Georgian wine is now an element of UN's 'Intangible Heritage'

December 5, 2013, 8:09 am

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05.12.2013. The UN's cultural agency, UNESCO, has added ancient Georgian wine-making techniques to its list of "intangible heritage" in need of being preserved.

UNESCO said in a statement issued late on December 4 that envoys picked 14 new listings --- including the Georgian method of making wine -- at a meeting in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku [for more detail, read Georgian qvevri wine-making method approved for UNESCO's Intangible Heritage List - HN]

Later it announced that a Romanian and Moldovan Christmas ritual, the Feast of the Holy 40 Martyrs spring festival in Macedonia, and decorative painting in Ukraine's Petrykivka village were also added to the list.

Among the other new entries were traditional Japanese Washoku cooking methods, the Mediterranean diet, and the traditional use of the abacus for counting in China.

Additions to UNESCO's shorter List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding include a traditional Azerbaijani horse-riding game.

Established in 2008, the Intangible Cultural Heritage list comprises some 100 traditional events from around the globe and, according to UNESCO, is designed to "help demonstrate the diversity of this heritage and raise awareness about its importance."

RFE/RL's Daisy Sindelar wrote about the list and some of "heritage" elements vying to get on it, from yurts to kimchi. And yes, Georgian wine.

Source

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"Decanter": Georgian winemaking method joins UNESCO heritage list

December 6, 2013, 12:05 pm

≫ Next: Over the mountains and far away in Georgia (in Williamsburg/Brooklyn!)

≪ Previous: Georgian wine is now an element of UN's 'Intangible Heritage'

by Caroline Gilby MW

07.12.2013. Georgia's traditional winemaking method of fermenting grapes in earthenware, egg-shaped vessels has been added to the world heritage list of the United Nations educational, scientific and cultural organisation (UNESCO).

Georgia’s traditional winemaking method of fermenting grapes in earthenware, egg-shaped vessels has been added to the world heritage list of the United Nations educational, scientific and cultural organisation (UNESCO).

The UN body said this month that Georgia’s ancient qvevri winemaking method is part of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity [for more detail, read Georgian qvevri wine-making method approved for UNESCO's Intangible Heritage List - HN]

It joins a relatively exclusive club of wine-related items recognised by UNESCO, including the areas of Tokaj, St Emilion, the Upper Douro and the island of Hvar.

The large earthenware vessels traditionally used to ferment grapes in Georgia are called qvevri and archaeological evidence of their use goes back 8,000 years.

They are typically buried in the floor of the cellar or Marani, a semi-sacred place to most Georgians and found in almost every house.

The practice has recently spread to other countries, such as Slovenia, Italy, Armenia, Croatia and even the US, alongside current interest in natural and orange wines.

UNESCO said, ‘the tradition plays a vital role in everyday life and celebrations, and forms an inseparable part of the cultural identity of Georgian communities, with wine and vines frequently evoked in Georgian oral traditions and songs.’

Lado Uzunashvili, winemaker at Chateau Mukhrani in Georgia’s Kartli and Orovela in Kakheti, told decanter.com, ‘It will help us to promote the authenticity of our traditional way of winemaking, as well as what has been built on this tradition.’

He added, ‘furthermore, all the attempts to compete with Georgia in claiming the name of oldest and most unique wine country are proved futile after such recognition.’

Source

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Over the mountains and far away in Georgia (in Williamsburg/Brooklyn!)

December 9, 2013, 12:43 pm

≫ Next: Wine business soars as ATÜ Duty Free sales surge at Tbilisi Airport

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Photo: stuartpigott.de

10.12.2013. Seldom have I experienced a tasting like that of Georgian wines which Lisa Granik MW presented this afternoon at Hotel Delmano in Williamsburg / Brooklyn. Even in New York Wine City (NYWC) where the culture of excellence and plain old hot competition drives standards up, sometimes with bizarre results, I never before experienced a tasting where the winemaking background and the cultural background to the wines were presented in such fullness and with such a clear feeling for what is decisive or essential. What I mean is that Lisa didn’t just dump an avalanche of detail on us and leave us to try and find the connections. The fact that she lived in Georgia for a year at the beginning of the 1990s obviously helped, but I promise you I’ve been to tastings of French wines by people who’d lived in France for a year that were rubbish compared to this tasting! Although I’d been to Georgia in the Caucasus in June 2008 just weeks before that ugly little war with Russia erupted and been given a crash course in Georgian wine and culture, but this afternoon I still learnt a lot of vital stuff.

For most of the other participants it was like being thrown in the deep end of an olympic diving pool, because all the comparisons with Western Europe and most of the paradigms and metaphors we derive from the wine cultures of those nations don’t help you make sense of Georgian wines, rather they make it way more difficult to piece the information your palate is telling your brain into something resembling a coherent picture reflecting the reality on the ground. For me it was not only the chance to refresh my memory, but also to catch up on what several major producers have done during the last few years. The most important of those was Vinoterra in Kakheti (in the east of the country where the majority of the vineyards are).

