mountains, this semi-sweet wine is known for its distinctive ruby color and well developed bouquet.
Alcohol 10.5 – 13%


Georgian wines: older and wiser
In Georgia, winemaking methods that were developed 8,000 years ago have not been abandoned but remain best practice

Andrew Jefford  ·  AUGUST 2, 2013

You could call it a great unlearning. Sixty years of technical mastery over raw materials have led, in the view of some wine producers, to a loss of the innate differences with which wine was once synonymous.

How, though, to beat a retreat? “Natural” wine (made without additives) and “orange” wine (white wine made like red, by lengthy soaking of skins with juice) have been two of the most radical solutions. Classically trained palates often consider the results grotesque; younger drinkers find them fun.

They’re now a kind of punk wine – a disconcerting alternative to the mainstream, inspiring two separate London wine shows each spring and even threading their impolite way through the Michelin stars. Much of the running for this movement has been made in Italy, inspired by the contadini (peasant farmers) who never bothered much with additives anyway, nor saw the point of treating white grapes differently from red. The movement’s leaders, though, look further east, to Georgia, which is wine’s Jerusalem; tributes and pilgrimages abound.

Georgia’s winemakers regard this as both gratifying and discomfiting. Georgia is a land of multiple wine astonishments. Archaeologists are unsure whether wine’s birthplace was in southern Anatolia or Transcaucasia; what is beyond doubt, though, is that Georgia is the only country in the world where winemaking methods that were developed up to 8,000 years ago have not only never been abandoned but remain in many ways best practice. Georgia’s winemakers are the guardians of wine’s oldest traditions, and they’re happy that this is now both recognised and respected.

The discomfort comes because they have learnt their considerable refinement and subtlety through thousands of vintages; much of this refinement is absent in the hit-and-miss natural-wine noise generated elsewhere. There are two compelling reasons to seek out Georgian wine.

The first is its repertoire of indigenous grape varieties: 525 survive, out of a total thought to have once numbered 1,400 or more. The second is, precisely, those old ways – the chance to taste wines that have been fermented in the buried, wax-lined clay jars the Georgians call qvevri. Both red and white wines can be made in these beautiful, maternally contoured vessels, whose size varies from flask-like to bear-sized. (Human skeletons have been found, in contented repose, within ancient jars.) In essence, red wines made in qvevri don’t differ dramatically from “normal” red wines, which also ferment with their skins and pips, and sometimes their stalks too.

Red wines made in qvevri, moreover, are often removed from the jars after fermentation for wood ageing, or for returning to a clean qvevri. This too mimics normal red-wine practice. White wines made in this way, by contrast, are utterly different from conventional white wines.

The Georgians call them “golden” rather than “orange”, and they spend a full six months with skins and pips, as well as undergoing their entire fermentative cycle in contact with those materials and with the copious yeast deposits the cycle produces. The only external addition is, in most cases, a little sulphur after fermentation. The jars are then sealed and earth-covered for the ageing process.

The result is a width, a tannic grip and a textural depth that no conventionally made white wine will ever have. The wines’ aromas and flavours are singular too. Their acidity is muted, since they have all been through the acid-softening malolactic fermentation, while contact with the other matter in the jar, especially the yeast deposits, rounds the flavours further. In place of the fresh fruits that so many white wines suggest, these evoke dried fruits, mushrooms, straw, nuts and umami. They have less of an oxidative tang than their colours suggest; indeed, their articulation is often understated and quiet, though orchestral in its allusive range. They are meditative wines, sumptuous and subtle.

Not every Georgian wine, of course, is made in buried clay jars; the majority are made conventionally, and it is in these wines that Georgia’s indigenous grape varieties can be appreciated most clearly, at least by palates unused to the thickening intrigue of the qvevri. The country may have a huge patrimony of varieties, but a few stand out for their quality.

The red variety Saperavi is the most commanding. It is deeply coloured (the name means “dye”) and no less prodigious in almost every dimension, with astonishing energetic force in the mouth. A great Saperavi is shockingly good: no other words will do. The variety also blends well (with Bordeaux varieties Cabernet and Merlot, for instance) and is ideal for making the semi-sweet reds so popular in Russia. Other Georgian red varieties of note include the lighter Tavkveri and the fresh-flavoured Shavkapito, but Saperavi is the grandee. There are, by contrast, at least three great indigenous Georgian white varieties. Rkatsiteli is the best known (its planting outside Georgia’s borders, in Ukraine, Moldova and Bulgaria, helps to make it the world’s fifth most planted white grape variety).

Like Chardonnay, its style varies considerably with location and producer intent, but fragrance, vinosity, a crisp balance and a complex allusive repertoire are all possible. My own favourite among Georgian white varieties is the subtle, hauntingly aromatic Mtsvane, a kind of Caucasian cousin of Rhône whites such as Marsanne, Roussanne or Viognier. Kisi is the third leading white variety, said to be floral and fresh, though the examples I tried were full-bodied and rich.

There are further nuances, as you’d expect from an 8,000-year-old tradition, including regional differences and a series of village “appellations” which imply particular blends of varieties. They all reinforce Georgia’s message to the curious, though, which is that wine, great wine, is still more intriguingly diverse and more strangely beautiful than we thought.


Andrew Jefford’s weekly blog “Jefford on Monday” appears every Monday on www.decanter.com.

Jancis Robinson is away Andrew’s Picks Georgian fine-wine producers:


• Alaverdi Monastery • Besini • Khareba • Maisuradze • Ch Mukhrani • Pheasant’s Tears • Vinoterra/Schuchmann • Wine Man • Winiveria

For stockists visit www.ft.com/jefford

• Alaverdi Monastery • Besini • Khareba • Maisuradze • Ch Mukhrani • Pheasant’s Tears • Vinoterra/Schuchmann • Wine Man • Winiveria


For stockists visit www.ft.com/jefford

Drinking the sun

526 good reasons why Georgia is the wine region you need to discover now
 
At a roadside restaurant in the eastern Georgian region of Kakheti, John Wurdeman is holding court in the dappled shade of a vine canopy. “In ancient times it was believed that when the colour of the grape changed, the eye of the sun had entered the berry,” intones the winemaker in the soothing voice of a practised raconteur. “The sun was a god, so when you drank the wine you were drinking the meeting place between the celestial and terrestrial worlds,” he continues, raising a glass of amber-coloured wine aloft so that the sunlight glints through it. The small gathering of journalists and foodies round the table clink glasses, eager to partake in this mystical communion. We drink, and are transported momentarily. We are drinking the sun.  
When it comes to wine, Georgia has the greatest biodiversity per hectare in the world, with an astonishing 526 grape varieties
Originally from New Mexico, Wurdeman, a big bear hug of a man with a fiery red beard and ponytail, might seem an unlikely guide into the world of Georgian wine. Since arriving here 20 years ago, he has learned Georgian, married a Georgian, and immersed himself in the country’s history, folk dancing, myth and music, on which he holds forth with all the zeal of a convert. While he came here as an artist, and continues to paint, Wurdeman has been a key player in a natural winemaking renaissance that has seen Georgian wine rise to international prominence in recent years. Pheasant’s Tears, the winery he co-founded a decade ago, now operate six vineyards in Georgia and exports to countries round the world.
  • Qvevri at Pheasants’ Tears vineyard, Tibaani
  • Kakhetian supra
  • Rkatsiteli being poured
  • John Wurdeman
  • A glass of Rkatsiteli
  • Qvevri at Pheasants’ Tears vineyard, Tibaani
  • Kakhetian supra
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The wine we are drinking today is Rkatsiteli, the premiere Kahketian white. It is made using a 5,000 year old technique in qvevri — giant terracotta urns submerged beneath the ground up to the brim. The crushed grapes are fermented in the qvevri with their skins for two to four weeks. White wine is macerated in the skins for up to three further months after fermentation, which gives natural white wines their distinctive orange or amber colour. The wine is then moved to different qvevri for storage, the surrounding earth regulating its temperature. Rkatsiteli can vary widely in character depending on length of skin contact and soil variation. Today’s is floral but firm-bodied, with a versatility which makes it the perfect accompaniment for a lunchtime feast, or supra.

John announces the dishes as they arrive. There is minced veal in fermented grape leaves, chicken in an egg sauce, speckled trout from the Tushetian mountains and wild oyster mushroom with tarragon and green plum. We can barely finish what’s on our plate before it’s replaced with a clean one. New dishes keep on coming, piling up in the middle of the table: pork shashklik and sweetbreads, then aubergines folded around a mixture of walnut, blue fenugreek, marigold flowers, coriander seed and garlic. I thought I knew Georgian cuisine from going to Georgian restaurants in Russia — but that’s a bit like saying you know Italian food from dining at Bella Pasta. The variety and subtlety on offer is staggering — not to mention the quantity.
When it comes to wine, Georgia has the greatest biodiversity per hectare in the world, with an astonishing 526 grape varieties (Italy has twice as many varieties but is four times larger). Georgian wine was traditionally a family affair, made in small quantities and consumed locally in the villages. But the Soviet era land brought collectivisation and industrialisation. Only four types of wine were made during this period, much of it for export around the USSR. After the Soviet Union’s collapse, Georgia at first tried to integrate itself with the global wine market by buying foreign equipment and making ersatz versions of popular wines such as Burgundy and Bordeaux — a “good but not winning” formula, says Wurdeman.
  • Pheasants’ Tears vineyard in Tibaani, Kakheti
But in recent years people have started returning to their grandfathers' plots to produce wine the old way. “Now we’re experiencing a return of the vines to their ancestral places,” says Wurdeman, who tells me that this year he's harvesting 400-year-old vines in the south-western region of Meskheti that “survived the Ottoman invasion” in the 16th century. The trend for leaving Tbilisi for the vineyard has caught on in recent years, fuelled by a growing interest from abroad in natural wine. Four years ago there were only 12 natural growers bottling wine in Georgia, and now there are 65 domains and over 300 different labels.
For centuries Georgian cuisine absorbed the influences of Mongol, Persian and Ottoman invasions, the Silk Road and later, 19th century European tastes
Pioneers like Wurdeman have paved the way for a new generation of young winemakers. One is 27-year-old Keti Berishvili, who last summer quit her job at a bank in Tbilisi to start making wine on her father’s land in Artana village in Kakheti. Berishvili currently makes Rkatsiteli and Saperavi, the famous Georgian red, and bottles it under the name Gogowine, which means both “Girl wine” and “Daughter's wine”. One of few female winemakers in Georgia, she tells me on Skype that she feels “really supported as a girl” by the natural wine “family”. While producing only small quantities at the moment, Berishvili is already selling her wine at Ghvino Underground, a wine shop that has become the epicentre of Tbilisi’s natural wine scene, as well as exporting to the US and Denmark.
  • Pkhali dips at Cafe Littera
  • Keti Berishvili. Image: Ketevan Berishvili/Facebook
  • Tekuna Gachechiladze. Image: Daro Sulakauri
  • The courtyard at Cafe Littera
  • Pkhali dips at Cafe Littera
  • Keti Berishvili. Image: Ketevan Berishvili/Facebook
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Where natural winemakers are rediscovering ancient techniques, chef Tekuna Gachechiladze is looking to improve on them. “Georgian traditional food was always innovative — I’m just continuing what we used to do,” she tells me at her restaurant, Cafe Littera, which occupies an impossibly romantic courtyard behind the Georgian Writer’s House, a beautiful Art Nouveau building in the heart of Tbilisi. Gachechiladze, a popular TV chef who trained in New York and has run a string of successful restaurants in Georgia, has been dubbed the “queen of Georgian fusion”. The menu at Cafe Littera presents new twists on classic dishes, such as shrimp kharcho or baked mussels with walnuts.

For centuries, says Gachechiladze, Georgian cuisine absorbed the influences of Mongol, Persian and Ottoman invasions, the Silk Road and later, 19th century European tastes. “Eggplants” she says of the staple Georgian ingredient, “were from India. We planted them and adapted them because we have great soil.” But after centuries of enrichment and variation, Georgian food was homogenised during the USSR in a similar way to its wine. “Georgian housewives lost touch with their cuisine,” says Gachechiladze. And although the recipes survived, the stultifying effects of the Soviet period seem to have been far-reaching. “The Georgians think that if their grandmother and grandmother’s grandmother did it like this then this is the tradition and you can’t change it. But you can always improve something.” Gachechiladze illustrates her point by describing her twist on traditional chakapuli (lamb and vegetable stew), which involves cooking the meat with a bouquet garni and then replacing it with fresh greens. “You can’t cook greens and meat for three hours together!” she protests.
Whether planting new varieties of aubergines brought over from Italy or working with farmers to grow artichokes in Georgia for the first time, Gachechiladze has been busy reviving what she sees as her country's tradition of innovation. But it’s clear that her priorities lie in finding the best ingredients and techniques rather than simply coming up with innovative combinations for their own sake. She is also rediscovering forgotten ingredients that grow wild in Georgia, such as danduri, a kind of weed that goes by the name of perslane in English. “I travel a lot — I eat in the villages,” she says. “People bring me things.”
And then suddenly it’s our turn. “I’ve just bought a kilo of Georgian truffles!”, Tekuna exclaims with an infectious laugh. “They’re not as aromatic as Piedmontese truffles, but they’re truffles, and we never knew we had them!” She skips off inside and returns moments later with small black truffles for everyone. I find mine back in London while unpacking, wrapped in a handkerchief — an earthy souvenir of Georgia's boundless richness and fertility.
Text: Arthur House
Image: Ivana Bobic

Indie Spanish Wines
10 de agosto de 2015 
¿Sabéis que es el qveri?
Un qveri es una vasija grande de barro utilizada tanto para la fermentación como para la crianza de vino, sus tamaños varían desde los 800 a los 3.500 litros de capacidad. Cabe señalar que cuanto mayor sea el recipiente más difícil es controlar la temperatura por lo que los formatos más grandes tienden a ser utilizados para el almacenamiento.

