GEORGIAN WINES

Viticulture is an integral part of Georgia’s history. Saint Nino  came to enlighten Georgia with a cross, made of a vine. Even today the vine remains one of the symbols of Christianity in Georgia. It is interesting to note that in the 11th century, in Ikhalto Academy (Kakheti, East Georgia), among others, winemaking was taught. In those times Georgian wine was considered as rather expensive product and was exported abroad in large quantities. Wine was made according to ancient recipes and traditions.

Georgian wine-making history is connected directly to the history, culture and religion of Georgian people. Georgian creative nature and particular love for vine and wine were expressed in Georgian habits, architecture, painting, poetry, songs and other fields of art. History confirms that there existed about 500 breed of grapes on the territory of Georgia. Nowadays 27 of them are remained and widely used.

For Georgian viticulture and winemaking, correct use of unique climate conditions and preserving centuries-old experience and wine production methods is highly important. In Georgia, a country with rich culture of wine-growing and wine-making, the tradition of using the geographical name of the place of origin as the appellation controlled of a wine has a long history.   Traditionally, Georgian wines carry the name of the source region, district or village.

Depending on the color of wine is divided into White, Pink and Red. It depends not only on the type of grape used, but also on the technology of wine.

Depending on the sugar content wine is divided into: 
Dry – sugar content is 0.3%.
Semi-Dry – up to 3%.
Semi-Sweet – up to 8%.
Naturally Sweet – up to 20%.

Wines are divided into varietal, if they are made from one grape variety, and blend – if they include a few varieties.
Depending on the carbon dioxide content of wine is divided into Sparkling and Quiet. Still wines, in turn, are divided on the quality of Ordinary, Vintage (appellations of origin) and Collectable.

Branded wines (wines of controlled appellations of origin) are high quality wines aged at least a year, made from certain grape varieties growing in certain wine-growing regions or micro-districts, using a special technology. Vintage wines must be of constant high quality, which is maintained from year to year.

Nowadays, 18 appellations of origin of Georgian wines have  registered.

The most famous Georgian red wines of controlled designation of origin:

Kindzmarauli (Georgian: ქინძმარაული) — Red semi-sweet wine.
One of the most popular Georgian wine varieties.
Made from the Saperavi grape variety, growing in a strictly defined territory, with an area of about 400 hectares.
Harvested as ripe as possible and vinified at a controlled temperature.
Natural semi-sweet wine is not subjected to long aging.
Winegrowing region: Kakheti region.
Varietal composition: 100% Saperavi.
Wine color: Ruby-violet.
Alcohol — 13%
Aromas: bright, original, tempting with hints of spices and ripe dark and red berries, warmed by the hot Georgian sun.
Palate: expressive, fruity and berry, with soft tannins, vanilla-spicy notes and a long silky aftertaste.
Food matching: desserts, sulfur or meat plate, penne arrabbiata in spicy tomato sauce, pizza Diablo, farm chicken.
Serving temperature: 14-16°C.

Mukuzani (Georgian: მუკუზანი) — Red Dry Wine
A wonderful example of Kakhetian winemaking, delighting with the traditional style of Georgia and international quality level.
The drink from the local Saperavi variety is created using the classic technology, which includes a stage of long-term infusion of the must on the pulp.
The wine is aged for three years in oak barrels and can be stored in bottles for several years, only getting better.
Winegrowing region: Kakheti region.
Variety composition: 100% Saperavi.
Wine color: Red-ruby.
Alcohol – 13.5%
Aromas: expressive, intense, filled with shades of plum, cherry, dried fruits and spices.
Palate: deep, with balanced tannins, oak, spicy and berry notes.
Gastronomic combinations: meat or cheese plate, bruschetta with tomatoes, warm salad with beef, meat pizza, hot dishes of meat and poultry, medallions of marbled beef, beef stroganoff. Serving temperature: 16-18°C.

Ojaleshi (Georgian: ოჯალეში) — Red semi-sweet wine
For production, grapes were grown and hand-picked exclusively in the Ojaleshi micro zone.
The recipe for the drink uses berries hand-picked on plantations.
A feature of vinification is partial fermentation, which is stopped by cooling the must.
This leads to the preservation of a small proportion of residual sugar in the alcohol.
Winegrowing region: Samegrelo Region.
Variety composition: 100% Ojaleshi.
Wine color: Dark red, with a garnet tint.
Alcohol – 11.5%
Aromas: with strong accords of red berries – raspberries, strawberries, cherries.
Palate: velvety, with soft tannins, rounded fruity tones and a persistent aftertaste.
Gastronomic combinations: cold meats, marbled beef dishes, desserts with chocolate.
Serving temperature: 14-16 °C.

