November Wine Club: Georgia!

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Fay Christine Hood
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1 November Wine Club: Georgia! Thank you for joining us this month. November is a great month to drink wine to only because of the gathering that happens around Thanksgiving, but because of the variable weather that begins to make indoor spaces so desirable. My Mother, Marilyn, who is a wine club member (Hi, mom!) texted me this week asking, what orange wine should I get for Thanksgiving? In addition to having a great palette and cosmopolitan taste, my Mom reads the Red & White newsletters, and has heard us carry on about orange wine. This is a skin-contact fermented and typically also skincontact aged wine made from white grapes. The wine turns the color orange ranging from dark amber hues to bright marigolds based on variety, terroir and vinification due to the contact of the grape juice and tannic grape skins. The skins impart structure and pigmentation. It s sort of weird that orange wines have been such a big wine trend, because they re often unapproachable without food. My mom wanted orange wine for Thanksgiving because of the color it would add to the table. But, Red & White had long ago chosen Georgian wine for November s wine club to pair with Thanksgiving. All three of these wines are boldly aromatic the flavors that carry through offer ambrosia-like and redfruit character to season a feast. To focus on orange wine, we went straight to its place of origin: the country of Georgia. Here they favor the term amber wine, to orange wine amber is more specific to the

2 way these wines are raised in clay amphorae. Georgian wine has gotten a lot of attention from not only wine professionals but also winemakers from other parts of the world. Many vignerons have experimented and continue to work with amphora. Our friends Jeremy Quinn and Emily Railsback have made a great documentary feature on the winemaking traditions of Georgia keep an eye out for its release through Music Box films. We hope you enjoy this quick tour around Georgian wine that follows in these pages thanks to our colleagues at Terraneo Merchants. This importer includes writing from all of their producers on the back label of the bottles. These describe the wines in better terms than I can find, so I defer to that writing for the bottle descriptions this month. We hope you have a happy Thanksgiving. Gaumarjos! With appreciation, Nathan, Cub, Catie O., Mac & Katherine Your kit includes: Tchotiashvili, Kisi 2015 Vartsikhe Marani, Tsolikouri 2016 Do-Re-Mi, Saperavi

3 The Wines of Georgia At the crossroad of Europe and Asia, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, Georgia is considered the birthplace of viticulture and winemaking.

4 8000 Vintages of Georgian wine It is said that because of its beauty, god kept a place on earth for himself near the Black Sea, but he gifted it to the Georgians to thank them for inviting him to their great celebrations called Supra. Wine has always been an essential part of Georgian culture and identity. Grape seeds and ceramic jugs called Kvevris (or Qvevris) have been found dating back 8,000 years throughout the country, leading scientists to believe that Georgia was one of the likely birthplaces of viticulture. They also believe that vitis vinifera the common grape vine originated from the Caucasus mountains which are today the Republic of Georgia. Many linguists also believe the word ghvino (wine) originates in the Georgian language and then spread into many other languages (wine, vin, vino, etc). Because of its location, throughout history Georgia has had attacks and occupations by Persians, Mongols, Ottomans and Soviets. The invaders understood the importance of the grapevine to Georgian culture and survival, and they tried without success to eradicate their vineyards. The resilient Georgians escaped with their vine cuttings and planted them high in the mountains, only to replant the original locations after invaders left. Another legend says that, before going into battle Georgian soldiers would tie grapevine to their ankles, believing that if they die on the battlefield, the grapevine would grow and use their body as fertilizer. A Georgian toast or cheers is Gaumarjos, which translates to: To your victory! When visiting Georgia's capital city Tbilisi, you ll find more evidence of the importance of wine in Georgia. At the top of Sololaki hill overlooking the old town, there is a statue of a

5 woman who is often called Mother Georgia. She is Georgia's national character named Kartlis Deda and in her right hand, she carries a sword for her enemies, and in her left a bowl of wine to greet her friends. Though a small country, Georgia has a diverse range of climates from temperate to subtropical. The Western part of the country near the Black Sea is wet and humid while the East is dry and desert-like. Georgia also has 26,000 rivers which help regulate the climate. There are over 500 indigenous grape varietals found in Georgia and the most widely planted and highly regarded Saperavi for reds and Rkatsiteli for white wines. The lighter more delicate wines typically come from the West such as Imereti region, while the more powerful and heavier wines come from Kakheti in East area. Kvevri winemaking: a unique