El material con el que esta realizado es de arcilla con piedra caliza para soldarlo y sellarlo, una vez completado cada 20-25 años el interior se recubre con una fina caña de cera de abeja, la razón de ello se debe a que mientras los poros más grandes que permiten que el vino respire se limpian fácilmente mientras que los poros más pequeños no por lo que no se mantienen libres de hongos y bacterias

Mientras que las barricas de roble tienen un periodo de vida de entre 3 y 5 años los qveri pueden ser utilizados por centenares de años
En España tenemos algunos muy buenos elaboradores de vino natural que utilizan este elemento como por ejemplo Vinos Ambiz, S.L. de Fabio Bartolomei



Why Georgia (The Country) Is The Next Great Food And Wine Destination (Part I)

Adam Morganstern 

I only had to learn two words in Georgian to enjoy my way around the country: “thanks” and “cheers.” There were other phrases I’d prepared, but with all the endless food, wine and genuine warmth that was thrown my way, I was about three days into the trip before I even needed to say anything else. 

I’m not sure people even knew I wasn’t Georgian. There is wonderful hospitality around the world — and then there is Georgian hospitality. So for your next food, wine and cultural vacation, there is no better place to travel. Here are the main reasons to start saying “madloba” and “gaumarjos” and get yourself to Georgia. (And be sure to check out Part II: Georgia's wine regions and winemaking monasteries.)

The Food

Do not sit down for a meal with Georgians without an exit strategy. Whether at a restaurant or someone’s home, the dishes keep coming — it’s even common to stack serving plates on top of each other. “To the Georgians, the guest is a gift from God,” says food writer Carla Capalbo, “and having a guest at your table is both a responsibility and a pleasure.”
There is something to make every eater happy in Georgia, with an abundance of meat, poultry, fish and vegetable dishes. Everywhere you go there will be fresh tomato and cucumber salads, homemade cheese and delicious bread, tonis puri, made from fresh dough smacked onto the side of barrel-shaped ovens. Georgia is similar to Italy, with each region having its own signature dishes, as well as their own variations of common foods — such as Khachapuri, a bread filled with cheese and eggs.  Be sure to try a Chakapuli, a lamb stew with tarragon leaves and cherry plums, Khinkali, dumplings filled spiced meats (or potato and mushrooms for a vegetarian choice), chicken tabaka, a flattened pan-fried chicken, or an Ajapsandali, a traditional dish of eggplant, tomatoes, peppers and tomatoes. 

The Wine

Georgia is the oldest-known winemaking culture in the world — evidence suggests they’ve been at it for 8000 years. “Ask your neighbors how many generations they’ve been making wine, they can’t count that far back,” says winemaker Iago Bitarishvili. “All they know is they’ve always made wine.” In recent years, Georgian wines are finally getting the international recognition they deserve, and have been championed by major writers, but you’ll still be way ahead of the average oenophile after learning your way around Saperavis and Rkatsitelis — two of the main indigenous grape varietals. 

While there are larger wineries that are doing blends with more-familiar European grapes, the majority of Georgian winemakers are small, family-run operations using native varietals, many of which farm organically and are made in natural, minimal-intervention style. Georgians traditionally ferment and age wines in giant underground clay vessels, called kvevri, so whether you’re visiting a winery, or even someone’s backyard, you’ll be looking down, not up, to see the evidence of winemaking — and if you time it right, you might even be surprised by a winemaker climbing up out of one.

Tbilisi

Most trips to Georgia begin in the nation’s capital, Tbilisi, and there’s no better way to start immersing yourself in the nation’s food and wine culture. Wine bar Vino Underground was founded by a group of seven winemakers, and their selections feature typical small-production Georgian wineries. Another wine bar, g.Vino, takes a tapas-inspired approach to their wine bar, serving numerous small plates along with their wines, in a brand new location in Tbilisi's Old Town. Both are great places to start drinking your way around the nation’s large variety and styles of wines. 

Master qveri maker, Zaliko Bodjadze. Makatubani, Georgia.ADAM MORGANSTERN

For restaurants, Barbarestan is a great introduction to Georgian cuisine, with recipes based on a 19th-century cookbook. Azarphesha also has great food, and while the atmosphere is more current, there is a collection of ancient wine paraphernalia on display — no guarantees, but if you’re very nice to the owner, you may wind up drinking some Chinuri from a 3000-year-old cup. Tekuna Gachechiladze is one of Georgia’s most famous chefs, and her Cafe Literra dining experience takes place in the backyard of the Writer’s House of Georgia, an Art Nouveau building, where she prepares modernist Georgian dishes. Her other restaurant, Culinarium, is more casual and practices what she calls “anti-hangover” cuisine — something you will definitely need during any Tbilisi trip.

To truly explore Tbilisi’s food scene, try a culinary walk from Culinary Backstreets, which will help you explore the “Deserter’s Bazaar” — the city’s oldest and largest open market. And be sure to try some of their recommendations off the beaten path just outside the city, like Kakhelebi and Megrelebi Manoni, where you can dine in a private cabin and enjoy specialties from Western Georgia. 

Aside from food and wine, Tbilisi also has spectacular sights to visit. Walking through the “Old Tbilisi” district, there are beautiful churches, shops and art galleries. There’s no way you should still be hungry, but all over you will see Churchkhela, candle shaped candy hanging from strings, made from grape must and nuts. Tbilisi is built on top of hot springs, so taking in one of the Sulfur Baths in the Abanotubani district is a great idea — look for the igloo-shaped brick buildings. Above the baths, is the famous Narikala Fortress, originally built in the 4th century, but what remains is from the 16th and 17th century. 

For an easy visit to the upper part, a cable car ride is available. And further above the Fortress is the National Botanical Garden of Georgia.
Churches and Monasteries are essential visits in Georgia, and in Tbilisi you should start with the Metekhi Church, overlooking the Mtkvari river, which has been damaged, destroyed and rebuilt numerous times. The statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali, atop his horse, stands outside. Anchiskhati Basilica, from the 6th century, is the city’s oldest church and the painted walls and ceilings of Sioni Cathedral are worth a trip. 

And be sure to read Part 2: The Wine Regions and Monasteries of Georgia — Including Monasteries That Make Wine!

Why Georgia (The Country) Is The Next Great Food And Wine Destination (Part II)
Adam Morganstern 

Enjoying the food, wine and hospitality of Georgia within the capital city of Tbilisi (as described in Part I of this article) is just the beginning — to really experience all the country has to offer, the wine regions are worth the journey. Along the way you’ll experience Georgia’s natural beauty, the monasteries and churches that dot the hillsides and rivers — even monasteries that make wine — and learn the ways of the Supra, a true Georgian feast.

The Wine Regions

Kakheti is Georgia’s main wine region, and if you’re only going to tour one region, it’s the obvious choice. Pheasant's Tears, in the hillside town of Sighnaghi, not only makes fantastic wines, but has a must-visit restaurant and wine bar. Schuchmann Wines also runs a beautiful hotel and spa. Château Mere in Telavi, home of Winiveria Winery, has a castle tower, outdoor pool and restaurant and hotel. Winery Khareba will not only spoil you with wine and food at their fabulous restaurant, but also has an extensive network of tunnels built into the mountain, some half a mile long, where their wines are stored. Temi Winery makes wine for a good cause — they support a community of “socially vulnerable people,” providing housing and education. To see the modern side of Georgian winemaking, Kindzmarauli Marani is a major producer, and grows over 400 different types of grapes. And for the opposite experience, make an appointment to see Kakha Berishvili, a small rural winery with a father-daughter winemaking team. 

Venturing to the wine region of Kartli, Iago’s Wine has gained much acclaim and has a restaurant onsite. Château Mukhrani, a large producer, houses a beautiful 19thcentury white castle built for a local prince, surrounded by grounds designed by a gardener from Versailles. In the region of Imereti, appointments can be made with small producers Ramaz Nikoladze and Simon Chkheidze. For more information to plan your touring, visit Wines Of Georgia and Wine Trail Traveler.

Monasteries… And Monasteries That Make Wine

Throughout your travels in Georgia, you will see some of the most beautiful monasteries and churches in the world — they are inseparable from the culture. 
From the Motsameta Monastery in Kutaisi, that looks like a set from Game of Thrones, to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Gelati Monastery, founded in 1106, to Vardzia, a cave monastery carved into the Erusheti Mountain, they are their own reason to tour around the country. But if wine is your main interest, there’s no reason to compromise, because you can have both.

 “There is a direct link with the grape and religion here,” says Father Gerasime of the Alaverdi Monastery, where they have been making wine for over a thousand years. “There is no country in the world that converted to Christianity like Georgia, and the cross made for the grape.” Located in the main wine region of Kakheti, here you can tour the 11th-century cathedral, as well as the winery and vineyards. Closer to Tbilisi, the Shavnabada Monastery restored their centuries-old cellar, and began producing wine again in 1998. 

Iago Bitarishvili of Iago's Wine  PHOTO BY ADAM MORGANSTERN

The Supras, The Toasting, The People

Almost any gathering with Georgians will seem like a feast, but then there is the Supra — where wine and dishes will flow to the table for hours. The name derives from “tablecloth,” not that you’ll be able to see it, with all the plates on top of it. Here, you will learn the Georgian art of toasting, traditionally led by the Tamada (toastmaster), who dictates the rhythm of the evening, choosing different subjects as toasts go around the table, and glasses are refilled. There are various rules and traditions, but in my experience, there is only one you need to remember — speak from your heart. Georgians take toasting very seriously, and whatever their profession was beforehand, they turn into poets when it’s their turn to speak. Unlike the United States, toasting is not a mere pause before drinking, it is communication as essential to the evening as any other part. Don’t let that make you nervous — although topping the previous toast always makes a great challenge — just be honest and grateful. And after six rounds, you may find yourself more insightful than you realized. 

Speaking of toasts — and Georgians will make sure a feast never ends by cycling through a “last toast” and a “goodbye toast,” and never telling you which is truly the end one — as the evening continues, the wine will be replaced by chacha, which is Georgian brandy. If you see an old man walking on a hot day in Georgia, drinking from a clear bottle, that’s not water he’s refreshing himself with. It’s as popular as wine there, and much stronger, obviously, so make sure you brace yourself.  If you are very lucky, your supra, winery or another visit, will include a performance from Georgian polyphonic singers — watch a video here. 

And one of the best ways to get to know the people is to skip a hotel at one stop and arrange for a homestay, where you can spend the night in a family home, have a traditional dinner, drink wine and sing folk songs together. Don’t be surprised if you’re offered a visit to a small backyard winery for some more chacha. As George Piradashvili, owner of Château Mere says, “in Georgia, we have nothing better than wine and food to introduce ourselves to the world.”

Adam Morganstern is a writer and photographer — you can see more of his photography on Instagram and at www.adammorganstern.com.


6 march 2017

 One thing I've learned about Georgia is that you can't visit this country without having a taste of its homemade wine. The wine is a significant part of the culture and history and if you haven't shared at least one glass of wine with a local, then you just haven't experienced the real Georgian culture. The winemaking and drinking traditions are inseparable from the country's national identity.

A great wine is the most sincere expression of the land and the people that give it life
I'll be honest, before I entered Georgia I knew nothing about the wine culture. Heck, I didn't even know a thing about this country and that's why I like to travel slowly. After living here for six months I got a real taste of its culture and in this case, of its wine. And it hasn't been disappointing …
I've always loved a good glass of wine. Despite being from Belgium, I'm not a beer-drinker. It's too bitter for my taste. Instead I enjoy a good glass of semi-sweet red or white wine. Niko and I even have a little tradition that we started in Ireland. Once a week, no matter where we are, we treat ourselves to a bottle of wine. We tasted good wine from Italy, France, Greece, Turkey, … and once in a while, because we always got the cheapest bottle we could find, we had a few bad ones too. But never on our travels did we come across Georgian wine. I didn't even know they produced wine in Georgia. It's a shame, because since I've had a taste of this sweet fermented Georgian grape juice, I'm hooked! Georgian wine, where have you been all my life?!?

Mother of Wine

Georgia is one of the oldest wine regions in the world, way before Rome or Greece even started making wine! Many people believe that the word 'wine' comes from the Georgian word 'ghvino'. The country has a continuous winemaking and drinking tradition of more than 8000 years. The earliest traces of the Georgian viticulture were found in the Neolithic settlements (6000BC) in the valleys of the South Caucasus. These days there are about 575 grape varieties in Georgia, more than anywhere else in the world. But then how come we've never heard about Georgian wine before?
One of the reasons why the wine isn't known worldwide is probably because the country has had its fair share of conquests and wars. The Georgians often lived an isolated life high up in the mountains where they could more easily defend their land. They probably didn't have much time to think about exporting their wine while fighting off enemies. One thing is for sure: the Georgians still remember their ancestors as fierce warriors and winemakers, who knew how to fight and celebrate their victories with a good cup of wine!
The perfect representation for the Georgian national character is the 20-meter- aluminium statue of Kartvlis Deda in Tbilisi. This monumental “Mother of Georgia” is holding a cup of wine in one hand, which stands for hospitality and a sword in the other, which represents the Georgian's love of freedom and fierceness to fight for their liberty. She is the protector and the definition of what Georgia was, is and will be: friends will be welcomed with wine, enemies with a sword!

Traditional wine-making

A lot of Georgian families still grow their own grapes and produce homemade wine. They often use the traditional qvevri winemaking method, which has existed for at least 8000 years and is one of the country's cultural achievements and treasures. When we were living in Tbilisi, we were lucky to meet Giorgi Andriadze, a traditional winemaker, who invited us to his “marani” - the ancient Georgian word for wine cellar - where he showed and explained to us how the wine is traditionally made.
A home is a living place for a human being. Wine is like a human being, they have lots in common: birth, youth, oldness and death. That's why wine also needs its own house – a marani.Sulkan – Saba Orbeliana (Georgian writer)

The process starts with pressing the grapes in a “satsnakheli “(a wine press), which is made from wood. Some people still stomp the grapes by foot!