During my June 2008 tour of Georgia the most exciting wines were those being made by Dr. Giorgi Dakishvili at Vinoterra in Qvevri, that is fermenting them in Georgian “amphora”, were the most striking and exciting of all. That was also the case at today’s tasting, but the best wines were even better than those I experienced there five years ago. The most remarkable of the whites for me, and for many of the other young somms present, were the white 2011 Rkatiseli (the nation’s most important white grape) with its dense apricot aroma, rich body and full, but harmonious, tannins. The two 2009 Saperavi (the nation’s most important red grape) reds, regular and Selection, were both delicious with the aromas Lisa regards as classic fro this grape, “blackberry, blueberry, pomegranate, licorice, smoke and graphite.” The Selection is still very young, but even it has well-integrated tannins, and for wines that taste this big and imposing 13% is really moderate. There’s also nothing sweet about them, but this is logical for these wines all spent their first months of life on the skins in Qvevri and anything that could be extracted from the skins was extracted from them during that time. The remarkable thing given this hardcore method is the wines harmony and feeling of proportion.

Thank you again Lisa, not just for the wines and all the information, but also creating an atmosphere where everybody felt free to say whatever they thought and there was an open, friendly, but entirely professional discussion of all that was said. That is the Riesling Spirit, even if there wasn’t one drop of Riesling in this great tasting!

Source | ■DRINK GEORGIAN!

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Wine business soars as ATÜ Duty Free sales surge at Tbilisi Airport

December 10, 2013, 1:48 am

≫ Next: Hvino.com joins the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) of Georgia

≪ Previous: Over the mountains and far away in Georgia (in Williamsburg/Brooklyn!)

10.12.2013. ATÜ Duty Free sales have surged by +40% year-on-year at Tbilisi Airport (from January to November), with Georgian wines making a strong contribution.

News of the performance was reported by The Financial newspaper, and confirmed with ATÜ Duty Free by The Moodie Report.

The growth comes amid plans for further investment in the Tbilisi store by ATÜ in 2014. As reported, the company will also expand its Georgian business to a third location (after Tbilisi and Batumi) with the opening of a 148sq m shop at Kutaisi Airport early next year.

At Tbilisi, a Wines of Georgia outlet that opened two years has proved a big success, said ATÜ Duty Free. The shop has helped to promote Georgian wine culture as well as driving sales, it added.

The store represents 11 leading Georgian wines, with Teliani Valley said to be the best-selling brand. Sales at the Wines of Georgia store have leapt by +32.3% in the January-November period compared to a year ago, the retailer said.

Other top-selling national items include Khvanchkara semi-sweet red wine, Sarajishvili XO, Ch.Mukhrani Chacha grape spirit, Marani Kindzmarauli semi-sweet red, Teliani Khvanchkara red, Badagoni Khvanchkara semi-sweet red and Satrapezo Saperavi dry red.

ATÜ Duty Free is Turkey’s leading travel retailer with an increasing portfolio of operations overseas. The company is a joint venture between TAV Airports and Unifree, in which Gebr Heinemann is principal shareholder and supplier.

Source

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Hvino.com joins the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) of Georgia

December 10, 2013, 4:51 am

≫ Next: Georgian Wines for Winter Warmth (in Philadelphia)

≪ Previous: Wine business soars as ATÜ Duty Free sales surge at Tbilisi Airport

10.12.2013 (Hvino News). Hvino News is pleased to communicate that our parent company Hvino.com has become the member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) of Georgia. ICC is one of the most influential business associations, which unites more than hundred companies and organizations operating in Georgia, including major business players such as Bank Republic, Radisson, KPMG, Forbes.

As an ICC member, Hvino.com will be invited to participate in ICC meetings with government officials, meetings with leaders in the business community, and ICC seminars, commission meetings and social events. We hope that membership in ICC will allow to enrich our news service, to raise popularity of our medias, and to broaden our readership. On behalf of our organization we take this opportunity to say thanks to ICC for the invitation.

© Hvino News | ■DRINK GEORGIAN!

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Georgian Wines for Winter Warmth (in Philadelphia)

December 11, 2013, 2:53 am

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11.12.2013 (Hvino News) The holidays are here! Get in the spirit with our Winter Coat drive and Georgian wine Happy Hour!

WHEN: December 15, 2013 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
WHERE: Jet Wine Bar
1525 South Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146, USA
COST: Free Samples, Free Cocktail with Donation

From 4-6, we will be offering samples of wines from the Republic of Georgia. Wine-making likely began around Georgia, and its ancient techniques have been awarded UNESCO Protected-Heritage status. We will try several of its wines, including dry & semi-dry, still & sparkling. All are available in select PA stores, so taste some ideas for gift-giving!

