Georgia Winery Visits, Part 1

 I am in Kakheti, Georgia’s largest wine subregion with 70% of the country’s production. Georgia is of course the cradle of winemaking, assumed to have started here about 8000 years ago. The wines obviously do not taste the same today, but the indigenous varieties stem from that time, although with some mutations. The second reason this region is unique is the qvevri production method. The wines are fermented in large clay amphora and the juice left on lees for some time below the ground.

This vessel is 500 litres. Most in use today are2000-2500 litres

Cleaning brushes and sticks

Underground storage

My first stop is Schuchmann Wines. As I discovered later, it set the bar quite high. It is a large winery with more than 100,000 cases per year. 80% is done in the ‘European’ style, 20% in the much more laborious qvevri style. The company exports to 25 countries. The first comparison is between the 2021 ‘modern’ Rkatsiteli and the 2020 Rkatsiteli made in qvevri. Rkatsiteli is the most common white variety in Georgia. The modern wine is dry, with fruity apple flavours and crispy acidity. It is well made, but not special (89 points). The amber wine is called Vinoterra. It has been left on skins for six months underground. It tastes of apricot and figs, nicely rounded on the front palate, toasty flavours on the back palate, but lacking some acidity (90 points).

Rkatsiteli is a popular variety because it is high yielding and adaptable. In contrast, Kisi is much lower yielding and delivers more intensity. As a result, The 2020 Kisi is much darker, although the winemaking is exactly the same.This wine tastes of apricot, red apple and pear. The main feature, though is the texture and elegant mouthfeel. It is quite a dense wine, honeyed, and silky at the same time (93 points).

Saperavi is the main red variety. The 2020 Schuchmann Saperavi is dry, but quite fruity, with plum and mulberry flavours.The wine is quite spicy (not pepper), with firm acidity and tannins. The wine is well balanced and will be much better to drink in a few years time (92 points). I find the closest comparison in terms of fruit flavours and spice is Cabernet Franc.

Oberall, this was an interesting and high quality set of wines.