After the grapes are pressed, the juice and the Chacha (the skins, stalks and pips of the grapes) are poured into a qvevri. A qvevri - this is where the method got its name from - is a large wine vessel made out of clay and used for storing wine underground.
The mixture fills the vessel to around 80 – 85%. As the fermentation progresses, the mixture is stirred 4 to 5 times daily. When the fermentation has finished, the qvevri is sealed and buried in the ground for about 5 to 6 months. This guarantees an optimal temperature for the aging of the wine: the clay provides a natural temperature control and a little oxygen exposure. The alcoholic fermentation process is organic, using natural yeasts without any additives. That is why the wine has such a fresh, fruity and unique taste and is of high quality. You won't have any headaches after drinking too much of this wine - and I'm talking out of experience...
After six months the qvevri is excavated and the wine and chacha are separated. The wine is poured into bottles and the chacha will be distilled into a very strong spirit, which is also called Chacha. Unlike the wine, which won't cause you a bad hangover, you have to be careful with this 'vine-vodka'. It has an alcohol content of 80% ABV and if you're not a seasoned drinker (even then...), you might not feel very good the day after. Read this story from our friends from Lost with Purpose, I bet they will never lay hands on one glass of this infamous Georgian drink!

Not everybody has a marani or a qvevri to make the wine in this traditional way. When we were living in Tbilisi our landlord Zaza showed us how he makes his wine. After hand-pressing the grapes in a satsnakheli, he collects the grape juice in a bucket which he then pours into big plastic barrels. When the barrels are full, he seals them off and stores them in a cool space in his house where the wine also undergoes a natural fermentation process. We tasted his wine (and chacha!) and although it has a slightly different taste of the one made by the qvevri method, it was a very fruity wine as well!
After witnessing how the wine is made in Georgia, we understood why it isn't sold world-wide. The traditional wine-making method isn't really fit for mass-production. The Georgian wine tastes so fresh and pure because of organic fermentation processes. If the wine would be bottled and exported, it would need some additives, which would take away the unique taste. So if you want to enjoy a good glass of Georgian wine, you'll have to come over for a visit!

Traditional wine-drinking

Another reason why I love the wine here so much (and why you should visit Georgia to have a glass) is the spiritual and social meaning behind the wine-drinking tradition.
The grapevines and its fruit have a strong religious significance. Wine is part of the Georgian heritage and is associated with celebrations, holidays, rituals and the Christian Orthodox Church. According to the legends, when St Nina introduced Christianity in Georgia in the 4th century, she was always carrying a cross made from vine wood that was intertwined with her hair while she was preaching. This grapevine cross is a major symbol for the Georgian Orthodox Church. The wine is still an important part of the sacraments and plays an essential part during the Christmas and Eastern celebrations.

Another central pillar of the Georgian culture is hospitality. The Georgians believe that guests are godsend so it's customary to receive them with open arms and unfeasible quantities of their beloved wine. The wine is poured as a symbol of good energy and love and the more the wine flows, the more love and energy will be given to the guests. During our first month in Georgia I started hiding my glass under the table to avoid another refill because I just couldn't handle all this love. It was hard to keep up with the amount of toasts but I was afraid it would be impolite not to drink along. Later I found out that it isn't mandatory to drink every time a toast is made. The host will always refill your glass as a sign of respect, not because you're expected to drink it. If only I had known this, it would have saved me a few dizzy nights in bed (you can thank me later for this tip). 
Let me make something clear though. The wine-drinking tradition isn't meant for people to become drunk (although it's sometimes inevitable). The tradition is said to derive from the academy of Ikalto where the abbot would invite students for a philosophical discussion in the form of a toast. To this day drinking wine while having a meal is used as a means to discuss the deeper questions in life, God, childhood, love, ancestors and beauty. The toast is made by a “tamada”, a toast master. He is chosen by the group of people that is having a meal together or by the host. A successful tamada has to be able to create a nice speech and at the same time drink a great deal of alcohol, which is not as easy as it sounds, I'm talking about real skills here!

First there are ten basic toasts in following order: to God and peace, to Georgia, to the ancestors and the deceased (the past), to the children and life (the future), to a special celebration (a birthday, graduation, achieving a goal), to parents, to women, to friends, to love and beauty and to the family who's hosting the feast. After that there are many more toasts, in fact more than 150 but it's often hard to reach that amount – imagine drinking 150 glasses of wine!! We haven't learned much of the Georgian language – it's a tough one to learn, even for a language master as Niko – but we do know the most important word: “gaumarjos”, which means “This is a toast to ...”.

Also don't be surprised when people suddenly burst into polyphonic singing between the toasts. These songs are believed to be over 2000 years old and are sung with three partially improvised parts. It's hard to explain how it sounds like, instead I'll just let you listen to it:
Add to all this festivity a delicious cuisine full of roasted meats, freshly baked bread, delicious vegetables from the garden and homemade sauces (more about the food in our 10 favorite dishes from the traditional Georgian Cuisine) and you'll know that an invitation to a Georgian feast will be an unforgettable experience in which the wine, “the Nectar of the Sun” plays a central role.

Oh Georgia, sweet and fierce mother of wine! I will miss you and your dry and semi-sweet white and red juice from heaven when I'll have to leave you to continue my hitchhiking journey towards Thailand. Never will I betray you. I might have a little affair with an Italian, French, South-African or Chilean but know that you're my true love!
* Special thanks to Giorgi Andriadze and his beautiful family for enriching us with his knowledge of the Georgian wine traditions while sharing countless wonderful meals and liters of his delicious homemade wine with us. Also a word of thanks to our landlord Zaza Enukidze for the many cozy wine nights and feasts in his garden (and that liter of chacha he gave us as a goodbye present – which we still aren't able to finish)!
** If you're interested to know which wines are produced in Georgia, here's a list of the most popular Georgian wines.

Drinking in Georgia
more than a year ago


Drinking is an important part of Georgian culture. After all, the oldest evidence of wine making was discovered here. Wine is far more important than any other alcohol. Wine is associated with cultural and religious traditions, beer is secondary and holds no ritualistic connotations. Georgians are incredibly hospitable, and wine plays an essential part in that hospitality. You should expect to be offered wine when spending time with Georgians. Be prepared to drink at least one glass, refusing the first glass might be considered impolite. You can say no after that, but you might need to negotiate your way out of a heavy session.

Drinking alcohol, but particularly wine is rarely a pastime in itself. For Georgians drinking is closely associated with food. In that way it is more similar to the Spanish rather than the British attitude to alcohol.

Supra is core part of Georgian culture. Essentially it is a simply a gathering, a social event with food and drink. A supra can formal or informal, happy or sad, a birthday, an anniversary or a wake. It might just be a group of Georgians friends, celebrating the simple fact that they are alive that day. But it will never be merely a night out. It will be a Supra, with all the gravitas and tradition that implies.

Every Supra has its tamada and it will usually be a man. Roughly speaking, they are the toastmaster, but their role is far more complex. They will be the person making toasts, but the subjects they choose will often direct and dictate the flow of conversation. They will also regulate the intensity of the supra by speeding up or slowing down the drinking. Georgians don’t usually sip wine; they drink a glass together after each toast. Every supra will start with a series of traditional toasts that might include, to the reason for the gathering, to the homeland, to family, to mothers, to deceased relatives. The tamada will often talk about the topic before the actual toast. The others raise their glasses but do not drink until the tamada has finished talking.

Chacha is also an important drink. It is the Georgian high-octane alcohol, a distilled spirit made with the mash left over from wine production. It can be a smooth sophisticated spirit or it can be evil - stuff to strip the plaster as well as the paint off a wall.
















At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, raise a glass to a country that has been making wine for 8,000 years.
  • By Marcel Theroux
23 October 2012

It’s midday in the vineyards above the Rioni River. There’s a sleepy hum of insects in the warm air. Murad Vatsadze is negotiating the steep mountain path in a pair of blue flip-flops. Above him, the cultivated slope thins out into alpine meadows, where the tinkling of cowbells can be heard on the freshening wind. We are high up in the foothills of Georgia’s Caucasus mountains. Beneath us lies the curling valley and mile upon mile of vineyards.

Murad is showing me the vines that his greatgrandfather planted here 100 years ago. This south-facing slope gets day-long sunshine, and even at 1,700 metres up, grapes still thrive. Vines strung out along wires are heavy with two local varieties: alexandrouli and mujuretuli. He then leads me into the cool darkness of the family’s marani, or wine cellar, which abuts their sprawling house. Murad’s family have been making wine for as long as anyone can remember. The wine press is a hollowed-out tree trunk. The grapes are trodden within it and the juice that flows out is channelled down wooden pipes into holes in the cellar floor.

Beneath these openings are qvevri – enormous wine vessels unique to Georgia. Made of red clay, they can be three metres deep and hold as many as 1,300 bottles’ worth of wine. They are shaped like vases, with wide shoulders tapering down towards a pointed bottom, and are buried beneath the ground with only their necks protruding. The floor is covered with slate lids where they have been sealed to let the wines age. Murad opens the lid of an empty qvevri. It echoes like the opening of a well. There’s a glint of liquid in the bottom and the faint smell of sour wine.

The Vatsadze family make wine in a way their most distant ancestors would recognise. Each year their seven qvevris are scraped clean by hand with a tool made of folded cherry bark. Neither chemicals nor yeast are added to the pressed grape juice. Murad scoops wine from them using a dipper made out of a pumpkin shell. The family lives a life of rural self-sufficiency that makes the River Cottage look like a microprocessor plant, raising pigs, keeping bees and growing tomatoes, corn, figs, beans, apples, medlars and pears.

As dusk falls, a dozen family members and friends assemble around a long table that’s been laid with a feast. There’s chicken in garlic sauce, salty white cheese, tomatoes, bread stuffed with cheese and beans, and a stew of what Murad tells me is braised bear meat. When I suggest that he’s pulling my leg, he swears on the health of his children and explains that the bear was shot a week earlier by a next-door neighbour. He serves homemade red and white wines. I’m eager to raise my glass and taste, but it’s not quite that simple.

The importance of wine to this nation of four million is hard to exaggerate. Above the capital, Tbilisi, a giant statue of Mother Georgia holds a sword to ward off enemies and a bowl of wine to welcome friends. Every house has a trellis of vines outside it, with grapes ripening for the yearly pressing. Wine is a badge of pride here, and a symbol of hospitality; it’s central to religious worship and family life. Wine production is a link to the past and an expression of national identity.

Virtually every Georgian I meet here makes their own wine – albeit on a more modest scale than the Vatsadze family. If they can’t grow their own vines, city-dwellers buy grapes from seasonal bazaars. Serving your own homemade wine to guests is a matter of pride, and the act of drinking it has been refined to an art form.

Drinking wine in Georgia is always a celebration, and whenever it takes place, a tamada, or toastmaster, will be selected to officiate. Not everyone has the skills to be a tamada: you have to be eloquent, funny and able to hold your drink. It’s quite normal for a Georgian man to sink two or three litres of wine at a sitting.

Today, in the Vatsadze house, Arto is the tamada. He’s a balding, thick-set man – like a more genial version of Tony Soprano. The first toast he proposes is, as always, to peace. The toasts that follow will vary and may honour guests, family, dead loved ones, the hosts, women and children. Georgians always include one to the ancestors who had the foresight to plant the grapevines.

After a few rounds, Murad brings out a drinking horn, which we take in turns to drain. Then his brother-in-law Levan leads the table in a song while two others improvise harmonies. This polyphonic style of singing is a Georgian tradition too. It’s a melancholy sound, but the message is upbeat, celebrating the glory of wine and long life.

Murad’s year-old red wine is ruby-coloured, cool, light and fresh, with a sweetness that is particular to this combination of grapes and the region, Racha, located in Georgia’s northwest. When this wine is bottled and sold, it’s known as khvanchkara. The name is meaningless and unpronounceable to most Europeans, but for 70 years, it was the drink of choice for the Soviet elite and, as Georgians will assure you, the favourite of their most notorious son: Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, better known as Joseph Stalin.

It’s a jolting twenty-minute drive down an unsurfaced road and along the valley to a rickety wooden flour mill beside the Rioni River. The mill belongs to Nodar Ratiani. He wipes maize flour from a photo of Stalin that takes pride of place on the wall beside a print of the Mona Lisa. ‘He was magari,’ he says: ‘strong’. Magari is a favourite Georgian word and is applied approvingly to wine as well as people. ‘He fought the Germans and beat them. Millions of people died, but he was too smart for them.’
Nodar has a proud, hawklike face, and is wiry and whip-thin. The pulse of the engine that drives the millstone fills his shack. 

The place smells of ground corn. ‘I’m 74,’ he says. ‘I have no complaints. It’s because the air is so good.’ As tactfully as possible, I point out the tattoos on his hands. ‘I had them done in prison,’ he says. ‘When I was young, I wasn’t very calm. I used to fight a lot.’ He sweeps a few loose kernels from the grain bin. ‘Young men today hardly fight at all,’ he adds, with a trace of disappointment. ‘But sometimes you have to.’

The Georgian nation has seen its fair share of fighting over the years. It is an ancient place – Kolkheti on the Black Sea is the successor to legendary Colchis, where, in Greek mythology, Jason and the Argonauts went in search of the Golden Fleece – and it has been invaded many times, by Greeks, Romans, Persians and others. Its recent history has been dominated by relations with its enormous northern neighbour: Georgia was colonised first by the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union.

In Communist times, mountainous Georgia with its traditions of wine and good food was seen as a land of mythic abundance. Throughout the Soviet Union, the best restaurants were Georgian ones, and the most desirable wines were from Georgia. Each year, the quantity of Georgian wines sold in the USS R exceeded the amount produced: unscrupulous traders simply slapped Georgian labels on less desirable Moldavian and Russian wines.