Saperavi (Georgian: საფერავი) — Red dry wine
A Georgian mono-separated drink with a distinctive style and bright tasting characteristics.
Wine production is based on the original Kakhetian method, which has no analogues in the world.
Raw materials are collected by hand in a micro zone with unique natural and climatic conditions.
It is considered a universal grape variety, from which several types of red wine are made.
Winegrowing region: Kakheti region.
Variety composition: 100% Saperavi.
Color : Ruby red
Alcohol – 14%
Aromas: harmonious, elegant, filled with fruity notes and spicy motifs.
Palate: bright, rich, with shades of red fruits and berries, soft tannins and nuances of spices in the finale.
Gastronomic combinations: red meat dishes with hot spices and herbs, cold appetizers of beef and pork, hard cheeses.
Serving temperature: 16-18°C.

Usakhelouri (Georgian: უსახელოური) — Red semi-sweet wine
Comes from the Georgian wine region of Lechkhumi.
The drink is made from a rare and valuable native grape variety, the care of which requires a lot of time and effort.
The fruits are hand-picked in late autumn at a minimum sugar content of 24%.
The must is fermented until the required level of sweetness is reached. Then the alcohol is cooled, thus interrupting the fermentation.
Origin: Racha-Lechkhumi region.
Varietal composition: 100% Usakhelouri.
Wine color: Ruby-cherry.
Alcohol – 11.5%
Aromas: soft, with unusual shades of blooming rose hips and wild berries, which are intertwined with blackberry, raspberry and pomegranate notes.
Palate: delicate, with a silky texture, smooth tannins, balanced sweetness and sourness, with a rich berry palette and a lingering aftertaste.
Gastronomic combinations: steaks, meat pizza, lasagna Bolognese, desserts.
Serving temperature: 16-18°C.

Khvanchkara (Georgian: ხვანჭკარა) — Red semi-sweet wine
The raw materials are the Aleksandrouli and Mujuretuli varieties grown in the Racha region on the banks of the Rioni River. The average age of the vines is 25 years.
Slow fermentation at a low temperature contributes to the incomplete processing of natural sugar, due to which the wine turns out semi-sweet.
Origin: Racha-Lechkhumi region.
Varietal composition: Aleksandrouli, Mujuretuli.
Wine color: dark ruby with purple highlights.
Alcohol – 11.5%
Aromas: thick, enveloping, with nuances of violets, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries.
Taste: dense, rich, velvety, with harmonious sweetness, berry sourness, raspberry, strawberry, caramel notes and dried fruit nuances.
Gastronomic pairings: cheese or meat plate, steaks, marbled beef dishes.
Serving temperature: 18-20°C.

The most famous Georgian white wines with controlled designation of origin:

Kisi (Georgian: ქისი) — White dry wine
Produced in Kakheti, since the best Kisi grapes grow only in this region of Georgia.
This variety is a hybrid of Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane, and obtained naturally. Kisi grapes are selected at a late stage of maturity, when they reach a sweetness level of 26%.
Carefully sorted raw materials, after fermentation in jugs, are placed in oak barrels for 6 months.
Origin: Kakheti region.
Variety composition: 100% Kisi.
Wine color: Yellow gold with amber features.
Alcohol – 13.5%
Aromas: filled with juicy rounded strokes of apricot, candied lemon, spices.
Palate: expresses pleasant shades of nectarine, candied lime, vanilla, flowers.
Gastronomic pairing: grilled salmon, duck in watermelon sauce with vegetables “Lavfroig”, linguine with seafood.
Serving temperature: 14-16°C.