Further get yourself in the spirit of giving by bringing your new or gently-used winter coats, or new hats, & gloves to Jet for the charitable organization, Feel The Warmth. Bring in a coat, or a hat/glove combo, or a new toy and receive a free Georgian cocktail – our take on Chacha.

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2013's Media Rating of Georgian Wine Companies: Tbilvino leads again

December 11, 2013, 7:15 am

≫ Next: Director of National Wine Agency explains an expected price hike for wine by increased demand

≪ Previous: Georgian Wines for Winter Warmth (in Philadelphia)

11.12.2013. (Hvino News). This year's Media Rating of Georgian Wine Companies became known today. For the second time Hvino News prepares its analytic report, which is now based on 20 months of our global media monitoring.

Compared to 2012's data, both leaders - Tbilvino and Teliani Valley - have confirmed their strong position in the media, as they keep their Gold and Silver positions respectively for the second year in row.

Congratulations to Tbilvino's management and PR team for the most successful media outreach!

The Bronze shifted from Pheasant's Tears to Wine Man. Wine Man showed excellent progress from the 7th position in 2012 to the Top-3 in 2013!

Shuchmann Wines, who shared Silver in 2012, went down to 4th place, but with just a minimal gap.

The number of mentions of other companies can be seen from the tables (Click on the images to enlarge).

2012's Media Rating results can be found here. Our media data includes both the international English-language media monitoring and the articles published by Hvino News under its own copyright. Hvino News was the first to conduct regular media analysis of Georgian wine industry.

© Hvino News | ■DRINK GEORGIAN!

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Director of National Wine Agency explains an expected price hike for wine by increased demand

December 12, 2013, 9:03 am

≫ Next: Teliani Valley Tsinandali honoured with the highest 88 rate by "Wine Spectator"

≪ Previous: 2013's Media Rating of Georgian Wine Companies: Tbilvino leads again

13.12.2013 (Hvino News). The National Wine Agency is not going to interfere with the companies’ decisions on the expected price hike. As director of the Agency states to Georgian Commersant radio, they do not have the opportunity to influence legislation. Levan Davitashvili says that the market will regulate situation and companies will continue to increase prices until the market allows this.

Davitashvili explains the decision on wine price increase by the increasing demand for wine but notes that up to 80 manufacturers are operating in the market, including those who will meet the market demand with a relatively lower price.

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Teliani Valley Tsinandali honoured with the highest 88 rate by "Wine Spectator"

December 12, 2013, 9:37 am

≫ Next: A Taste of Georgia in London

≪ Previous: Director of National Wine Agency explains an expected price hike for wine by increased demand

12.12.2013. At 2013's Wine Spectator blind tasting Teliani Valley Tsinandali has been honoured with the highest 88 rate among other Georgian wines. Only two sorts among other type of Georgian wines have been graded with such high rate. The first 88 rate was awarded to the Teliany Valley Mukuzani in 2010. Teliany Valley's other wines were also awarded with high points: Tsolikouri Lechkhumi – 87 score, Saperavi Kakheti – 86 score, Saperavi Kakheti Unfiltered – 85 score, Cabernet – Saperavi Kakheti Reserve – 83 score.

The most reliable, rigorous and critical wine degustator – Wine Spectator - is the leader publication in this sphere, its editors annually conduct blind tastings of thousands of wines. Wine Spectator's description for Teliani Valley Tsinandali:

Redolent of green apple and spice, this features plenty of pastry notes in the mix. Quite creamy midpalate, with hints of pumpkin on the crisp finish. Drink now.

Company News

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A Taste of Georgia in London

December 13, 2013, 2:23 am

≫ Next: Georgia doubles wine exports as Russian market reopens

≪ Previous: Teliani Valley Tsinandali honoured with the highest 88 rate by "Wine Spectator"

by Sophie Ibbotson and Max Lovell-Hoare

13.12.2013. Taste Georgia, the first Georgian Christmas Fair, took place in London last week [correction: from November 28 to December 1 - HN] introducing thousands of Londoners to the country’s finest foods, wines and culture. Set in the historic Cathedral Square in Southwark, visitors were treated to live performances as well as tasty treats.

HE Alexandra Hall, Britain’s ambassador to Tbilisi, said, “I am thrilled the Taste Georgia is taking place in London. This is a fantastic opportunity for people living or visiting London to get to know the rich Georgian culture and taste the wonderful food and wine this country has to offer.”

Her enthusiasm for the project was echoed by Master of Wine, Sarah Abbott, who concurred: “It was wonderful to see so many people discovering and enjoying the great treasures of Georgian wine and food.”