The heart of Georgian wine making lies in the eastern province of Kakheti. It’s only 120 miles as the crow flies from the Vatsadzes’ house, but it’s a full day’s driving to get there, across twisting mountain roads and the rich agricultural flatlands of central Georgia. Here, the Alazani River waters a fertile valley between two dramatic ranges of the Caucasus. At the northern end, a distinctive turret-shaped spire soars 50 metres above the valley floor. It belongs to 11th-century Alaverdi Cathedral, part of a monastery complex where wine has been made for 1,500 years.

‘Wine-making is a sacred duty given to the Georgian people by God,’ says Father David Chrvitidze, the leader of the small community of monks at Alaverdi. An energetic man in his 50s, he walks through the courtyard of the monastery, pausing briefly to bless kneeling supplicants. ‘That’s why we have 550 native species of grape. That’s why all our invaders tried to destroy our vines.’

Archaeological evidence suggests that by the 12th century, Alaverdi was producing 70 tonnes of wine a year. The monks have recently restored one of the monastery’s ancient wine cellars, and the openings of qvevri are dotted around the floor like craters. The sound of scrubbing emerges from one of them. Deep inside, a man is brushing its walls clean in preparation for the latest vintage.

After a hiatus during Communist rule, wine is once more being produced at Alaverdi. Since 2006, the monastery has been making award-winning wines, some in qvevris, some using modern methods. Brother Gerasimi Otarashvili has a big chestnutcoloured beard, a black robe and a slightly incongruous mobile phone, which he puts to one side as he pours me a glass of the 2009 rkatsiteli. Rkatsiteli is one of the hundreds of grape varieties unique to Georgia. This is technically white wine, but its time in the qvevri, where it’s been in contact with grape skins, stems and pips, gives it a striking gold colour. It’s dry and citrussy, with a hint of raisins and dried fruit.

‘The Russians wanted to eradicate the tradition of qvevris,’ says Brother Gerasimi. Georgia’s winemaking offended the commissars as it smacked of nationalism and private enterprise. ‘They passed a strict law to abolish qvevri production. Thank God that families looked after them. It was the Lord’s wish to promote the rebirth of qvevri wines.’

Georgia is a proudly Christian country, and the significance of wine in religious worship is reinforced by superstition and custom. The mysterious process by which grape juice becomes wine is attributed by some to the work of the Holy Spirit. ‘The Bible says that God created man out of red clay,’ says Father David. ‘Red clay was blessed with the Holy Spirit. Then Adam made wine in pots of red clay.’

Although we’re supposed to be tasting the wines, Brother Gerasimi assumes the role of tamada, proposing toasts to the success of our work. He tells me that research into qvevri wine suggests that its effect is practically medicinal, with up to 10 times the level of antioxidants found in conventional wine. He pours the 2010 saperavi – a red. It’s a rich purple with a deep plum and blackberry flavour. We toast each other some more and swirl the wine around, watching the pectin leave trails on our glasses. This is the wine that the monks use in religious services. When we finish tasting, the sun has begun to set. The cathedral is bathed in golden light. A team of volunteers is using hand tools – scythes and pitchforks – to clear weeds from the monastery grounds.

Wine consumption may or may not have divine sanction in Georgia, but its production here goes back much earlier than the birth of Christ. There’s evidence to show that grapes were cultivated in the Shulaveri hills here 8,000 years ago, giving the country a plausible claim to being the birthplace of wine.

This is a matter of considerable pride to the nation. Georgia is still visibly poor and developing. The roads are generally in terrible condition, and the hardship of life in rural Georgia comes as a shock. The mountains, the ripening crops, the thickly wooded hills and golden light: these are all beautiful. But the faces of Georgia’s young farmers look prematurely aged. Georgia has also struggled to emerge from Russia’s shadow since gaining independence in 1991. Moscow can’t break the habit of meddling in Georgian politics, encouraging separatist movements in the provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. 

As Georgia has moved closer towards NATO and the EU, Russia has tried to bring it to heel by turning off its oil and gas supplies. In 2006, Moscow imposed sanctions, banning, of all things, imports of wine in a attempt to deal Georgia’s economy a crippling blow.

At the Khareba winery in the Alazani Valley, the harvest is under way. The scene is like something from Soviet propaganda: a brigade of women working quickly along acres of vines, snipping bunches of grapes with secateurs. I’m standing in a lookout tower with the vineyard’s owner, Alexander Khareba. ‘In 2005, Georgia exported 52 million bottles of wine to Russia,’ he sighs. ‘Everything I produced, I sold to Russia. 

Now I have to find new markets.’ Alexander, like other Georgian wine producers, is bullish about the embargo. Throughout Kakheti, you hear the same story: this is Georgia’s Gloria Gaynor moment, when its wine is set to break out of its abusive relationship with Russia. Georgian wine-makers say that their rightful place is among the great wine-producing nations. And in the ancient technology of the qvevri, they feel they have a secret weapon.

In his wine cellar in Napareuli, six miles down the road from the Alaverdi Cathedral, Gela Gamtikulashvili crosses himself and prises the cover of a qvevri from its airtight clay seal. I am struck by the sense of occasion and a slight feeling of anxiety. This, after all, is the culmination of 8,000 years of work. Will the natural yeasts have done their work? Will the wine be drinkable? As the lid comes off, a sweet aroma fills the air and all doubts vanish.

When Gela closed the qvevri last autumn, it was full of cloudy rkatsiteli grape juice. Now, a magical transformation has taken place. Gela scoops out the wine in clay cups for the first toast. It’s perfectly clear, the colour of straw, and the first sip is as bright and pure as sunshine.


The article 'Discovering wine in Georgia' was published in partnership with Lonely Planet Traveller.


AUG. 18, 2016
Why Now Is the Time to Drink Wines From Georgia (the Country)
By Chris Crowley

A selection of Georgian wines at Freek's Mill in Brooklyn. Photo: Melissa Hom

The main thing you notice about Mariam Losebidze’s 2014 Tavkveri is that it tastes like it’s infused with smoked fat. This is wine, albeit obscure wine, and wine tends not to taste like bacon. But Losebidze is one of only a handful of female winemakers from the country of Georgia — the former Soviet republic sandwiched between Russia and Armenia’s northern border — and her wines are unapologetically bold. They were also, until recently, largely only available in her home country. But now some of America’s most progressive importers and sommeliers have turned their attention to Georgia, which produces wines that are unlike anything else.
Just as you might expect, plenty of Georgian wine is a far cry from grand cru Burgundies or the Pinot Noirs of California. For Western palates, much of it can seem, frankly, weird. In a lot of ways, the growing appreciation for Georgian wine is an extension of the continuing demand for so-called natural wines, the catchall term that refers to wines made with minimal processing, resulting in unpredictable, rustic wines where the makers — as opposed to the grape or region — are often the focus.
Even the most hard-core natural-wine geek will still find a lot to unpack when digging into Georgia’s wine culture, which is 8,000 years old. There are, after all, some 525 indigenous grape varietals, about 50 of which are commonly used in commercial production. That means drinkers will have to familiarize themselves with grapes like Rkatsiteli and Kisi. Georgia is also best known for wines that are aged in quervi, traditional clay vessels that are sealed with honey and buried in the ground and can result in fresh, young wines that nevertheless have a dense, chalky texture.
It’s a lot to take in. Luckily, sommeliers around the country appear to be up to the task. Take, for example, Alex Alan, the beverage director of Brooklyn restaurant Freek’s Mill, who has assembled a list featuring 17 different Georgian bottles (and one by-the-glass offering). Alan is, in a way, offering a crash course, and he invites drinkers to ask as many questions. Ask enough, and you might end up with a bottle of Rkatsiteli from a winery called Orgo. The wine itself is almost savory, like a dry apple cider with a bit of juice added. Weird, but also very food-friendly.
“Any time you’re cooking over fire, these wines do really well. There’s something about that texture that works,” Alan explains. “They’re very rustic and bold … These are great straight off the bat because the acid is a lot more mellow and not so aggressive.”
Alan’s list of Georgian wines is one of America’s most ambitious, but there are plenty of other places to find it: The East Village restaurant Oda Housesells wine from well-regarded Georgian producers exclusively. Paul Greco’sTerroir in Tribeca offers a dry and fruity white made with the Kisi grape. Jorge Riera, the wine director at Wildair (the go-to spot for natural wine in New York), currently has a 2015 Rkatsiteli on his menu. Chambers Street Wine carries a relatively substantial roster, as many as 12 choices at a time. Other New York shops that carry Georgian wines include Astor Wines,Flatiron Wines, and UVA. On the West Coast, wine from the popular Georgian producer Pheasant’s Tears has been served at Bar Tartine, sold atBi-Rite Market, and shown up on the wine list at Gjelina and in Los Angeles. There, Bar Covell, arguably the city’s buzziest wine bar, also serves Georgian wine when it’s available.
At the moment, even wine experts will admit that it’s a niche within a niche. And there are plenty of factors that mean interest in Georgian wine may never grow beyond that. For one, the country is small and poor, and many farmers simply can’t, or won’t, grow enough grapes to keep up with demand outside of the local market. The country’s wine industry is also relatively young (even if the wine itself is ancient).
And as Lisa Granik, a Master of Wine who has worked with the National Wine Agency of Georgia, explains, the country’s wines could be further held back if the country is only known for its premodern wines: “Not all consumers want these so-called ‘natural wines,’ and it would be a pity if the pure, clean examples of Georgian varieties were not presented as well.” That means generating interest among wine buffs and high-spending wine collectors who need to see value beyond the novelty of drinking something new.
For the moment, though, curious drinkers can take advantage and try these wines. In addition to being genuinely unique and interesting, Georgian wine also tends to be pretty affordable. All of the bottles below are less than $30.

9 Georgian Wines to Drink

1. 2013 Jakeli Saperavi (non-qvevri)
Granik says, “A stunning bottle of wine, organically produced. A pure, complex, and harmonious expression of the Saperavi variety; persistent with a long finish.”

2. 2013 Vinoterra Mtsvane Amber
Granik says, “A well-polished wine, with notes of white pepper and lime zest; sinewy tannins lead to a long finish.

3. 2011 Lagvinari Otskhanuri Sapere 
Granik says, “An intense wine with dark berry flavors lifted by high-toned floral notes typical for the variety; very pure.”

4. 2014 Château Mukhrani Rkatsiteli (non-qvevri)
Granik says, “Pure, fresh, crisp, and subtly layered, with notes of raw almonds, citrus, pear, and mineral. For those curious about Georgian wine but shy about experimenting with amber wines.”

5. 2014 Iago’s Wine Chinuri White
Alan says, “Softly textured, crisp, and clean; it’s golden in color with mild yellow fruit. There is a touch of chamomile tea in the finish. Simple and elegant.”

6. 2014 Orgo Rkatsiteli Amber
Alan says, “This is a traditional skin-contact wine made from the most widely planted white variety. Heady aromas of apple skin, pear skin, and peach skin. On the palate it’s firm and dry with mild tannins. But, most importantly, it remains very clean and pure. Flavors follow the aroma notes and round out the drier qualities on the palate. Robust but not aggressive. It is the ultimate table wine that goes with almost any food on the dinner table.”

7. 2013 Iberieli Chkhaveri Rosé
Alan says, “A rosé with a color between orange and pink. More texture and savory character than traditional rosé, but otherwise it’s familiar. Orange and cranberry and tart red berry fruits with a savory herb character. The finish is firm and dry, clean and fresh.”

8. 2014 Archil Guniava Kvaliti Otskhanuri-Sapere-Tsolikouri 
Alice Feiring, author of For the Love of Wine: My Odyssey Through the World’s Most Ancient Wine Culture, says, “The weight and taste of a beaujolais in a cool year, with an iron bite.”
9. 2011 Pheasant’s Tears Kisi
Feiring says, “Full-throttle amber wine with a beautiful waxiness and scratch.”

Georgia’s Ancient Winemaking Tradition on Film—With Real Wine!

by MJ Skegg • Mar 7, 2018 
Our_Blood_Is_Wine_Theatrical_Poster_1980x2916.jpg

If you follow wine trends you’ll know that Georgian wines are A THING at the moment. If you don’t, then all you need to know is that this country is producing some incredible wine. Les Caves wine bar’s Georgian wine experience next week has already sold out, but there's still a chance to discover the 8000-year-old history of winemaking in the region, and to taste some wines.
Our Blood is Our Wine, a documentary from director Emily Railsback, is showing at Cinema 21. She spent time in rural Georgia (unobtrusively shooting on an iPhone) exploring a winemaking tradition and culture that had almost been destroyed by Soviet rule. She also traveled to Armenia, Turkey, and Corsica to discover ancient winemaking techniques that are still used to this day (which is kind of crazy when you think about it). For an extra $2.50 (!) there’s a wine tasting as well.
Cinema 21, March 13, 6pm, $10, $12.50 with tasting
Newcomer Supra Is Leading the Georgian Wine Renaissance in D.C.

Experience 8,000 years of drinking history 
by Dayana Sarkisova@dsarkisova  Feb 9, 2018


Georgian wines served at Supra. 

Supra co-owners Jonathan and Laura Nelms designed their debut restaurant to share the rich history of Georgian wine with D.C. diners, a long-term goal that only months-in is already gaining ground thanks to a balance of tradition and innovation — along with selections so rare they’re unavailable in their homeland.

While wines from this part of the world have appeared on menus at adventurous establishments such as Rammy Award-winning Compass Rose and Michelin Bib Gourmand pick Red Hen, the decision to fill glasses at Supra exclusively with pours from native producers struck some hospitality professionals as so far fetched that management had a hard time locking in senior staff. Jonathan Nelms notes that multiple people who applied for the general manager post simply turned away upon hearing the plan, convinced it would never work.

