Saperavi

This is made from Saperavi grapes from Shumi's Satrabakho Vineyard in Kakheti, Georgia.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cassis, char and black pepper.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is concentrated and deep.  Flavors of black cherries, some cassis with underlying char.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This is delicious and drinks like a Cab/Zin blend.  Very international in style, it is a nice value and should be a popular wine among friends.  It drinks great on its own and would work well with burgers or ribs off the grill.  dri

This is made from Saperavi grapes.  It is a single vineyard wine from the Mukuzani Vineyard or Vineyard of the great Queen.  It is raised in French oak.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.

Similar to their white, this proved to be a bit, albeit less, controversial.  For my tastes, this is a dead ringer for the stinky Chateauneuf du Pape's that were so prevalent twenty plus years ago (especially Beaucastel) that  I love!  My friend Jeff B.

This is 100% Saperavi fermented in Kvevri (Amphorae) and aged in both Kvevri and Stainless (for stabilization).  It made with minimum interference in a "natural" style.  The result is a very nice  red wine that is a remarkable value.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with plums, black cherries, charred rocks, and black pepper.  Medium to full bodied.  Strong acidity.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this has black cherries, bramble (think Zin) and underlying char.  Nice finish.  This is tasty and easy drinking  with some depth.  It drinks well on its ow

Tasted as an additional wine in a Georgian Wine tasting, this is made from the Saperavi grape which is the primary red grape of Georgia.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, some black raspberries, and gravel.  Medium bodied.  Strong acidity.  On the palate, the cherries and black cherries come thru.  It is a bit softer and more supple than the Georgian Saperavi's tasted alongside.  Light but persistent tannins.  Nice finish.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  This will work better with food but is nice on its own.  It would work nicely wi

The cork on this was soaked all the way thru on most sides and a bit on the top, but the wine seemed sound.  This is made from Saperavi grapes and aged in Kvevri (Amphorae) on stems and pips.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is interesting with cherries, cinnamon, tobacco, and slight anise.  Medium bodied.  Strong acidity.  Complex and deep.  The palate has lots of cherries, some black cherries, and spice.  Nice finish.  This got better with air which was interesting given the condition of the cork.  It seems like it should have another ten years or so to go.  This works

An interesting wine from the country of Georgia made from 100% Saperavi grapes.  It is aged for three years in French oak barrels.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, flat and mostly opaque.  The nose is nice with black cherries, some black raspberries, baking spices and slight char.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, there is some residual sugar left here leaving a light sweetness.  It seems to work well though giving some lift and energy.  The sweetness is minimal but present.  Flavors of black cherries, slight cassis and a bit of a cough syrup note.  It drinks easy with a nice finish

This is made from the Saperavi grape in the country of Georgia.  It is, however, fermented and raised in new French oak for 12 months.  Inky purple in color, but a bit flat.  Opaque.  The nose is nice with a "Bordeaux-ish quality.  Earthy, musty, cigar box along with black raspberries and char.  Medium bodied.  Strong acidity.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, black raspberries with a slight char.  Moderate finish.  This seems to be at peak and should drink well for the next five to eight years.  It works better with food.  Chakapuli, a traditional Georgian herbed lamb stew fro

This is a blend of 60% Saperavi and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon from Georgia.  The wine was fermented in Kvevri (Amphorae) and aged for 12 months in French Oak.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, baking spices and slight char.  Medium to full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black raspberries, baking spices, slight vanilla.  Some complexity.  Nice finish.  The oak is a bit obtrusive on this but it may yet integrate with further cellaring.  Probably best to hold for a few years and drink over the next five to eight.  Nice on its own, bu

I am not a believer in "natural wines" as it seems to judge a wine on its merits and not on some nebulous term.  That said, most of the ones I have tried seem like chemistry experiments gone wrong.  This is the exception and one of the best "natural wines" I have tasted.  It is made from the Saperavi grape in Georgia.  It is made with no fining, filtering or addition of sulfites.  That said, it is also made in a more "modern" style for Georgian wines, that is fermented for 8 days in temperature controlled vats, pressed off the solids leaving no residual sugar and finished in stainless steel