The smiles of the hundreds of happy customers packed into the square each lunchtime was certainly a tribute both to the quality of the food and its appeal to London’s palate.

Though the food and wine was divine (these reporters had to go back for a second portion of khachapuri), it was the live cultural performances that really captured people’s attention. Following their rousing performance at the fair, the Rustavi singers were invited to sing again inside the sacred nave of Southwark Cathedral. Rose Harding, the cathedral’s Development Director praised their performance as “truly memorable”.

Likewise, Elene Rakviashvii’s artistic performance organized by the cARTveli Fund inspired by the qvevri also attracted the attentions of London’s cultural elite. Perfectly timed to coincide with qvevris addition to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists, Elene’s show was of such quality that she has been asked to give a repeat performance at London’s prestigious White Cube, one of the world’s leading galleries of contemporary art.

The success of the project, which was the brainchild of the British-Georgian Chamber of Commerce’s (BGCC) director Mako Abashidze, was key to perception of Georgia in London, the BGCC with the great support of the Georgian Embassy in Britain is the principle promotion vehicle for Georgian products and culture in the UK.

Like the general public, the National Wine Agency of Georgia recognised the value of Taste Georgia, stating that it “greatly contributes to raising international awareness of the country” and that the initiative will have their full support when it is repeated on a larger scale in 2014.

Project was supported by the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia, Georgian national Wine Agency, Georgian Tourism Administration and Sakpatenti, the National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia.

Source

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Georgia doubles wine exports as Russian market reopens

December 16, 2013, 11:15 am

≫ Next: Korea: Georgian envoy upbeat about wine marketing

≪ Previous: A Taste of Georgia in London

16.12.2013. Russia bought almost half of all wine exported by Georgia in 2013, just months after a longtime ban was lifted, Georgia’s agriculture ministry said Monday.

Georgia sold 21.8 million bottles to Russia after Moscow ended an embargo in June that had been imposed in 2006.

The level of demand has prompted the Caucasus nation to double its forecast for Russian wine sales in 2014 from 12-15 million bottles to more than 30 million, Georgy Seturidze, head of the Georgian-Russian Economic Cooperation Center, told Prime news agency.

The reopening of the Russian market helped Georgia to double wine exports this year to 44.7 million bottles, the ministry’s annual report showed. It sold wine to 48 countries worldwide in 2013.

In March, Russia’s consumer rights watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, cleared 36 Georgian winemakers and four mineral water producers to resume deliveries to Russia. Exports of Georgian wine and other agricultural goods to Russia resumed in June.

Source

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Korea: Georgian envoy upbeat about wine marketing

December 22, 2013, 7:10 am

≫ Next: East and West

≪ Previous: Georgia doubles wine exports as Russian market reopens

by Kang Hyun-kyung

22.12.2013. The Embassy of Georgia threw a wine-tasting party at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Wednesday, weeks after the Georgian wine-making techniques made the list of the world’s intangible cultural heritage.

More than 100 people, including experts in the wine industry and foreign diplomats based in Seoul, showed up at the year-end event to explore the taste of Georgian wines.

This is the third time that the embassy has hosted a wine-tasting event, following two events last year.

Ambassador Nokoloz Apkhazava vowed to work more actively to promote Georgian wine in Korea, saying that the wine-tasting event marks the beginning of that resolve.

He said that there are several things which make Georgian wines “special and unique.”

“Unlike wines from other countries, Georgian wineries use a clay vessel, which we call a kvevri, and store wines for several years deep underground,” the envoy said. “Georgians are the first producers of wines in the world and our long history in wine production makes our wines unique.”

In early December, the Georgian wine-making technology was placed on the list of intangible cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Georgian wines made the list at the recent UNESCO meeting held in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku on Dec. 5, the same day the traditional Korean side-dish kimchi was also put on the list.

Ambassador Apkhazava stressed Georgia is home to some 500 kinds of grapes, exclusive to the country.

Coupled with the unique wine-making techniques, the envoy noted, the exclusive Georgian grapes have helped wineries there produce unique wines.

Compared to other established ones, Georgian wines are relatively new to Korean consumers.

Andrey Tsygankov, a Russian who owns a wine shop in Hannam-dong, Seoul, said that Georgian wines have a deep aftertaste, which can be a good match with spicy foods like those in Korean cuisine.

“Wines are being served with side dishes. If French wine is served with spicy Korean food, this is definitely not a good match as the taste of wine tends to go bad. That’s why Italian wine is served with Italian food, French wine with French food,” he said in Korean.

Tsygankov said those who have deep understanding of wines tend to explore Georgian wines.

“Regarding the market share of Georgian wine, I would say it is minimal at the moment. That is because the wine is new and has only been imported in recent years and therefore few people, except wine experts, know about it,” he said.