The burgeoning crowds washing down khachapuri with glasses of Georgian wine on any given night, however, would seem to suggest otherwise.


Assorted dishes at Supra. 

“Georgian wine is great and it pairs naturally with Georgian food, because they evolved together,” explains Jonathan Nelms. “It makes the story we’re trying to tell about Georgia, the Supra culture, food and wine more coherent.”

What is the Supra culture, exactly? The restaurant describes its historic namesake as “a Georgian feast featuring an abundance of food, wine, and toasts (sometimes poetic, often lengthy, occasionally punctuated by song).” Today it’s an important and deeply rooted aspect of both culinary and social traditions in Georgia, a country with 8.000 years of wine-making experience beneath its belt — enough for some historians to have branded it the “birthplace of wine.” Sharing that ongoing story remains a work in progress, as Supra, and others, continue exploring the most effective ways to shine a light on Georgia’s dining and drinking culture.


A map of Georgian wine regions posted at Supra. 

In this case, that mission has been greatly advanced by an early partnership with Georgian Wine House, a Washington D.C.-based wholesaler and importer. Noel Brockett, director of sales and operations at Georgian Wine House, worked closely with Nelms and the Supra staff to craft a comprehensive wine list for the restaurant, striking the delicate balance between traditionally made options and budding innovators.

“You have ancient techniques, modern techniques, old-world techniques, everything in Georgian wine-making, because it’s been around for so long,” explains Brockett. “That’s what’s cool at Supra. It’s the first time we have a menu that reflects that wide tradition. It’s a unique opportunity that I haven’t seen at any other restaurant across the country — or any restaurant period.”

Saperavi wine, made from Georgia’s signature Saperavi grapes, boasts deep red colors and often a full body. It’s the most popular option for both newcomers and lifelong fans of Georgian wine. Supra’s menu features two options: Pheasant’s Tears ($12 per glass) and Orgo ($16 per glass). Nelms notes they’re the two single best-selling wines at the restaurant, and “they’re both fantastic.”

Those more familiar with Georgian wines, or perhaps just feeling adventurous, could be drawn to the Orgo Mtsvane Blanc de Blanc ($100 per bottle); a sparkling wine made in the traditional qvevri method — stored, fermented and aged underground in large clay pots. The experimental wine is in its first-ever year of production, but is already featured on Supra’s wine list.


The wine-stocked bar at Supra. 

“It’s something that’s made with an extremely Georgian style, but with this nod to the Western champagne tradition,” explains Nelms. “It’s one of our higher-end wines, but it’s really paid off in a way that everyone — us, the winemakers — are really excited about. It’s a very successful first year.”

The triple-digit price tag of the blanc de blanc is seemingly an exception to the norm, an apparent splurge on Supra’s wine list. “One thing to know about Georgian wines is that they’re not very expensive,” says Nelms.

While the Georgian wine market is now maturing and expanding, geopolitical dynamics of the past few decades resulted in very little in the way of exports. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, producers had few options.

“Georgian winemakers weren’t cellaring. They were selling everything they could because they needed the money,” explains Nelms. “We’ve said to winemakers, ‘Hey, look, we have this 2008 of yours’ and the winemakers would have tears in their eyes and say, ‘Oh I haven’t seen that since 2009.’ We have some wines at Supra that you actually can not get in the country of Georgia.”

In recent years, the rise of Georgian wine in the United States found a catalyst in the industry’s shift toward more natural, organic options. Due to the agricultural structure of Georgia and the cultural wine-making process, many Georgian wines are naturally organic, even if they’re not necessarily certified.

In some ways, this movement perfectly coincided with D.C. coming into its own as a dining destination.

“Here’s this 8,000 year old wine culture that’s just coming to people’s attention just now,” says Brockett. “It’s very exciting to see. I think we can safely say the D.C. area is one of the strongest markets for Georgian wine in the entire country.”


A world of unique wines awaits inside Supra





Discover Georgia
Famous blogger’s book about Georgian wine among the best books on drink of 2017
06 December, 2017


Georgian wine is earning more and more recognition internationally. This time a well-known British publication The Guardian reveals the best books on drink of 2017, with the book about Georgian wine on leading position. The book is named Georgia: A Guide to the Cradle of Wine and the authors are famous blogger Daria (Dariko) Kholodilina and wine writer Miquel Hudin.
Georgia: A Guide to the Cradle of Wine

The author of the article, Henry Jeffreys highlights the fact that this year archaeologists found evidence that people were making wine 8,000 years ago in Georgia.

As a reminder, recently archaeologists excavating Neolithic Georgian village found pieces of clay pots containing residues of the world's oldest wine. As the world’s leading scientists say, it is already a real provement that Georgia is a cradle of wine and the ancient hub of winemaking.

“Remarkably, not much has changed since then; the Georgians still make wine in clay and jars. As a result of its unique food and culture, the country has become a place of pilgrimage for wine lovers as well as a perennial travel supplement favorite” – the article reads. According to the author of the article, Miquel Hudin and Daria Kholodilina have created the guide to Georgia’s wines which will definitely increase the popularity of Georgian wine throughout the world.


One of the authors, Ukrainian travel blogger Daria, also known as Dariko, fell in love with Georgia long time ago. Dariko is based in Tbilisi and works for the Georgian National Tourism Administration and in parallel runs her own blog. Her love to Georgia is so big that she decided to connect her entire life to this small country. She has already written many beautiful and quite informative articles about Georgia’s sights, cuisine and culture and now she offers her readers very interesting book about Georgian wine.

There are 9 books in total on the list created by The Guardian’s journalist. Here is what Henry Jeffreys has discovered about the best books on drink of 2017:

Out of this year’s bumper crop of drinks books, it’s good to see one that gets to the point of why we drink. From A Short History of Drunkenness (Viking) I learned how alcohol affects different people and cultures in very different ways. Lou Reed had it right in “The Power of Positive Drinking” when he sang: “Some people drink to unleash their libidos / And other people drink to prop up their egos.” The ancient Egyptians were into binge drinking, vomiting and then having an orgy all in a bid to get closer to the gods, or so they claimed. With a great eye for a story and a counterintuitive argument, Mark Forsyth has enormous fun breezing through 10,000 years of alcoholic history in a little more than 250 pages.

Less drunken but almost as extensive is Rod Phillips’s 9,000 Years of Wine: A World History(Whitecap). It’s impeccably researched: if you want to know the impact of the French Revolution on wine, this is the place to start. The statistics in particular are wonderful, such as a hospital in Darmstadt, Germany, that got through 4,633 bottles of white, 6,332 bottles of red, 60 bottles of champagne and 30 dozen bottles of port in one year, 1870. That’s where I want to convalesce.

This year archaeologists found evidence that people were making wine 8,000 years ago in Georgia. Remarkably, not much has changed since then, the Georgians still make wine in clay and jars. As a result of its unique food and culture, the country has become a place of pilgrimage for wine lovers as well as a perennial travel supplement favourite. With their deadpan humour, Miquel Hudin and Daria Kholodilina have produced the definitive guide to this unique country’s wines. Hopefully Georgia: A Guide to the Cradle of Wine (Vinologue) will lead to more Georgian wines on our shelves to match all those colour supplement articles. 

This year I have referred to Victoria Moore’s Wine Dine Dictionary (Granta) probably more than any other wine book. The concept is simple: a bilingual dictionary for food and wine. If you’re stuck in a rut drinking the same old wines then this is the book for you. It’s also worth dipping into for pure pleasure because Moore has such a gift for putting flavours into words.

                             Champagne vineyards in Reims. Robert Walters investigates the business of fizz. 




Bursting Bubbles: A Secret History of Champagne (Quiller) by Robert Walters is the most provocative wine book I’ve read in a while. According to Walters, most champagne is a con: yields are enormous, grapes are harvested underripe and until 1998 the vineyards were fertilised with rubbish from Paris. The big houses buy grapes or even ready-made wine from all over the region without much regard to quality. Poor materials are then covered up in the cellar with sugar and yeast. As well as busting myths about champagne, Walters profiles growers who are trying to do something different. There is much that I disagreed with but overall the effect was as invigorating as a glass of champagne – from a small producer, naturally.

Part of the success of champagne is down to clever marketing so it was fascinating to read “That S*it Will Never Sell!” (Prideaux) by David Gluckman, who worked in product development for IDV, the forerunner of booze producer Diageo. He’s the man behind Le Piat d’Or and Baileys Irish Cream, but the book is worth reading more for the drinks that didn’t make it: red chardonnay, ice whisky or Guinness Light, anyone? To my surprise, Gluckman comes across as uncynical, genuinely believing in the quality of his products and disparaging about using market research to design drinks.

What are Qvevri wines?


Zaliko Bodjadze, a master qvevri maker
My book focuses on the ancient and distinctive Georgian tradition of making wine in the large terracotta vessels called qvevri(also spelled kvevri) or churi (their name in western Georgia), recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Today only a handful of families remain who are able to produce these unique objects using know-how and experience passed down the generations from fathers to sons.


Archil Guniava and son in their vineyard
The so-called natural winemakers who are bottling wines made in this way – now around 50 – form only a tiny percentage of Georgia’s enormous wine output. Compared to the millions of bottles produced in steel tanks or wooden barrels by the large-scale commercial wineries who make up the bulk of Georgia’s export market, these qvevri winemakers only produce tens of thousands of bottles between them. (Many more make wine this way for their families, but don’t bottle or sell them.)


Hand-picked grapes at harvest
Yet their importance cannot be over-stated. Not only are they the keepers of a historic winemaking tradition, but it is these wines that are attracting the interest of wine enthusiasts everywhere. The qvevri winemakers have become cultural ambassadors for Georgia: their wines have made their way onto the wine lists of many top international restaurants, and their unique method is driving wine tourism to Georgia from all over the world. Indeed, many of the commercial wineries have seen the positive results of this style and are now selling some wines that have spent time in qvevri too.


How Are Qvevri Wines Made?

After the hand-made terracotta coil pots have been fired and painted inside with beeswax (my book gives detailed  information about the qvevri-making process), they’re usually given an external wire armature to prevent cracking when full of liquid, and an external coating of powdered lime with cement or sand for strength and as a disinfectant. The qvevri are buried up to their necks in sand and gravel to facilitate the passage of air and absorb any shocks from the ground. A Georgian cellar contains buried qvevri of varying sizes to accommodate different volumes of wine.


Qvevri cellar; the must is pumped into a qvevri
At harvest time the grapes are crushed – either by foot or now more usually using a hand or mechanical crusher – and pumped or allowed to fall by gravity into a clean qvevri. Depending on the region or winemaker’s style, stems may or may not be included. The winemakers who grow their vines without herbicides and pesticides rely on wild or sponatenous yeasts that live in the grape skins to trigger the first, or alcoholic, fermentation. No ‘selected’ or factory-produced yeasts or other chemical ‘correctors’ are used. Sometimes a tiny amount of sulphite to ward off bacteria may be added, but it’s far less than is common in ‘conventional’ winemaking. Many avoid it altogether.

During fermentation, the cap is punched back down into the must using a long pole with sticks running crosswise through its end. The secondary, or malolactic, fermentation follows the first as the wine’s tart, malic acids (as in apples) are converted to softer-tasting, lactic acid (as in milk).


Amiran Vepkhvadze checks on his pressed grapes  ·  Punching down the cap at Pheasant's Tears
When the fermentation has run its course, the solids drop naturally into the qvevri’s pointed bottom. Red wines may be removed from their solids soon after this, while white wines are usually given the short or extended skin contact that characterizes the so-called orange wines.


Macerated qvevri wines offer a range of colours
When the fermentation is complete, the qvevri’s top is sealed, though a tiny amount of oxygen still enters through the clay pores. The wine may be separated from the skins very quickly, or remain on them for several months, extracting tannins, phenols, flavour and anthocyanins from them as it goes. If long-macerated Kakhetian wines tend to be robust in their colour and tannins, west-Georgian wines are often very fresh, paler in hue and lower in alcohol thanks to spending much less, if any, time on the skins.


The wines are pumped out of the qvevri when the winemaker decides to take them off the lees (in the old days, a dried-gourd scoop was used) and either bottled and sold, or moved to a clean qvevri to continue the aging. There are no barrels or vats in a traditional qvevri cellar.


About this site


A lot of exciting things are happening in Georgia today as the country celebrates 26 years of independence. Many more foreign visitors are coming to Georgia in search of the best wines, restaurants and experiences. My book, TASTING GEORGIA, was written to help those travellers learn about Georgia’s rich food and wine culture, and find the best places to go (and the most delicious dishes to cook at home).
This site is designed as an extension of TASTING GEORGIA. It enables me to continue writing about Georgia – everything from new places I’ve visited to subjects I couldn’t cover in the book. I hope it will also become a hub for those wanting to plan trips to visit rural winemakers and restaurants about which, all too often, little concrete information is currently available. (Most Georgian family businesses are on facebook; few have sites of their own, fewer still are in English.)
My directory of wineries and restaurants, when it’s finished, will provide as much information as possible about how to contact these businesses, and what they offer. All in one easy-to-access location with links to their online presences.

About Me
To write my latest book, I travelled all over Georgia – the magnificent country situated in the Caucasus Mountains – talking to food and wine producers and gathering recipes. If my starting point was the ancient Georgian tradition of making wines in large clay qvevri, I soon became fascinated too with Georgian food, music and culture.
I’ve written 14 other books – including many about Italian food and wine – and I’m also a photographer. My books and pictures have won numerous awards, including the André Simon Memorial Best Wine Book Award for Collio: Fine wines and foods from Italy’s North-east. For more information about me and my work, go to: www.carlacapalbo.com.

















































Wine From Prehistoric Georgia With an 8,000-Year-Old Vintage

The base of a Neolithic jar recovered from a Neolithic site in Georgia. Researchers found wine residue on pottery shards at two Georgian sites going back to 6,000 B.C.

