Wine & Spirits - December 2021 - 82

Republic of
Georgia
Our blind panels tasted 27 Georgian
wines for this issue. Tara Q. Thomas, our
critic for Georgian wines, rated 10 as
exceptional (90+) and 3 as Best Buys.
Find a complete list of wines tasted and all
reviews at wineandspiritsmagazine.com.
WHITE
93 | Orgo
gives the fl avors extra staying power, keeping
them fresh for days after the bottle was
opened; the tannins also provide enough
substance to stand up to richer dishes, like
a classic Georgian chicken in satsivi, a garlicky
ground-walnut sauce. § Georgian House
of Greater Washington, Beltsville, MD
91 | Georgian Legend
$30
2019 Kakheti Kisi ^ Though nearly extinct at
the turn of the century, kisi has made a comeback
in the past few years, and this wine is a
terrifi c example of what's driving that interest:
Fermented in qvevri for six months, it's
super juicy, brimming with notes of pear
and white cherries that get spicier and redder
with air. Floral scents add delicacy, but
there's lots of substance here, proven in the
length of the fi nish, and how many days after
opening the wine remains vibrant. Open it
with a dinner of roast pork and cherries, or
a chunk of cheese, and make sure to save
some to taste the next day. § Georgian House
of Greater Washington, Beltsville, MD
92 | Chona's Marani
$27
2019 Kakheti Rkatsiteli ^ Mikheil Chonishvili
started his winery in 2015, working with
just under fi ve acres of vines at 1,804 feet in
elevation in Tsanandali. He farms organically
and sustainably, so that he has a healthy array
of ambient yeasts to complete fermentation
in his qvevri. The result transforms the usually
lean, herbal rkatsiteli into a rich mouthful
of fl avor. The 2019 fi lls its silky body with
notes of orange and quince paste, cloves and
herbs; the tannins add texture and grip, while
the alcohol adds spice (it comes in at 14.5 percent).
It's almost a meal in a wine, and would
be delicious with a smoky, wood-oven-fi red
khachapuri (cheese-fi lled bread). § Georgian
House of Greater Washington, Beltsville, MD
91 | Chona's Marani
$27
2019 Kakheti Mtsvane ^ This is a tannic
qvevri wine, the grip softened slightly by the
wine's waxy broadness and its rich notes of
orange, apricot, cumin and herbs. That grip
82
WINE & SPIR IT S
$18
2019 Kakheti Rkatsiteli (BEST BUY) ^ An
amber-hued qvevri wine, this plays up
rkatsiteli's herbal edge, adding crunch and
freshness to its golden-raisin fruit. It feels
clean, cleansing even, with dry tannins and a
salt-and-pepper spice-ready to match with
salads or herb-stuff ed fi sh. § Georgian Toast
Imports, Cambridge, MA
90 | Chona's Marani
$27
2019 Kakheti Mtsvane & Rkatsiteli ^ Wonderfully
weird, this joins the rich, waxy fl avors
of qvevri-fermented mtsvane with the
crispness of rkatsiteli and adds a nutty, salty
layer of fl avor that recalls Fino Sherry. It's
plump and angular all at once, and addictive
with fried sardines or dense, aged cheese. §
Georgian House of Greater Washington, Beltsville,
MD
90 | Chubini Wine Cellar
$22
2019 Kakheti Rkatsiteli Chinuri (BEST BUY) ^
The third vintage from Tornike Chubinidze,
this is a delicate qvevri-fermented wine, with
gentle tannins holding the golden citrus fl avors
fi rm. It's spicy and citric, with an herbal
sourgrass tang that suggests pairing with
herb-sauced fi sh. § Georgian Toast Imports,
Cambridge, MA
90 | Teliani Valley
$24
2019 Kakheti Glekhuri Rkatsiteli ^ Vinifi ed
in qvevri for six months, this is deep orange
in color, with the rich, bittersweet tang of
marmalade and fi rm, grippy tannins. The
balance works well, taking the wine in a
steadfast savory direction, lasting on notes
of beeswax and walnuts. § Georgian House of
Greater Washington, Beltsville, MD
DE CEMBER 2021
93 | Teliani Valley
$25
2019 Kakheti Glekhuri Kisiskhevi Saperavi
^ Glekhuri is Teliani Valley's line of smallproduction
qvevri wines. Winemaker Temuri
Dakishvili sources the fruit for this wine
from Kisiskhevi in the Telavi Valley, just east
of Tbilisi. Fermented and kept in qvevri for
six months, then moved into stainless steel, it
feels almost like a Rhône syrah, with notes of
mint and licorice on its savory, plummy fruit.
Then the tannins hit, and it's clear this comes
from Georgia. Those tannins have a plumpness
but, still, you'll want to have a steak on
hand to fully enjoy this. § Georgian House of
Greater Washington, Beltsville, MD
90 | OTIA
$25
2019 Kakheti Jgia ^ From father-and-son duo
Dato and Gogi Otiashvili, this wine has an
alluring translucence to its bright, tart red
fruit. Underneath, there's deep, spicy complexity
that gives the wine staying power.
Made from the rare jgia grape, organically
farmed and fermented in qvevri for six
months, this is clearly in the natural camp,
yet it stays clean and fresh, with energizing
acidity. § Georgian House of Greater Washington,
Beltsville, MD
90 | Tevza
$25
2019 Kartli Goruli Mtsvane ^ Goga Tevzadze
makes this wine from Kartli's native
Goruli mtsvane-unrelated to the mtsvane
of Kakheti. Vinifi ed entirely in qvevri, where
the juice spends fi ve months macerating with
the skins, it's as dark in fl avor as the deep,
cloudy orange hue predicts. It's a big wine,
brawny with fl eshy orange and apricot fruit
and smoky spice, with an appealingly musky
undertone. The tannins inspired much talk
of food around the tasting table, with suggestions
including hot Reubens and Comté
cheese. § Georgian House of Greater Washington,
Beltsville, MD
RED
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Wine & Spirits - December 2021

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