Source

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East and West

December 23, 2013, 8:15 am

≫ Next: A rainy night in. Georgia?

≪ Previous: Korea: Georgian envoy upbeat about wine marketing

23.12.2013. After 'North' and 'South' came 'East and West'. Kind of predictable but as one expert fretted, 'West' was going to be tricky given that only non-vinifera and hybrid varieties could be said to originate there if by West one meant America.

Not to be daunted by trifle like that, the organisers of this tasting decided to focus on the Seven Percenters of California - the growers who make wine from grapes other than Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel and the like plus a Baco Noir from Oregon.

Perhaps more by bad luck, the East didn't shine on this occasion and it was the West that provided the best and most popular wine.

The two absolute favourites, satifyingly enough, represented both sides. From the East, Verdernikov's Krasnostop Zolotovsky (Rostov-on-Don) was a big hit and the Forlorn Hope 'Suspiro del Moro' Alvarelhao was so popular a second bottle had to be opened. The winners on both sides were:

East

Mavrud. This Bulgarian speciality really shone. The other Bulgarian favourite, Melnik came second being rather over tannic in comparison. The Bulgarian crosses were disappointing.

The Georgians failed to hit their usual mark which was quite a surprise and the Hungarians were also surprisingly disappointing. This was bad luck because we have tasted fabulous examples of many of these wines previously as you can see by entering the names some of these grapes in our Search Engine.

Nonetheless the Chkaveri proved quite a lot of fun. At first, this light Georgian wine didn't offer up all its charms as they say but the next day it was hard to resist.The Shavkapito wasn't bad either.

The Koshu was just a bit too delicate in this context and the other Russians - Tsimlyansky, Aligote and above all Sibirkory suffered from bad corking we suspect.

Neither the Rara Neagru nor the Bastardo did much to promote the image of Moldova or Crimea but it has to be said the Bastardo improved with air contact.

Krasnostop Zolotovsky. This is a winner in anyone's language. We have paid tribute to its softness and fruitiness before. This example did not disappoint.

West

Alverelhao. Slotovino's Red wine of the year, 2012/13. We have gone on rather a lot about this Forlorn Hope star, but as far as we are concerned there is no limit to the praise the 'Suspiro del Moro' is worth.

Verdelho. Another case of a late developer. The Forlorn Hope Verdelho 'Que Saudade' was not immediately appealing but once opened, it began a remarkable development which lasted more than a week under Vac-U-Vin.

Forlorn Hope's Trousseau Gris ('Trou Grit') was more immediately appealing. What a lovely corrective to overpowering Californian fruit bombs!

Charbono. Not as obscure as it sounds, this is the Bonarda of Argentina. This Napa Valley example was very appealing.

Why do we like Baco Noir so much? It tastes of Hybrid but there is something moreish in its meaty appeal. We would have said it is an acquired taste were it not for the fact we have liked it from the off.

Teroldego. We have seen Teroldego from Brazil. This Californian one showedhow successful it can be away from the Campo Rotaliano.

Similarly, Californian Torrontes can stand up to Argentinian ones it seems.

Trousseau. Placed next to the Bastardo from Crimea, one was hard put to tell the two were made from the same grape. This Arnot Roberts Natural version was light and quaffable. We had hoped never to use that word but quaffable was what this wine is.

There were very decent examples of Aglianico, Negrette and Touriga Nacional (although we have tasted sensational Californian Touriga previously).

We weren't exactly bowled over by the Valdiguie at first. This Paul Matthew Turner wine really grew on you. Although over 14%, we kept on returning for an extra sip.

It was good to have not one but two examples of Counoise in purezza (something we had never encountered in Europe). The Pinotage and Tannat hardly rose above what might be called generic Californian.

There was also a Cabernet Pfeffer. This fabled obscurity was more interesting as a mystery than for its taste (slightly herbacious a la Carmenere and indeed Cabernet Gernischt if you ask). As you can see from the back label, the producer, the estimable Kenneth Volk who specialises in the 7% varieties states that Cabernet Pfeffer was a Bordeaux variety named for its pepperiness. Actuallyhis Cabernet Pfeffer vines are the same as the obscure Bordelais variety Gros Verdot. There actually was a grape breeder called William Pfeffer who made a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and some unidentified variety in the 1880s but these were all wiped out by Phylloxera. Subsequently in the 1890s, he is reported to have grafted a better version of a seedling on to American rootstocks. 'Wine Grapes' to whom as ever we are endebted for this information has been in touch with Kenneth Volk but the situation is still not clear. There might be both Gros Verdot and William Pfeffer's cross in his vineyard. No matter: on the strength of this example, it is unlikely anyone will buy multiple bottles unless for the purposes of flummoxing MW exam candidates or stumping one's friends.