6 Georgian tradition A Kvevri is an egg shaped, handmade vessel made from baked red clay and used to produce and store wine for centuries. They range in size from 800 to 2000 liters with most common size being 1500 liters. A kvevri is buried deep in the ground in a marani, or Georgian wine cellar. It naturally maintains wine at optimal 55 to 59 fahrenheit which is needed for fermentation. It s egg shape and small pointed base allow for the seeds, skins and stems (called Cha-cha) to settle at the bottom of the vessel after fermentation is complete. The egg shape keeps the wine in constant motion which is ideal for winemaking. The interaction of the wine with its sediment and skins adds complexity, vitamins and body to the wine while also keeping it chemically stable. Slightly crushed grapes, and sometimes ripe stems, go into the qvevri and alcoholic fermentation begins naturally in the next three days and continues for 2-4 weeks at which point the cap falls. Punch-down is done 3 to 5 times per day during alcoholic fermentation and once the cap falls for red wines the skins and stems are removed. The white wines are left on skins and stems and a clay or wood lid is placed which allow small amounts of oxygen in. Malolactic usually starts spontaneously in next month. The end of fermentation usually happens with the arrival of colder ambient temperature and cold weather. After malolactic fermentation, the lid of the kvevri is sealed with wet clay coiled around the top and then a heavy stone placed over it. Often sulphur wicks are burned to create a clean environment and form a vacuum between the wine and the lid. In spring, when the earth starts to warm up, the fermentation kvevri is opened and wine

7 moved into freshly-cleaned kvevri and now the wine is ready for drinking and bottling. There is no need to filter because all sediment dropped to bottom of kvevri and tartar crystals attach themselves naturally to the walls of the clay kvevri leaving us with clear and hopefully beautiful wine. While the wine is aging in the qvevri, it interacts with the vessel in a unique way that enhances its distinctive character. White wines made in qvevri are often noted for their color and texture. The extended maceration on the skins provides more pigment to the juice, resulting in white wines that appears amber, orange, or gold. Kvevri wines are rich in vitamin compounds of various groups, phenols and polyphenols. Throughout the 8000 years of winemaking, Georgians also developed natural tools for cleaning and caring for their kvevri such as the kvevri brush made from the roots of St.-John's wort or bitter Cherry tree bark. Kvevri are cleaned with water and lime or ash solution, and scrubbed with a kvevri brush. The kvevri once buried in the ground can last for hundreds of years, as the only thing that can damage it is an earthquake. The inside of a kvevri is sometimes lined with beeswax when the clay is too porous, preventing the wine from becoming oxidized or contaminated. UNESCO Cultural Heritage of Humanity In 2013, UNESCO added kvevri winemaking to its Lists of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. As you sip a Georgian wine, consider how 8,000 years of practice have gone into the production of the special beverage you hold in your hands. Here

8 is what UNESCO says: Qvevri wine-making is practiced throughout Georgia, particularly in village communities where unique varieties of grapes are grown. The Qvevri is an egg- shaped earthenware vessel used for making, ageing and storing the wine. Knowledge and experience of Qvevri manufacture and wine-making are passed down by families, neighbors, friends and relatives, all of whom join in communal harvesting and wine-making activities. Children learn how to tend the vines, press grapes, ferment wine, collect clay and make and fire Qvevris through observing their elders. The wine-making process involves pressing the grapes and then pouring the juice, grape skins, stalks and pips into the Qvevri, which is sealed and buried in the ground so that the wine can ferment for five to six months before being drunk. Most farmers and city dwellers use this method of making wine. Wine plays a vital role in everyday life and in the celebration of secular and religious events and rituals. Wine cellars are still considered the holiest place in the family home. The tradition of Qvevri wine- making defines the lifestyle of local communities and forms an inseparable part of their cultural identity and inheritance, with wine and vines frequently evoked in Georgian oral traditions and songs. Grape Glossary Saperavi (R) - an acidic, teinturier-type grape variety native to Georgia, where it is used to make many of the region's most well-known wines. Teinturier means, anthocyanins are found in the pulp too,

