Georgia (the Eurasian nation, not the American state) is one of the oldest wine-producing countries in the world. The main wine varieties favored in Georgia are the red Saperavi and the white Rkatsiteli.
These are the classic varieties of the former Soviet republics, from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan to Moldova">Moldova and Ukraine. A number of other long-established varieties are widely grown in the country.
Of these, red wine grapes are by far the most common, including Alexandrouli, Aladasturi, Keduretuli, Ojaleshi and Usakhelauri. Their white counterparts are led by Chinuri and Mtsvani, in the Goruli and Kakhuri variants.
The country is also strongly associated with the continuation of ancient winemaking techniques. This includes the use of clay vessels called qvevri (or kvevri) for Fermentation and storage.
Similar to ancient amphorae, they are buried in the ground outside, or built into the floor of a Cellar to ensure temperature Consistency. Winemakers in the United States, Australia and elsewhere have also begun importing and using them.
Archaeological evidence suggests that early wine production began 6,000 to 8,000 years ago in the Russia/kavkaz">Caucasus region. This region includes Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and eastern Turkey.
Native to Georgia, it has been known for a long time, especially in the Kartli(e) region in the central part of the country, where it is still grown. It has long been appreciated as a table grape. Chinuri can also be found in Germany, Azerbaijan, Russia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Romania, sometimes in China, and in France, where it is virtually unknown.
white wines from the region of Georgia go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, rich fish (salmon, tuna etc) or vegetarian such as recipes of cabbage casserole, sublime salmon (stuffed salmon) or summer tuna quiche.
There are going to be some utterly splendid wines to taste at our New York Fine Wine Encounter – many of the world’s grandest winemakers have brought some of their very best bottles to our event, knowing their hard work and talent will be appreciated by a discerning audience. My team of experts have picked out a great selection of their personal favourites from the wines on offer, and for their superbly detailed analysis and opinion, you should read the pieces and the picks from Georgie Hindle, ...
Tina Gellie, Content Manager and Regional Editor (Australia, South Africa, New Zealand & Canada) It was a big year of Decanter travel for me, heading to Napa and New York in June, South Africa in October and most recently a week each in Margaret River and South Australia. These trips have formed the basis of my festive selections. Christmas lunch on North Stradbroke Island (reunited with my family after four years, no thanks to Covid) always starts with oysters, followed by a bucket of prawn ...
While some people prefer to avoid restaurants altogether on Valentine’s Day, for others it’s the perfect excuse to enjoy a romantic evening out. For wine lovers, finding venues with a great selection of bottles is an added bonus. Whether you’re after prestige Bordeaux and classic vintages or interesting and quirky bottles from less well-known producers, the selection below gives you plenty of options. We also tell you what to expect from the wine list in each venue. From Michel ...