Here's the list in full:

East

Bulgaria

Istoria Bez Kray BOUQUET (Pinot Noir x Mavrud cross) Thracian Valley 2010. 12.5%
Borovitsa EVMOLPIA (Mavrud x Merlot cross) and MERLOT, Thrace, 2011. 12.5%
Borovitsa GAMZA (aka. KADARKA), Thrace, 2009. 12.5%
Mz Winery, Enigma MAVRUD 2006. 13%
Logodaj MELNIK Nobile, Thracian Valley, 2008. 14%

Georgia

Iago’s Wine CHINURI Chadarchi, (without skin contact), 2010. 11.41%
Iago’s Wine CHINURI Chadarchi, (with skin contact), 2009. 13.25%
Bagdati CHKEVERI, (qvevri), 2010. 11.5%
Pheasant’s Tears SHAVKAPITO, Mukhrani, Kartli, 2010. 12.5%

Hungary

Frittman Selection Barrique EZERJÖ Kunsag, 2011
Gelleripince JUFARK, Balatonfured, 12%
Szrelmey Elso Magyar Borhaz KEKNYELU, Badacsonytomaj. 2009, 13.5%
Boranal Kft. KADARKA, Kunsag 2012, 11.5%

Japan

Grace Vineyards Kayagatake KOSHU 2011. 11.5%

Moldova

Vinaria Purcari RARA NEAGRA DE PURCARI (aka. Babeasca Neagra), Purcari 2011. 13%

Russia

Vedernikov Vineyards SIBIRKORY, Rostov on Don 2010. 12.5%
Pravoberezhnoe ALIGOTE, Vedernikov region 2008. 12.5%
KRASNOSTOP ZOLOTOVSKY, Vedernikov region, 2010, 14.5%
Vedernikov Vineyards TSIMLYANSKY CHERNY, Rostov on Don, 2010. 13%

Ukraine

Inkerman BASTARDO (aka. Trousseau). Crimea, 2011. “9.5% – 12%”

West

Forlorn Hope Trou Grit TROUSSEAU GRIS, California 2012. 10.57%
Bray Vineyards VERDELHO, Shenandoah Valley, California. 2011. 14.4%
Forlorn Hope Que Saudade VERDELHO California 2011. 13.9%
Caparone Paso Robles Estate AGLIANICO, California 2009. 13.4%
Forlorn Hope, Suspiro del Moro, ALVARELHAO, California 2012 . 12.05%
Girardet BACO NOIR, Umpqua Valley Oregon 2011. 13.8%
Forlorn Hope, San Hercurmer delle Frecce BARBERA Amador County, California 2011. 13.9%
Ken Volk CABERNET PFEFFER San Benito County California 2008. 13.82%
Fable Napa Valley CHARBONO 2010. 12.7%
Frick Winery, Owl Hill Vineyard Estate COUNOISE, California 2010. 13.9%
Writer’s Block COUNOISE, Steele Lake County California 2010. 13.5%
Kenneth Volk Calleri Vineyard NEGRETTE, San Benito County California 2009. 14.8%
Moonstone Crossing John Bree Vineyards PINOTAGE, Amador County, California 2008. 15.2%
Ursa Vineyards Silvaspoons Vineyard TANNAT, Lodi, California 2006. 14.8%
Urban Legend Holland Landing Vineyard TEROLDEGO, California 2009. 14.2%
Pierce Ranch, TOURIGA NACIONAL, San Antonio, California 2008. 14.4%
Arnot Roberts Luchsinger Vineyard TROUSSEAU (aka. BASTARDO), Clear Lake, California 2011. 12.3%
Paul Matthew Turner Vineyards VALDIGUIÉ, Knights Valley California 2012. 14.1%

Source

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A rainy night in. Georgia?

December 24, 2013, 6:41 am

≫ Next: Georgia's wine export to Turkey is below market quota

≪ Previous: East and West

24.12.2013. 23rd December. It's raining. It's blowing a gale. It's party time. But not at Purple Teeth's temporary London HQ. After facing the queues on Oxford Street just to buy the perfect cheese for our Christmas dinner, and being almost swept away Mary Poppins style, I decided: I'm not going out there, and you can't make me. But London, I promise you, I'm not tired of you yet.

So this begs the question. Which wine should I enjoy while Mr Purple Teeth had gone to watch Arsenal vs Chelsea in the local boozer? There are lots of lovely wines laid in for the festive season, and doubtless, 6 kinds of dessert wine will be too many. But the lure of sharing something unusual with you, proved too much. So to Georgia I went on this rainy night.