9 meaning red on the outside, red on the inside! Its leaves are 3- lobed, large, and roundish. The berries are medium to large, elliptic or round depending on the type, dark bluish, and thinskinned; with a maturation period of approximately 5 months and moderate productivity. All of this means, explosive flavors, rich tannins and wild fruit flavors; all without excessive alcohol. It is an extractive wine with a characteristic bouquet, a harmonious taste, and pleasant astringency. Its alcoholic strength ranges from % and titrated acidity 5-7%. It is known to have been in production since Saperavi grapes produce very deep red wines that are suitable for extended aging. It has the potential to produce high alcohol levels, and is often blended with lighter varieties. It is by far the most dominant Georgian red grape in terms of overall production. Saperavi is a hardy variety, known for its ability to handle extremely cold weather and is popular for growing in high altitude and inland regions such as Kakheti. It is a teinturier grape, containing the red anthocyanin within the grape pulp as well as the skin and is unusual in being one of very few such grapes used in single-varietal winemaking. Rkatsiteli (W) - This ancient vinifera originates in Georgia and is one of the oldest grape varieties. In Georgia, clay vessels were found with seeds of Rkatsiteli grapes, which date back to 3000 BC. Rkatsiteli was popular in the Soviet Union prior to its fall and at one point was responsible for more the 18% of all Soviet wine production. There it was used to make everything from table wine to liqueurs

10 to Sherry-like fortified wine. Prior to President Gorbachev's vine pull scheme, it was possibly the world's most widely planted white wine grape. In Kakheti it was particularly known for its sweet dessert wines fashioned in the same manner as port wine. There were many attempts to create a sparkling wine from the grape but its naturally high alcohol levels prevented it from being much of a success. It is still preferred in Russia. Mtsvane (W) this belongs to the group of ancient Georgian grapevine varieties. It is spread only in Central Georgia - Kartli and Imereti. This variety is included in the official list of grapevine varieties, recommended for cultivation in the whole territory of Georgia. The mature leaf is large, rounded or pentagonal, three or five lobed, deeply dissected (with secondary dissection). The lower side of leaf is covered with felt hairs. The petiole is shorter than the main vein. The bunch is medium size, cylindrical-conical, medium dense or seldom dense. The berry is medium size, rounded and yellowishgreen. The flesh is juicy. The time of ripening is in the middle-end of

11 September. The yield is medium. Resistance to Mildew is high, resistance to Oidium and frost is medium. The juice contains % of sugar and g/l of total acidity. The grape of Goruli Mtsvane is used for making high quality table and sparkling wines. The table wine is yellowish, sufficiently full and fresh. The sparkling wine has high quality and harmonious taste. Kisi (W) - from eastern Georgia, in Kakheti, is a low yielding aromatic variety with very distinctive exotic floral aromas. Both qvevri and European style wines are very perfumed and floral. Delicious with aromatic foods. The wines made traditional can be full of fresh pears, white flowers, tuberose, marigold and tobacco. Tsolikouri (W) - a light yellow-skinned white grape variety grown mainly in western Imereti district of Georgia. It cultivated in Kolkhida Lowland at an altitude of 160 m (520 ft) above sea level. Out of 400 different types of grapes in the country, Tsolikouri is among the most widespread varieties. Nearly 90% of vineyards in western Georgia grow Tsolikouri. This sort usually matures by

12 mid October. Grown in Orzhonikidze vineyards during Soviet rule of Georgia, Tsolikouri was considered one of high- quality grapes along with Chkhaveri and Izabella varieties. It has been used for production of premium dry, semi-sweet and semi-dry wines. Tsolikauri, Kolkheti, Lelo, Tvishi wines are made from Tsolikouri grapes. According to former Soviet statesman Vyacheslav Molotov, Tsolikouri was one of favorite wines of Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin. Krakhuna (W) - one of the oldest Georgian grapevine varieties. The cultivar is spread in Imereti. It is included in the official list of varieties recommended for cultivation in Western Georgia. The mature leaf is large, three or five lobed or entire. The lower leaf side is covered with felt hairs. The bunch is medium size ( g), conical, winged and dense. The berry is medium size, round-ovate and yellow-green. The flesh is very juicy, firm, crispy with a weak aroma. The time of ripening is middle of September. The yield is 8-10t/ha. Krakuna is less resistant towards Mildew and more resistant towards

13 Oidium (in some places) than other local varieties. It is highly frost resistant. The juice contains % of sugar and g/l of total acidity. The grape of Krakhuna makes high quality table and Madeira style wines. Krakhuna wines made through European technology have high sensorial value. Blends of Krakhuna, Tsitska and Tsolikouri have typical character of the white Imeretian wines.

The Republic of Georgia Where are we?

The Republic of Georgia Where are we? Highly Suitable Location: Georgia s Climate & Geography Complex topography Mountains of the High Caucasus in the north protecting from the Northern Winter. A great