By Nicholas St. Fleur
·         Nov. 13, 2017

Raise a glass to Georgia, which could now be the birthplace of wine.
The country, which straddles the fertile valleys of the south Caucasus Mountains between Europe and the Middle East, may have been home to the first humans to conquer the common grape, giving rise to chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and thousands of other reds and whites we enjoy today.

In a study published Monday, researchers found wine residue on pottery shards from two archaeological sites in Georgia dating back to 6,000 B.C. The findings are the earliest evidence so far of wine made from the Eurasian grape, which is used in nearly all wine produced worldwide.
“Talk about aging of wine. Here we have an 8,000-year-old vintage that we’ve identified,” said Patrick McGovern, a molecular archaeologist from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and lead author of the study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The excavations at the Gadachrili Gora site in Georgia.

The findings push back the previous date for the oldest evidence of winemaking by about 600 to 1,000 years, which Dr. McGovern previously identified in Iran. But it does not dethrone China as the location of the earliest known fermented beverage, which Dr. McGovern dated to 7,000 B.C. That drink, however, was most likely a cocktail consisting of rice, honey, hawthorn fruit and wild grapes, unlike this most recent finding, which was pure grape wine.

Wine culture has long been intertwined with the history of Georgia, where elaborate toasts are an important part of traditional feasts. Archaeologists have found evidence of its consumption there during the Bronze Age, Classical Period, Greco-Roman Period and Medieval times. Georgian wine was also among the most favored in the Soviet Union.

 “Georgia had always suspected it had a Neolithic wine, there were several claims,” said David Lordkipanidze, the general director of the Georgian National Museum and an author on the paper. “But now there is real evidence.”

A Neolithic jar — possibly used for brewing wine — found at the site of Khramis-Didi-Gora in Georgia, on display at the Georgian National Museum.CreditMindia Jalabadze/Georgian National Museum

To uncork the mystery of the oldest wine, Dr. McGovern and his team searched the remains of two villages from the Neolithic era — or the last part of the Stone Age — about 30 miles south of the capital, Tbilisi. Clay vessels found at these Neolithic sites and others in Georgia suggest the people most likely stored their wine in large, round jars as big as 300 liters, enough to hold about 400 bottles. They also probably buried them underground to ferment, which is still practiced in Georgia to this day.

The team retrieved several jar shards from the sites, which they then chemically analyzed. To their surprise, eight had telltale signs of wine residue long absorbed into the pottery, including tartaric acid, which is like a flashing neon light indicating traces of grape, as well as malic, succinic and citric acids. Dr. McGovern said that to his knowledge, the combination of these four acids is found only in grape wine.

Radiocarbon dating of the site dated jar shards to the years 6,000 to 5,800 B.C. The team also found traces of ancient grape pollen, starch from grape wine and remains from Neolithic fruit flies. They did not find any DNA or pigments on the residue, so they could not say whether it was red or white wine.

Although it is possible these prehistoric people were just making grape juice, Stephen Batiuk, an archaeologist from the University of Toronto and an author on the study, said the decorations on the jars implied they were used to store something important, like wine.

Robert Desalle, a molecular biologist at the American Museum of Natural History and co-author of the book “A Natural History of Wine,” called the study “airtight,” adding that the findings will prompt him to rewrite the chapter in his book about the oldest site for winemaking.

Andrew Waterhouse, a wine chemist at the University of California, Davis, agreed, saying that finding succinic acid indicated that fermentation had taken place.


But he suggested that humanity’s love affair with wine most likely extended deeper into the archaeological record. The animal hides probably used by even earlier prehistoric peoples who fermented grapes into wine most likely decayed over thousands of years, so pottery remains our best bet for discovering how humanity first got buzzed.


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Ten Reasons To Drink Georgian Wine


"Wine is the Georgians’ poetry and their folklore, their religion and their daily bread."
For the Love of Wine: My Odyssey through the World's Most Ancient Wine Culture by Alice Feiring

The country of Georgia may be the birthplace of wine, with evidence stretching back about 8,000 years, which is why Georgians sometimes state they have 8,000 vintages of history. Georgia is located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, in the Southern Caucasus mountain range, which forms the northern border of the country. It is bordered on the west coast by the Black Sea, by Russia to the north and Turkey & Armenia to the south, with Azerbaijan to the south and east.

Wine is integral to the culture of Georgia and it can be illustrated by a comparison of U.S. and Georgian weddings. When planning for an American wedding, you commonly budget a 1/2 bottle of wine per guest. However, when planning for a Georgian wedding, they commonly budget 4 bottles of wine per guest, eight times as much wine as for American weddings.

Despite its lengthy history of wine, its modern wine industry is relatively young, still recovering from when the Soviet Union controlled the country. During those dark times, it was much more important to create quantity rather than quality, and numerous grapes were pulled out of the vineyards, to make room for grapes which could provide larger yields. Since attaining their independence, Georgian wines have been increasing in quality, honoring old techniques and traditions with the use of modern technologies. It is time now to start paying attention to their wines.

"Tradition says that the Georgians have always lived under threat; they must be sober enough to defend themselves at any time."
--Vintage: The Story of Wine by Hugh Johnson

Currently, Georgian wine exports to the U.S. are small, only about 24,500 cases but that number is growing each year, with double-digit growth recently. It might be difficult for you to find Georgian wines at your local wine store, but that is changing as Georgian wines acquire better distribution across the country. Ask your local wine store to carry some Georgian wines. Even a significant number of wine lovers haven't experienced many Georgian wines.

I first tasted a Georgian wine over nine years ago and at the last Boston Wine Expo, I tasted over 60 Georgian wines. I've been promoting and advocating for Georgian wines for years, especially during the last few years as the wines became more readily available. Let me provide you a list of ten reasons why you should explore Georgian wines, why you should seek out these compelling, intriguing and delicious wines. Be adventurous with your palate and drink some Georgian wines.

“In no other country do the inhabitants drink so much, or such excellent wine.”
--Jean-Baptiste Chardin, referring to the country of Georgia in his ten-volume The Travels of Sir John Chardin (1786)

First, Georgian wine has a lengthy and fascinating history.
Wine making in Georgia extends back over 8000 years and almost no other country can boast of such a lengthy wine making history. Some even believe that the word "wine" is derived from the Georgian word "gvino" which means "wine." Georgian wines were renowned by both the ancient Greeks and Romans. In the 12th century, they established the first wine-making academy in the world. Some of their indigenous grapes also have a lengthy history, some thought to be at least 5,000 years old. Each sip of such a wine beings with it a sense of history, a connection to the ancient past. Taste the millennia in a glass of Georgia wine.

Second, Georgia has many unique, indigenous grapes.
There are over 525 indigenous grapes in Georgia, though there once was over 1000, with many lost over the centuries. Currently, only about 38 grapes are used for wine production. You'll find white grapes including Chinebuli, Kisi, Krakhuna, Mtsvane, Rkatsiteli, Tsitska, and Tsolikouri. You'll also find red grapes including Ojaleshi, Otskhanuri Sapere, Saperavi, Shavkapito, and Takveri. They present unique flavors and aromas, though still offering some familiarity. Any wine lover seeking to broaden their palate, to experience something new, should seek out such unusual grapes which may be found only in Georgian wines. I love exploring unusual grapes and Georgian wines allow me to further enhance my experiences. Yes, they grow some international grapes but why not pay attention to the unique, indigenous grapes that often cannot be found elsewhere.

"They clung to their ghvino (wine) with such a passion you’d think it was their blood."
--For the Love of Wine: My Odyssey through the World's Most Ancient Wine Culture by Alice Feiring


Third, Georgian wines are diverse.
Georgian wineries produce a myriad of different wines, including White, Red, Sparkling, Rosé, Semi-Sweet, Dessert and Qvevri wines. These wines come in a wide variety of flavor profiles and styles so there should be something available to appeal to any personal preference. In addition, there are many different terroirs in Georgia, in 18 different appellations, which further leads to diversity in their wines. Georgia wines are multi-dimensional and there is much to discover in that multitude. No matter what kind of wine you enjoy, you should be able to find a Georgian wine that coincides with your favorite kind.

Four, Georgian wines are made for food.
Georgian wine is a natural pairing for food, possessing a versatility that extends into many cuisines. Georgians always drink wine with food so it is produced specifically to be accompanied by food. If you purchase a Georgian wine, you can be almost assured that it will pair well with some type of food. Dependent on the type of food, there is also probably a type of Georgia wine which will work well with that dish, from seafood to steak, pasta to chicken. You could have an easy drinking Saperavi with a burger or pizza, or enjoy a Qvevri Rkatsiteli with roast chicken.

"According to historian David Turashvili in his book His Majesty Georgian Wine, customarily Georgians would first ask about their neighbors’ vines and only then ask about their families."
--For the Love of Wine: My Odyssey through the World's Most Ancient Wine Culture by Alice Feiring

Fifth, Georgian wine culture is fascinating.
Wine is an integral component of Georgian culture, from the revelry of the rtveli, their grape harvest, to the supra, a traditional feast. At a supra, a tamada, a toastmaster, is selected to lead the evening, who will lead a multitude of toasts, maybe 20 or more, which will honor family and friends, events in the past, present and future, and much more. However, they space out the toasts so no one gets too intoxicated. Many Georgians grow their own vines, also making their own wines, and it is said that Georgians once would first ask about their neighbors’ vines and only then ask about their families. It is also said that Georgians drink wine to share emotion, such a powerful sentiment.

Six, there's good value in Georgian wines.
As many wine lovers are concerned about price, Georgian wines should be appealing as you'll find a fair number of tasty wines for under $15, making them very affordable options. The fact Georgia wines are not as popular means they are more hidden value wines. Some wine regions, due to their popularity, raise their prices commensurately. In addition, as Georgia does not yet have a trophy wine culture, they do not produce a large amount of high-end wines, though I have tasted a some excellent, higher-end Georgian wines. Their value wines are an excellent entry to experience all that Georgian wine has to offer.

"The Georgian custom is to drain the wine bowl, then throw away the last drops. They are the number of your enemies. It is important not to have too many, but without any how can you be a real man?”
--Vintage: The Story of Wine by Hugh Johnson

Seven, there are a growing number of natural wines in Georgia.
When Georgia attained independence, after the massive industrialization of the wine industry under Soviet control, a number of wineries reached back into their history, embracing more traditional wine methods. These methods tended to be more natural, avoiding chemical additives and over-manipulation. Some vineyards are now organic or Biodynamic too. Natural wines aren't necessarily better, but the natural wines coming out of Georgia tend to be very good. Maybe it is partially because of their lengthy history of making more natural wines.

Eight, the ancient Qvevri will intrigue your palate.
Qvevri are clay vessels used for wine fermentation and aging, and have existed for thousands of years in Georgia. They are commonly buried in the earth, to keep the wine cool and stable.  It is intriguing that the source of the clay can contribute its own terroir to the wine. The qvevri tend to darken the color of the wine, creating what some consider to be "orange wine," while also making them more tannic. Other countries have tried to emulate qvevri, using their own types of clay vessels. I find the taste of many qvevri wines to be fascinating, with an added complexity. It also adds a sense of history to these wines.

“That was the end of life, but the qvevri is the beginning of life for wine,” he continued. “It is the womb.”
--For the Love of Wine: My Odyssey through the World's Most Ancient Wine Culture by Alice Fearing

Nine, nearly everyone will enjoy Georgian wines.
There is no reason why almost all consumers won't enjoy Georgian wines. These wines are often easy drinking, absent of strange and off-putting flavors, though some of the qvevri wines might not always appeal to the average consumer. At various tastings, I've witnessed numerous consumers take their first taste of a Georgian wines and seen the pleasure on their faces. The main reason Georgian wines don't sell as well as they should is due to unfamiliarity and ignorance. Most consumers, and many wine shop owners, know little about Georgian wines so they gravitate instead to what they already know. That can be overcome with greater education and more tastings. People need to be shown they are missing out on Georgian wines.

Ten, and most importantly, Georgian wines are quite delicious.
It is a simple thought but sometimes gets forgotten amidst everything else. In the end, the most significant aspect of ant wine is that it tastes good. No matter what else a wine has going for it, if it does not taste good then it has failed. I've enjoyed many tasty Georgian wines, certainly not everything I have tasted, but the vast majority at least. I may appreciate Georgian wines for many different reasons, but first and foremost, taste remains the most compelling reason to drink Georgian wines.

"What is called the traditional drinking cup or horn, kanzi, is conch-shaped and comes in different sizes, often decorated with silver. Because Georgians are famously hospitable people, an essential feature of the horn is that once filled with an appropriate libation, usually wine, it requires drinking to the bottom (bolomde) on each toast."
--Cuisines of the Caucasus Mountains: Recipes, Drinks, and Lore from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia by Kay Shaw Nelson

So, are you convinced to give Georgian wines a try?

Richard Auffrey
The Passionate Foodie

200F Main Street, Suite 332

Stoneham, MA 02180

781-608-3494





Georgian wine and traditional foods are at the center of the culture in this country.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LETTERBERRY, SHUTTERSTOCK


GEORGIANS ARE RIGHTLY proud of their rich and historic winemaking culture, and as traditional methods enjoy a renaissance, the qvevri - an earthenware vessel used to store and age wine for thousands of years - is becoming the unofficial symbol of the country, found on everything from tea towels to t-shirts. Though only around three per cent of Georgia’s wines are made in these qvevri, they remain a romantic ideal that celebrates the country’s history.
A relatively small producer, Georgia exports wine worldwide, and sales have been growing rapidly, particularly in the US. However, like most countries, it keeps the best bottles for itself and visiting its restaurants and vineyards is by far the best way to appreciate this fine art.