How many of my dear readers have tasted Georgian wine? I've had only a small, but imperfect tasting (from a plastic cup, in the early hours of a Monday morning, after myriad flavoured vodkas) of a sweet Georgian wine made from the Saperavi grape. So when I spotted a Saperavi in the "fine and rare" section of the John Lewis food hall (also available from Waitrose Wine online and Ocado) in my first week in London, seeing it was on special offer at the time, I couldn't resist popping it into my basket. This 2007 Orovela is one of just 8880 bottles made in the foothills of the Caucasus mountains. Orovela is apparently a kind of Georgian ploughing song, which could be heard echoing through the hillsides in days of yore. Luckily now, it's an accessible brand of wine that means we don't have to go to a specialist.

The initial impression is instantly interesting. Dark ruby in colour, there's a pleasing acidity. It's a heavyweight of a wine, but the acidity lifts it, making it more refreshing than it may otherwise have been. It's got a deep blackberry and black cherry flavour tinged with spice and oaky, smokey highlights. The velvety tannins are well integrated and give backbone to the medium body. The acidity stops the tannins being too astringent. This wine could probably age for many years, but it won't get the chance in my home. Conditions aren't ideal for extended storage. There's not much space and there are two avid wine drinkers on the loose.

Mr Purple Teeth returned from his pub excursion and declared it a hit. I'm not sure he'll be replacing his number one slot of Left Bank Bordeaux with this one, but he enjoyed exploring a second glass.

What makes this wine different?

Aside from the fact that it's not from the normal wine regions likely to feature on your home wine racks, the Saperavi variety has another unusual characteristic. It's made from a "Teinturier" grape variety and is one of the few single varietals made from this type of grape. The term teinturier comes from the French to dye or to stain. It means the grape flesh is pigmented just like the skin. Most of the red wines we drink come from black grapes where the pulp is actually green, and the colour comes from the juice's skin contact alone.

The Saperavi grape is one of the oldest cultivars in Georgia where it originated. It's consistently been one of the big commercial successes from the region and, perhaps due to it's ability to stand up to tough weather conditions, experimental plantings are appearing in the Finger Lakes area of New York and also in Austrlia. Maybe we'll see more of it in future. But if you fancy a taste of 8000 years of wine history, for less than £17 and delivered to your door by Ocado, then pop a bottle of this in your virtual shopping basket. If you love big dark red wines which pack a punch but still hold some elegance, I'm sure you'll be happy with your very own version of archeology.

Merry Christmas and Cheers to all our readers!

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Georgia's wine export to Turkey is below market quota

December 26, 2013, 4:40 am

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26.12.2013 (Hvino News) Georgia will not fully master the wine quota of one million bottles on the Turkish market in 2014.

National Wine Agency explains that Georgia's wine quota exceeds the demand on Turkish market. Also, the Turkish market is characterized by bureaucratic difficulties.

NWA predicts that next year 50 thousand liters of wine will be exported from Georgia to Turkey. Currently, tens of thousands of bottles have been exported to Turkey.

© Hvino News ■DRINK GEORGIAN!

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Georgian wine to be presented at Sochi Winter Olympics

December 29, 2013, 6:27 am

≫ Next: Hvino to launch Georgian wine catalogue with independent rating

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29.12.2013 (Hvino News). Georgian wine will be presented during the 2014 Winter Olympic Games through numerous Georgian restaurants in Sochi, Russia, but not through "Georgian House". The idea of having a dedicated "Georgian House" at the Sochi Olympics was has been abandoned.

"At the moment, negotiations are underway with several famous Georgian producers interested in selling their wine brands during the Olympics. The quantity of wine will be determined by Russian importers, who distribute Georgian wine in Russia", - said Levan Davitashvili, head o National Wine Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, in his interview to Russian daily Izvestia.

According to him, Khvanchkara, Kindzmarauli, Tvishi, Saperavi and Mukuzani are in highest demand in Russia.

Georgian delegation at the Sochi Olympics will be headed by Leri Khabelov, president of National Olympic Committee.

© Hvino News ■DRINK GEORGIAN!

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Hvino to launch Georgian wine catalogue with independent rating

December 31, 2013, 8:57 am

≫ Next: Georgia seeks to prove that it is origin of viniculture

≪ Previous: Georgian wine to be presented at Sochi Winter Olympics

31.12.2013 (Hvino News). Hvino.com in 2014 will launch the first online catalogue of Georgian wines. According to Alexander Kaffka, the head of Hvino.com, the Georgia's online portal will work to add a much-needed wine catalogue to its services.

“We receive signals from international consumers, who say they need help in picking the wines from the shelf, while shop assistants cannot provide this help in many cases. This is why Hvino will launch our own online catalogue, which will provide independent expert rating, and easy-to-read information on many Georgian wines”.

Hvino has been working on its own multi-source rating system for some time. Hvino’s original rating formula takes several international ratings into a singe account, as well as medals and other awards won at international wine contests. This multi-source rating formula will ensure neutrality, which will make it easy for consumers to select the wine.