Khikhvi (Georgian: ხიხვი) – Orange dry wine
A rare autochthonous grape variety of Georgia, cultivated in small areas in Kakheti. Sometimes used to make blends of other white wines.
The Khikhvi grape variety belongs to the category of mid-late ripening varieties and is characterized by low yields.
The variety has a very rich potential for sugar accumulation (up to 30%), so it is also used to make dessert wines.
Origin: Kakheti region.
Varietal composition: 100% Khikhvi.
Wine Color: Rich golden-amber.
Alcohol – 13.5%
Aromas: fresh, harmonious, with hints of ripe southern fruits, honey and dessert spices.
Palate: soft, oily, with pear, honey, melon and spicy tones.
Gastronomic combinations: fish and seafood dishes, cheese plate, green salad, Caesar with shrimp or chicken, shrimp bowl.
Serving temperature: 10-12°C.

Mtsvane (Georgian: მწვანე) — Orange dry wine
The grape variety is known for its excellent quality and generous harvests. More than six varieties of Mtsvane grapes are cultivated in Georgia, the most common of which are Manavis Mtsvane, Goruli Mtsvane and Kakhetian Mtsvane.
The grapes grow at high altitudes in a mild, moderate climate. The variety is not used for food, it is grown exclusively for winemaking.
The sugar content in Kakhetian Mtsvane reaches 24%.
Origin: Kakheti region.
Varietal composition: 100% Mtsvane.
Wine color: Straw-honey with light pinkish reflections.
Alcohol – 13.5%
Aromas: manifests itself with motifs of white flowers, candied citrus peel and yellow apple.
Palate: demonstrates multifaceted notes of light garden berries, acacia and dried fruits.
Gastronomic combination: Georgian meat dishes, mature cheeses, grilled vegetables.
Serving temperature: 12-14°C.

Rkatsiteli (Georgian: რქაწითელი) — White dry wine
A single-batch drink with a unique style, made in the Georgian region of Kakheti.
It is considered a universal grape variety, from which several types of white wine, cognac and other wine materials are made.
Rkatsiteli is a descendant of a wild vine from Georgia, and that it was the result of domestication, and was not artificially bred.
The grapes have a medium-sized bunch. The berries are full of juice, glowing from the inside.
Origin: Kakheti region.
Varietal composition: 100% Rkatsiteli.
Wine color: Amber with golden highlights.
Alcohol – 13.5%
Aroma: multi-layered, with juicy notes of quince, sweetish motifs of dessert spices and white flowers.
Palate: soft, smooth, with a pleasant fruity sourness, nutty and berry shades.
Gastronomic combinations: grilled poultry, vegetable and white meat dishes, cheese platter.
Serving temperature: 12-15°C..

Tsinandali (Georgian: წინანდალი) — White dry wine
One of the most famous Georgian wines that has received international recognition.
The raw materials for the drink are grown in Kakheti, in the specific Tsinandali zone.
The must, cleared of stalks, ferments at a temperature of 10-12 degrees.
The alcohol is left to mature for a long time. Part of this period is spent in oak.
Origin: Kakheti region.
Variety composition: Rkatsiteli (80%), Mtsvane (20%).
Wine color: Golden-straw.
Alcohol – 13.5%
Aromas: with notes of tropical fruits.
Palate: delicate, rounded, with moderate acidity and expressive fruity-citrus nuances.
Gastronomic combinations: as an aperitif, with chicken cutlets, farm chicken, salmon in a pistachio crust, grilled sea bass fillet with spinach.
Serving temperature: 11-14°C.

Tvishi (Georgian: ტვიში) – White semi-sweet wine
A popular Georgian alcohol of high quality.
The main wine is the Tsolikouri grape variety from plantations at an altitude of 500 to 800 m above sea level, in the Racha-Lechkhumi region.
The technology for making Tvishi is based on the method of interrupted fermentation.
Tvishi is usually drunk young. With long-term storage, they lose their pleasant sound.
This type of Georgian wine has many admirers. Gourmets note its lightness and versatility.
Origin: Racha-Lechkhumi region.
Variety composition: Tsolikouri (100%).
Wine color: bright golden, with a greenish tint.
Alcohol – 13.5%
Aromas: rich, with expressive notes of exotic fruits and white flowers.
Palate: soft, with a refreshing sourness, subtle nuances of flower nectar and an abundance of fruity accords.
Gastronomic combinations: pumpkin soup with shrimps, linguine with crab, four-cheese pizza, chicken cutlets.
Serving temperature: 10-12°C.

High-quality vintage wines, after the end of the aging period in oak containers or metal tanks, are additionally aged in bottles for at least three years.

Ordinary wines are young wines that have undergone technological processing and are sold no earlier than three months after the grapes have been processed.