In May we launched an initial series of three Virtual Tastings on Georgian Wine, with Swirl in The Cloud. Hosted by Sarah Abbott MW, all three events were fully subscribed and were attended by wine trade professionals and journalists. Guests were sent sample wines in advance of the tasting, and came together online to watch…
In a country overflowing with ancient grape varieties, Krakhuna is one of the oldest. And is happily easier to pronounce than many other Georgian grapes! Indigenous to Imereti in the west, ‘Krakhuna’ means ‘crisp’ in the local Imeretian dialect. It’s an appropriate nickname for this high-acid grape, which winemakers often describe as ‘crunchy’ in texture.…
The name ‘Chinuri’ is derived from the word chinebuli, meaning ‘excellent’ in Georgian. It refers to the grape’s reputation for excellence in terms of appearance, colour and flavour. Chini also means ‘reddish-green’, appropriately matching the blush red-yellow-green the grapes turn as they ripen. Some winemakers even call Chinuri ‘Chinebuli’. Chinuri is one of the most important white…
Racha-Lechkhumi is one of Georgia’s smallest wine regions, but also one of the country’s most important. Covering less than 2000 square miles of Northern Georgian, this little region is wedged between Imreti in the south and the Greater Caucasus mountains to the north. Remote as it is, Racha-Lechkhumi long harboured an unsung hero grape, Alexsandrouli. Alexsandrouli,…
In a country overflowing with native grape varieties, it’s inevitable that the origins of some may fade into obscurity. Khikhvi is one such grape – it grows widely in Eastern Georgia, thought to originate in Kakheti, but no-one knows where the name originates. Khikhvi vines produce a relatively small number of grapes. Though the harvest is…
Georgian Wine Essentials – a webinar On the 23rd April Georgian Wine Essentials was the topic of a webinar hosted by Master of Wine, Sarah Abbott. The webinar, which was attended by 100 wine professionals from the UK, USA and beyond, covered the fundamentals of Georgian wine regions, culture, history, grape varieties and wine styles.…
Lockdown is making life far more challenging for us all but we’ve found a silver lining is a heightened appreciation for what we put on our tables. With summer fast approaching, thoughts turn to the delicious lighter foods and drinks we can enjoy in the sunshine. Fingers crossed the British summer stays fine! Dzelshavi is…
In this virtual tasting, confirmed attendees will be sent samples of selected Georgian wines so we can taste them together and explore what makes the contemporary wine scene in Georgia so exciting. Georgia is an ancient in history and tradition – but it is also exuberantly dynamic. And her wines are just the same. We…
In this virtual tasting, confirmed attendees will be sent samples of selected Georgian Qvevri wine in advance of the event so we can taste wine together and learn about Qvevri wine. Qvevri are ancient clay fermenting vessels (sometimes called amphora) which solve a lot of wine- making problems, such as temperature control, healthy fermentation dynamics, cap…
30th April 2020 Georgian Wine in the UK – April Update Exports of Georgian wine to the UK have increased greatly: the latest figures from the National Wine Agency of Georgia show a tenfold increase year on year for the first quarter. This is despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, as Sarah Abbott…