The oldest winemakers

Georgia is generally considered the ‘cradle of wine’, as archaeologists have traced the world’s first known wine creation back to the people of the South Caucasus in 6,000BC. These early Georgians discovered grape juice could be turned into wine by burying it underground for the winter. Some of the qvevris they were buried in could remain underground for up to 50 years.
Wine continued to be important to the Georgians, who incorporated it into art and sculpture, with grape designs and evidence of wine-drinking paraphernalia found at ruins and burial sites.

Modern Georgian winemaking

The tumultuous years around the Soviet period were initially good for Georgian wine production. The wines were significantly better than others available to Russians and the number of acres used for vine growing increased massively. But in the 1980s, Gorbachev’s anti-alcohol campaign cut off some of the older wineries. Since then, Russian embargoes on wine have harmed production and it has taken decades for the industry to rebuild after independence.

The ancient Kvevri, or clay jar method, is a fundamental part of winemaking in Georgia.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY GEORGIA TRAVEL
Georgia is now making a name for itself in the natural wine market. Even though it’s a small amount of its total production, the rise in interest for traditional methods and using clay for storage and fermentation has put the country back at the forefront of wine production.
The best places to explore Georgian wine culture
The main wine areas of the country are Kakheti, and its Telaviand Kvareli regions, Kartli, Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, and Adjara. Though larger, modern wineries are growing in number, there are still thousands of small farmer using fairly traditional techniques.


The Alaverdi Cathedral, found in the Kakheti Region, dates back to the 6th century. Monastery wine tastings often take place in the wine cellar behind the cathedral.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY GEORGIA TRAVEL
Kakheti is an essential visit for wine-fans, and there are plenty of tours and vineyards open for independent visitors. It can be a day trip from Tbilisi, or you can stay overnight. The areas of Sighnaghi and Telavi are easily accessible and both are packed with cellar doors and restaurants. Do pop into the Chavchavdze Estate for a glass or two, along with a good dose of local history as it has been converted into a museum of wine.
Georgian wines to try
With unique climate and topography and over 500 varieties of grapes, you could spend your life drinking Georgian wine and never try it all.

 One to make sure you taste is the amber or orange wine. Thought to have originated in the country, these are made with white wine grapes but the skins are not removed for several days, giving a deeper colour and flavour.

 For white, look for rkatsiteli, Chinuri (which also makes lovely sparkling), and for a qvevri-made wine, kakhuri mtsvivani is beautiful.

 When it comes to red, look out for those made from the local grape separavi, which is the dominant variety in the country and creates a strong colour with serious depth of flavour. Usakehlouri, from the west, and Tavkveri in Kartli are also recommended.

 Generally Georgian wines are dry but thanks to the Slavic market, sweet and semi-sweet wines are growing in popularity. Try Usakhelauri, Khvanchkara, Akhasheni and Tvishi varieties to satisfy your sweet tooth.





19th Dec 2016

 How the other half drinks

 by Matt Walls


Is there a quicker way to get to know someone than by flicking through their music collection or browsing their bookshelves? Both feel like a little glimpse into their soul. For wine lovers, rifling through someone's cellar can be equally enlightening. I’ve spoken to some of the best wine writers in the UK; they advise us on what to buy, but what do they spend their own money on? Where do they put it all? And what will they be digging out on Christmas Day? Tim Atkin MW, Oz Clarke, Richard Hemming MW, Victoria Moore, Olly Smith and John Stimpfig all agreed to give me a virtual peek into their cellars.
Whether it’s art, wine or Pez dispensers, most collections start out with an innocent purchase. You develop an interest, individual items build up, and before you know it you need somewhere to house it all. It’s not surprising that Victoria Moore and Richard Hemming, the youngest of our group and both living in London, have the least space to dedicate to wine; both rely on a wine fridge. Moore’s has been full since she bought it. “I don’t really have a wine collection. I have nowhere to put the bottles once they arrive in my flat,” she says, “which is a HUGE disincentive when it comes to buying wine. I’ve madeirised too many bottles to feel good about having nice wine sitting here.” Wine writers are bound by practical considerations just as much as anyone else.
Richard Hemming’s Eurocave houses “pretty much 30 single bottles of wines from all over - Barolo, Côte-Rôtie, Port, Bordeaux, Napa Cab, Riesling from Mosel, Australia, Hermitage Blanc, Manchuela, English fizz, Swartland, Croatia, Santa Barbara Pinot Noir, Bulgaria, Croatia, Naoussa, Itata, Châteauneuf-du-Pape” and “a bottle of Sake that I don't know what to do with.” I’m sure every wine collection has such a bottle: one that you don’t want to get rid of, but whose drinking occasion never seems to arise.
Of the 1,000 or so bottles that Oz Clarke can squeeze into the old coal cellar under his stairs, at least 800 of these are also single bottles, from as far afield as Canada, Georgia and Jordan. “I don’t normally want 12 bottles of anything nowadays – too much wine, too little time!” he explains. There is one region that features particularly strongly however. “Bordeaux – partly because I like Bordeaux, it’s where I started out… And I write a book [on the region], so each year I have to buy a certain amount so I can check out how the vintages are developing.” He tips 2014 as a recent vintage that will age well thanks to its acidity and hint of underripeness.
Tim Atkin’s collection is larger still, with over 1,500 bottles kept in a Spiral Cellar at his home and a further 60 cases of fine wine in a professional storage facility. “There’s a lot of Burgundy (red and white), Barolo, German Riesling, Rioja and South African reds and whites,” he says, “but I have very broad tastes. So there’s a bit of (almost) everything in my cellar. The only thing I don’t buy are “natural” wines, although there are some Georgian Qvevri wines down there.”
An equally large but rather more esoteric cellar is owned by Olly Smith. “I have a wall of Tokaji, lashings of Greek wine, and 80% of my fizz stash is now English bubbly”, he says, not to mention “a secret Cognac hole which glows the colour of glory when it winks at me”.
John Stimpfig’s collection is rather more classic – Rhône, Loire, Burgundy, Champagne, Rioja, Italy, Australia amongst other things. “However, one of the most interesting things about it is where it is stored. I live in West Oxfordshire and don’t have a cellar. Fortunately though I have friends in the next-door village who bought the house which belonged to Edmund Penning-Rowsell which has a magnificent double cellar. And that’s where I keep most of my wine. On the door, you can still see the original labels of great Bordeaux bottles which Eddie opened and kept from the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. Most of my wine is also red Bordeaux but not quite in the same league as EPR’s!”

One benefit of keeping a cellar is being able to mature wine in the right conditions until it’s ready to drink. Another feature of Oz Clarke’s collection is the amount of mature Australian wine it contains. “Stuff going back to the 70s,” he says, “and all in fantastic nick. The stuff from the 70s is in better nick than most of the stuff from the 90s because it wasn’t made in an overripe, high pH, residual sugar style – the style that has been the curse of fine, warm climate reds from the last 20 years and that – thank god – seems to be fading at last.” Wines like this are very difficult to find, so keeping your own cellar can be the source of rare insight into regions and styles you enjoy.
Some wine collections are built with investment and resale in mind, but that’s not the spirit of these cellars. Only one of our candid collectors even mentioned selling wine, and that was Atkin: “It’s very rare that I sell wine. And when I do, I tend to regret it, like the case of 1990 Chave I sold to buy a second-hand car.” Personally speaking, I’ve only one bottle on the market: a jeroboam of Bollinger RD 1995, which I’m hoping to sell to fund my 40th birthday party. If I can’t shift it, it will effectively become my 40th birthday party. Either way, I’m pleased it’s wine that I collect; try basing a party around a philatelist’s favourite stamp.
As for buying wine, four of our journalists are members of The Wine Society. And everyone I spoke to buys from at least a couple of different independents. Berry Bros. & Rudd got four mentions; Flint Wines got three; O.W. Loeb, two; and the following were all mentioned once: Armit, Butler's Wine Cellar, Charles Taylor Wines, Corney & Barrow, Genesis, Goedhuis, Handford Wines, Howard Ripley, Justerini & Brooks, Lea & Sandeman, Roberson, Symposium Wine, WineTrust100 and Yapp. 

 As for brokers, Bordeaux Index and Farr Vintners were both mentioned twice. Two large chains were popular: half of our six journalists bought from Majestic and two of them from Oddbins. Supermarkets aren’t ignored either; both Aldi and Waitrose were named twice, with single mentions for Asda, the Co-Op, Lidl, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s. Canny Mr Smith also buys from auction, where he recently bagged a bargain magnum of Cos d’Estournel 1982 to go with his Christmas turkey.
And what will everyone else be drinking on Christmas Day? Yet again, practical matters tend to trump personal taste. Moore is ordering in “lots of cheapish French reds which my parents love to drink… and my brother has asked me to pick a white wine that goes well with soda.” She’s sneaking in some St Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc and a bottle of St Emilion for herself though. Hemming sums it up: “Family drinking calls for value. And volume.”
Clarke will be drinking English fizz, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, “some decent Australian and Chilean and a bottle of 1982 just for the sheer joy of it” all washed down with a cleansing Asti Spumante. Stimpfig’s list is Christmas classics all the way: “I’ve got my eyes on some Gonzalez Byass Fino, vintage Taittinger for fizz, Chablis (domaine TBC) and a couple of smart Italians from Tenuta San Leonardo (2004) and Castello del Terriccio from 2001. Oh, and let’s not forget the tawny (Graham’s 20-Year-Old) and some Suduiraut 2003.”

Atkin is looking forward to choosing closer to the time. “Part of the pleasure of entertaining (not just at Christmas) is to go down into the cellar and ferret out a few bottles. It’s not quite a lucky dip, but there’s all sorts of stuff down there that I’ve forgotten about. It’s part serendipity and part impulse.” No two wine collections are the same: each is very personal. When somebody raids their cellar to share a bottle with you, you can be sure it’s not an entirely random selection. To a collector, every bottle has its own back story, and they are choosing to end that bottle’s story with you. The funny thing about a wine collection is that the real pleasure comes not in building it up, but getting together with family and friends, and, bottle by bottle, gradually depleting it.










20th Jul 2015

Georgia: a visit to dreamland


by Tim Atkin
Visitors to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi were warned to stay off the streets last month. The city has seen its share of disorder over the centuries, but this had nothing to do with violence or civil unrest. The danger was considerably more surreal, but every bit as deadly: there was a Bengal tiger on the loose, liberated from the local zoo by flash floods when the River Vere broke its banks.
It’s tempting to regard this as a one off, but strange things happen in Georgia all the time. How many countries have you visited where the man who stamps your passport smiles and gives you a bottle of wine? Even under the Soviet occupation, Georgia dared to be different, adopting a lifestyle that was anything but grey and proletarian. “Georgia was a dreamland for Russians, it was so different, like a corner of Italy,” Kaha Gvelesiani of ExpoGeorgia told me. “We never conformed to the Soviet ideology.” The Georgians speak a language that is closer to Basque than to Russian, sing beautiful polyphonic harmonies and (if they are men) are partial to a game of rugby. They are Europeans in many respects.
Wine is part of Georgia’s DNA, too. This is the so-called cradle of wine – grape pips have been found here that date back more than 8,000 years – but it’s so much more than a living museum. Wine is the national drink, consumed with gusto in a series of toasts and salutations at official meals, but also in countless bars and restaurants. Tbilisi is a wine city that’s every bit as vibrant as Bordeaux, Mendoza, Logroño or Florence.
In terms of plantings, Georgia is not what it once was, however. At their peak, the country’s vineyards covered 160,000 hectares, compared with 45,000 hectares today. President Gorbachev’s anti-alcohol drive, launched in 1985, and the subsequent Russian ban on Georgian wine on “health grounds” from 2006 to 2013 have both had a huge impact on the size of the local industry.
Georgia is bewilderingly or, if you prefer, gloriously diverse. It is home to 525 indigenous varieties – the highest number in the world, according to the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV) – and used to have as many 1,400 if you believe the locals. Only 40 of these are in commercial production and two (the rather neutral Rkatsiteli and the much more interesting Saperavi) account for more than 60% of the area under vine.
Getting to know the local grapes is a challenge, but it’s a joy to be in a country that isn’t blanketed with the Big Six international varieties. Georgia is pretty much a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Pinot Noir free zone. Among the white grapes, Chinuri, Mtsvane, Kisi and Khikhvi are all distinctive, while Tavkveri, Shavkapito, Aleksandrouli, Mujuretuli, Jani and especially Saperavi all make interesting reds.
Georgia has been adopted by the natural wine movement because of the skin contact wines it makes in buried clay jars, known as qvevri. These are certainly fascinating – and are part of a tradition that dates back thousands of years – but they are a small percentage of what the country produces. I couldn’t find an official figure during my visit, but somewhere between one and three per cent was the consensus among the Georgian winemakers I spoke to.
Part of the reason they are not more widely used is economics. Qvevri, lined with beeswax and hand made by craftsmen, are expensive to make and to maintain. And yet they are increasing in popularity, and not only in Georgia. Zaza Kbilashvili, who is one of only two qvevri producers in Eastern Georgia, has a waiting list for his jars and clients all over the world.
Hygiene, not always a source of concern for natural wine lovers, is paramount, according to Dr Giorgi Dakishvili of Schuchmann Wines. “The most important thing is cleaning the qvevri,” he says. “Historically this was done with herbs. Now we use limestone and a brush and it takes three to four hours per qvevri.”
To make the best qvevri wines you need 100% healthy grapes. When you are adding no yeast, no sulphur and no enzymes, he adds, the faults are magnified. “We test our wines every day to measure pH, acidity and volatile acidity.” The alternative is wines showing notes of mould, Brettanomyces and vinegar, faults that were occasionally evident during the judging of the Georgia International Wine Awards.
And yet the average quality of what I tasted, both in the blind tasting competition and afterwards in the hall at ExpoGeorgia, was high. My (far from exhaustive) list of favourite producers would include Lagvinari, Shalauri Cellars, Teleda, Manaveli, Pheasant’s Tears, Schuchmann, Vazi, Khareba and Besini, all of whom make wines that are deliciously Georgian, and not only in a qvevri style, or styles.
Do these wines have a future outside Georgia? I’d like to think that they do. They are reasonably priced, they offer aromas flavours that you won’t find anywhere else in the world and they are part of a tradition that dates back 8,000 years. Like that Bengal tiger in the streets of Tbilisi, they are unique.
Originally published in Harpers
Photos of  Zaza Kbilashvili (top) and Dr Giorgi Dakishvili © Tim Atkin 

Related topics: Georgia, Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Column









24th May 2013

Rawfair steals the show

by Simon Woolf


It's the third Monday in May. I'm in East London, in a barn of a building, buzzing with wine producers, press and trade. There's a palpable sense of excitement throughout the room.
No, I'm not at the London International Wine Fair. This is the second edition of Isabelle Legeron MW's Raw Fair, which in the space of just a year seems to have established itself as London's biggest celebration of small-scale, artisanal winemaking. So what, you might ask, does that really mean?