“2013 was a very successful year for us: in cooperation with National Wine Agency of Georgia we launched our Russian-language version, Hvino Novosti, and supported the Georgian delegation at ProWein in Dusseldorf. Hvino News became the first Georgian media listed as the official partner of this Europe’s leading wine business event. We have also started DrinkGeorgian.com, and the popularity of our websites has been constantly growing [see graph - HN], reaching almost 150 countries of the world”.

“We have also continued to work towards launching a luxury printed magazine, to help in global marketing of Georgian wines,” – said Hvino’s director. “The project of wine magazine was discussed with Deputy Economics Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, and Foreign Ministry, and found support in these state structures”.

The most recent highlight of Hvino’s development was Hvino’s joining the ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) of Georgia in December 2013.

“We wish our readers and partners a very happy and prosperous New Year!” – added Hvino's director.

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Georgia seeks to prove that it is origin of viniculture

January 8, 2014, 1:06 am

≫ Next: National Wine Agency has no plans to promote Georgian wines at Sochi Olympics

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08.01.2014. The Georgian authorities have prepared a project that aims to become a scientific substantiation of the fact that it is the birthplace of wine, the head of the National Agency of Wine, Levan Davitashvili said.

"The project is scientific in nature and aims to establish and identify the origins of Georgian viniculture," Russian agency Interfax quotes Mr. Davitashvili. Leading genetic scientists and archaeologists from Germany, France and other countries will participate in the project. Levan Davitashvili also said that Georgia is working on making Georgian wine popular and that there are already developed market strategies to do so.

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National Wine Agency has no plans to promote Georgian wines at Sochi Olympics

January 8, 2014, 11:00 pm

≫ Next: Georgian and Armenian winemakers discuss the idea of “Caucasian Wine Brand"

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09.01.2014 (Hvino News). According to the National Wine Agency, Russian news agencies' reports about the promotion of Georgian wine at the Sochi Olympics are incorrect. On Tuesday, Russian media reported that Georgia plans to advertise wine at the Olympics, but the Georgian National Wine Agency rejected this in a statement. The National Wine Agency does not plan to advertise Georgian wine at the upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics, but it is still unknown whether private companies will do it on their own initiative.

Director of the National Wine Agency Levan Davitashvili says: "The National Wine Agency is not going to advertise the wine in the framework of the Sochi Olympics. However, we do not exclude initiatives from the private sector.” According to him, the interest towards the Georgian wine is growing in the international markets including the Russian market. "For Georgian companies which are engaged in export, there is no obstacle in the way. The important thing is to have quality product," - says Levan Davitashvli.

According to the agency, 47 million bottles of wine were exported to 46 countries in 2013. 22 million bottles were exported to Russia. A total export of alcoholic beverages (wine, brandy and other spirits) amounts to 231 829 540 USD, which is 42 % higher than in 2012.

Earlier in November 2013, Georgian wine was officially promoted at the EU Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania (read more here).

© Hvino News ■DRINK GEORGIAN

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Georgian and Armenian winemakers discuss the idea of “Caucasian Wine Brand"

January 10, 2014, 1:00 pm

≫ Next: Some facts about Georgian wine you may not know

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11.01.2014 (Hvino News). A heated discussion is going on between Georgian and Armenian winemakers over various issues.

President of the Association of Georgian Sommeliers Shalva Khetsuriani calls ridiculous the initiative by president of the Winemakers Union of Armenia Avag Harutyunyan to create a unified "Caucasian wine" brand. Mr. Harutyunyan recently came up with this initiative of "Caucasian wine" brand, under which Armenian, Georgian and Azerbaijani wines will be marketed.

President of the Winemakers Union of Armenia adds that when the wine industry is developing rapidly in the world, the Georgian winemakers should think not about Georgia’s status as the cradle of wine but about regional integration.

President of the Association of Georgian Sommeliers Shalva Khetsuriani claims the Georgian wine tastes very different from other wines, so it makes no sense to create a unified brand. He says that in such cases the user will simply get confused and will not understand what he drinks. Khetsuriani notes that over the centuries Georgian wine has successfully established itself on the market without creating a unified brand.

Chairman of Armenian Winemakers Union is confident that Georgia can get the status of "cradle of wine" by falsifying scientific facts. Avag Harutyunyan recognizes that he meets this initiative "painfully". In his words, it has long been scientifically proven that Georgia is not a motherland of wine and Georgia has same eligibility of this title as other countries of the region, primarily Armenia. Harutyunyan says that archaeological findings discovered in the territory of Armenia put an end to the scientific discussion about existence of a wine.

At the same time, President of the Winemakers Union of Armenia recognizes that if Georgia will be granted a status of "the motherland of wine", the competitiveness of Georgian wine will sharply increase.

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