From the horse's mouth: “RAW celebrates wines with emotion. Wines that have a humanlike, or living, presence. They are also wines that are an authentic expression of a place”. Many of the fair's visitors would be comfortable to sum this up as “natural wine”, but RAW have bravely attempted not to fall back on such a slippery term.

In general the wines on show came from small or very small estates (I don't think I spoke to a single producer who was making more than 25,000 bottles a year). RAW has a quality charter which aims for maximum transparency, requiring all wines to be made using organic or biodynamic methods of cultivation (even if the winemaker is not certified), hand-harvested grapes, and to be fermented without added yeasts or nutrients. The catalogue lists technical information for every wine, including level of total sulphites and whether any filtration or fining materials were used.

This almost fanatical level of detail might not interest everyone, but the need to provide it is clear: RAW wishes to stave off criticism that natural wines are an ill-defined category which does little more than pull the wool over consumer's eyes.

Natural wines have their detractors – the nomenclature seems to cause more ruptions than anything else – but even some of the most vocal doubters were at the Old Truman Brewery to see if it really was all cidery smells and faulty wines. Which of course it was not – Even Robert Joseph quietly admitted that he “came across enough good wines to want to return next year”.

Despite a minor reduction in the number of producers compared to last year (from 200 down to 180), the venue was full to bursting on the Sunday. Monday's trade-only day was barely more sedate - rumours were circulating that Raw was considerably more lively than the ever-shrinking LIWF.

The standard was particularly high amongst the Northern Italian and Slovenian winemakers. This doesn't surprise me, since the cross-border Friuli Collio/Western Slovenia/Istria region is one of the key areas where the modern renaissance in low-intervention winemaking took hold.

Legeron's team pulled off a considerable coup by assembling all three authors of Wine Grapes for a talk. Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and Jose Vouillamoz lead a genial and carefully considered tasting of six rare wines. Unsurprisingly, it was standing room only.

I barely got beyond the wine, but there was also an impressive array of artisan food, tea and beer, both to taste and to consume. If I had a complaint, it was that exhibitors seemed to be struggling to keep the white wines chilled. I can cope with hefty skin-macerated whites being served at 12-15C, but trying to enjoy a sample of a delicate, mineral Riesling served warm (18-20C?) was not so much fun.

Quibbles aside, the genius of an event like raw fair is the potential for new discoveries and surprises. Ever tried a Swiss white wine fermented in Georgian Amphorae? Or wondered what the wines of Lipari (off the coast of Sicily) taste like?

Inevitably, with so much diversity and experimentation not everything was successful. There were wines being shown that I found challenging, if not downright faulty. But they were in the minority, and it's hard to get bored at an event like this. I'd rather that winemakers take risks, even if they get it wrong sometimes.
  
Twelve of the best 

Here are 12 of the most thrilling wines I tasted. This is inevitably a personal selection. Despite spending both days at the fair, I only got to a tiny fraction of the assembled 180 producers. I'm looking forward to redressing the balance next year.

NB: UK importers are listed where applicable. Many of these wines aren't yet available here. Let's hope they will be soon.

Claus Preisinger (Burgenland, Austria) – St. Laurent 2011
A beautifully focused, balanced wine from Austria's native pinot-like red grape. Not showy, but utterly moreish with subtle oak influence, restrained red fruit and a fresh finish.

Domaine Barmès Buecher (Alsace, France) – Steingrubler Gewurztraminer 2009
Gewurz as it should be – delicate rose petal aroma, mineral, rich and off-dry but not cloying in any way. I'm delighted to see that this domaine now has a UK importer (Gergovie Wines). I asked Geneviève Barmès if this was as a result of exhibiting at RAW 2012, she confirmed that it was.

Lagvinari (Kakheti, Georgia) – Lagvini 2011
The first vintage from a joint venture between Isabelle Legeron and a Georgian winemaker. If you've never tried a Georgian qvevri wine, this is a great place to start. Made from Georgia's signature white variety Rkatsiteli. Taut, herbal stone-fruit with piercing acidity that balances the robust, but ripe tannins. Best with food.
UK Importer: Dynamic Vines

Uros Klabjan (Istra, Slovenia) – White label Malvasia 2011
Generous creamy texture, quite fat but without sacrificing freshness. Trademark nuttiness on the finish. Uros also makes a “black label” Malvasia from 100 year old vines, with a more complex, savoury character.
UK importer: Pacta Connect

Kmetija Štekar (Brda, Slovenia) - Rebula Prilo 2007
Friuli's Ribolla Gialla becomes Brda's Rebula as you slide across the Italo-Slovene border. This is an “orange wine”, made with a couple of week's skin maceration. It's extremely fresh and lively, especially considering the age – but gains in complexity and body.

Stanko Radikon (Friuli, Italy) – Jakot 2006
Radikon has always been a bit of a rebel, and pioneered the idea of extended skin maceration for white wines, together with Josko Gravner. Since the EU now forbids the old “Tokaj Friulano” name for one of Friuli's noblest indigenous white grapes (AKA Sauvignonasse), Stanko simply reversed the offending part on his labels. Friulano really responds well to skin contact, and this is fantastically rich and honeyed (whilst remaining bone dry), vividly fresh and defined. My hastily scribbled tasting note just says “Wow!”.
UK Importer: Dynamic Vines

Tenuta di Castellaro (Lipari, Italy) - Bianca Pomice 2010
Like pear-drops macerated in a glass of salt water. Very fresh and focused, with lithe fruit. A lovely expression of Malvasia and Carricante (more commonly found across the water in the Etna region).

Albert Mathier Fils (Valais, Switzerland) – Cornalin 2011
Produced from a rare red grape, but according to Jose Vouillamoz, this particular wine is not produced from Cornalin but actually “Rouge du Pays”. Mouthwatering, vibrant black cherry. Pure fruit expression, but elegant with it.

Klinec Medana (Brda, Slovenia) - Quela 2007
A red blend showing just how well the holy trinity of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot can perform, when vinified adeptly in Western Slovenia. Matured in cherry-wood barrels. Maybe it was auto-suggestion, but the predominate fruit character for me was red fruit and cherries. Well structured, with a smoky, sappy edge. Mature but still loads of potential to age.
UK importer: Gergovie Wines

I Custodi (Etna, Italy) - Aetneus 2008
Textbook smoky, muscular Nerello Mascalese from very old vines in the Etna region.
Mineral red-fruit core with considerable poise and elegance.
UK importer: Wine Traders

Gianfranco Daino (Sicily, Italy) - Suber 2009
Intriguing and inviting herbaceous nose, with aromas of tea leaves and berries. Like sucking on cherry stones, quite a hot savoury finish. A blend of Nero d'avola, Frappato and Alicante (AKA Grenache).
UK importer: Ethical Edibles

Vignaioli Contra Soarda (Veneto, Italy) – Vignacorejo (Braganze DOC Pinot Noir) 2008
Brooding, serious Pinot Noir from Mirco Gottardi, with mature, dark, leathery fruit and powerful tannins. Reminds me of top quality Nuits-Saint-Georges.
UK importer: The Winemakers Club


Read more on wine by Simon Woolf at The Morning Claret and Palate Press










1st Jan 2013

Georgian qvevri wine:

If it's good enough for God 

by Simon Woolf

For Father Gerasim, whether to treat his wines with sulphur or any other additive isn't a matter of choice. The imperative is simple. Any impurities in the finished product would render it unworthy in the eyes of God.
Gerasim is the winemaker at the 11th Century Alaverdi monastery, a commanding, slightly austere complex with breathtaking views of the Caucasus mountains, located in Kakheti - Georgia's most revered wine region. His core philosophy - “My only wish for wine is less interference in the winemaking” - chimes with non-interventionist winemakers around the globe. But Alaverdi has a traditional Kakhetian weapon in the arsenal which is capable of creating some of the world's most individual and complex wines.

The qvevri (or ქვევრი if you're comfortable with Georgian script) is a large, clay Amphora-like vessel holding anything from 400 to 2,000 litres or more, traditionally buried in the ground up to its neck. Grapes are crushed and thrown in, together with skins, stalks and pips (called “the mother” in Kakheti), and fermentation is left to begin naturally (no cultured yeasts or nutrients are added). Red wines may be racked and separated from “the mother” after fermentation. The qvevri is then sealed with a wooden lid and earth or clay, and the wine is left to mature for up to six months. After this time, the qvevri is opened, to reveal the hoped-for transformation into a delicious, star-bright liquid.

You might think that this laissez-faire production method would be prone to flaws – how hygienic is a clay amphora, and what about oxidation? Well, that's the interesting part. The qvevri tradition can be dated back around 8,000 years, and its longevity and continued usage throughout the centuries is testament to its success. The sheer brilliance of the qvevri becomes more apparent, the more you discover its solution to almost every common winemaking fault and problem.
Leaving the maturing wine resting not just on its skins and stalks, but also on the lees (dead yeast cells), certainly adds flavour and complexity – but the longer it's left, the greater the risk of reductive (sulphurous) flavours and odours developing. However, in a qvevri all of the solid matter collects in the small conical bottom, minimising contact with the rest of the wine, and effectively preventing the development of reductive nastiness.
Giorgi “Gogi” Dakishvili, winemaker and managing director at German-owned Schuchmann Wines in Kisiskhevi, comes from generations of Kakhetian vignerons. He points out that qvevri wines achieve their stability (not refermenting in the bottle, or turning into cloudy cider) partly due to the plentiful mono-proteins released from the lees. He is also keen to stress that letting qvevri wines (whether white or red) go naturally through malolactic fermentation is a key element in the stabilisation process. All of this is achieved without any form of additive, or manual intervention.
For Gogi, making wine with qvevris is a far more interesting challenge than using conventional western methods. Schuchmann Wines produce both styles, but you can tell that Gogi's heart lies with the qvevri wines, bottled under the Vinoterra label. Interestingly, Schuchmann also produces a “premium” oak-aged cuvée, “M1”, yet for me this wine has far less of the complexity and depth that defines the Vinoterra qvevri wines.

Wine made without regular doses of sulphur dioxide is prey to all kinds of micro-bacterial activity, volatile acidity and spoilage yeasts like Brettanomyces. Hygiene is vital to prevent infection, and to ensure that a bad batch from one year does not affect the next. Qvevris must be scrupulously scrubbed after every vintage and are traditionally sealed internally with beeswax. Frank Cornellisen's experiments with amphorae in Sicily proved that omitting this step caused big problems with volatile acidity levels. A well-honed tradition prevails.
Modernist winemakers are often fanatical about temperature control – and again the qvevri has the answer, for this massive, thick-walled vessel, buried deep in the ground is excellent at moderating extremes of heat and cold both inside and out. That's important as Kakhetian summer temperatures can soar to 40°C.
Perhaps the biggest surprise with well-made qvevri wines is that they do not have a pronounced oxidised or oxidative character. Looking back at 50 or more tasting notes from a recent visit, not once did I write “sherry-like”, or use any other tell-tale descriptors. Yes, the aromas can be surprising and dense – cooked fruits, honey, jasmine, herbs and floral notes are all common in the whites – but they are quite distinct from deliberately oxidised styles like the Jura's Vin Jaune or Chateau Musar Blanc.


And what about the holy grail of natural winemaking? Many traditional Kakhetian red wines are made with no added SO2 whatsoever – the tannins from the skins and stems suffice as stabilisers. But even the monks at Alaverdi are pragmatic when it comes to white wines, and these are usually bottled with a small amount of sulphur to prevent oxidation. Just as well that only red wine is traditionally used for worship.
Qvevri wines can be outstanding or clumsy, much like any style. The best examples (And I would unquestioningly list Alaverdi and Vinoterra amongst them) have refined, seductive tannins – just as well, as there are usually a lot of them. These wines are also fabulously complex, particularly on the nose. It's best not to think of the white wines as, well, white. They are amber coloured, tannic, age-worthy and most at home with food – pork, chicken and cheese are all popular choices in Georgia.
Worldwide interest in Georgia's wines and production methods has been building for a decade, thanks in part to European pioneers like Josko Gravner and Frank Cornellisen, but is yet to peak. When the winery at Alaverdi monastery was rebuilt in 2005, there was no intention of exporting or selling wine, but now around 20,000 bottles are released onto the market every year, in recognition of the considerable interest in the style.
There doesn't seem to be a conflict between this restrained commercialism and the monastery's mission – Father Gerasim told us that the aim is merely to restore the monastery to the same levels of prosperity and self-sufficiency that it enjoyed in the 11th Century. And of course to produce wine that is as pure as humanly possible. I'll raise a glass of Rkatsiteli to that.
Click here to view tasting notes for 10 favourite Georgian qvevri wines


Simon Woolf writes about wine at http://themorningclaret.com. His article for Palate Press on winemaking in the Etna Region was awarded "best content" prize by the Etna Consorzio, at the 2012 EWBC conference, and listed as one of Palate Press's top 10 articles of 2012.





















































































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