2004 Shavnabada Mtsvane: Black Cloak, Amber Wine & Savoriness

An Amber wine that has been aging in a qvevri for 11 years? Color me intrigued!

While perusing the shelves at The Wine Bottega, I found the 2004 Shavnabada Mtsvane, a Georgian wine which had been matured in a qvevri for 11 years. As a huge fan of Georgian wines, including their fascinating qvevri wines, I had to purchase this unique wine. I wanted to experience a wine of this age, to better understand the longterm effect of the qvevri maturation and extended skin contact. It intrigued me on an intellectual level but also ignited my vinous passion.

In southeastern Georgia, you'll find the Shavnabada Mountain, an extinct volcano that reaches to an altitude of over 2500 feet. The mountain's name derives from the phrase "shavi nabadi," which translates as "black cloak." This name is based on an ancient legend where St. George, wearing a black cloak, led an army of the Georgian king in an important military victory. Located atop this mountain is the Shavnabada Monastery, a medieval Georgian Orthodox monastery.

The monastery was originally constructed in the 12th century, and later rebuilt in the 17th century. Unfortunately, when Stalin took control of Georgia, the monastery was forced to close, though it would reopen once Georgia regained its independence. In 1992, the monks restored their wine cellar,  “The Monastery Blessed,” and started producing wines in 1998. Only about a dozen monks work at the monastery, and it seems that they may hire others to help them produce their wine, though under their close supervision, and their annual production is about 150,000 bottles, or about 12,500 cases. Besides wine, they also make Chacha, pomace brandy.

Their wines are produced in a traditional manner, and their main grapes, which are all hand harvested, include Rkatsiteli, Kakhuri Mtsvane and Saperavi. The grapes are crushed by foot, in a  Satsnakheli, a traditional wooden press. Both their red and white wines are fermented in qvevri, where a little sulfur dioxide is burned in the qvveri while it is still empty. The finished wines are also unfined and unfiltered.

The 2004 Shavnabada Mtsvane ($40) is made from 100% Kakhuri Mtsvane, sourced from the village of Gurjaani in Kakheti, and only has a 12% ABV. Mtsvane, which roughly translates as "young" or "green," is a very old indigenous grape, that may extend back at least to the 5th century. It is a light-skinned, white grape, which can commonly present peach, citrus and mineral notes. The grapes were foot trodden, and then macerated in qvevri for about five months, before aging in the qvevri for about 11 years. The bottleneck is then sealed with beeswax, from hives raised at the monastery.

The wine has a light mahogany color, with an intriguing nose of nuts and savory spices. On the palate, it is a complex melange of savory notes, with basically no fruit elements. This may turn off some wine lovers, who seek out fruit flavors, but I encourage you to think out of the box and embrace the savory and delicious aspect of this wine. It isn't your usual type of wine, but there is nothing wrong that that, and you should expand your palate to experience this type of wine. I was enthralled with its flavors, hints of salted nuts, smoke, as well as savory spices and herbs. In addition, the taste is very clean and elegant, different from many other amber wines you might find outside of Georgia. That clean taste presents a feeling of freshness, and you might not even believe it has been aging for 11 years. I've experienced this before in many other amber wines from Georgia.

I shared this wine with a number of wine loving friends and they nearly all loved it as well, the only outlier being someone who isn't a fan of amber wines in general. To me, this was a superb wine, and I believe it is very reasonably priced, especially considering the prices of amber wines from other countries, including wines that have seen much less aging than the Shavnabada. You don't get much more traditional than this Gerogian wine and the monks have succeeded in producing a fantastic wine, Highly recommended, and this will probably be on one of my Top Ten lists of 2019.

2018: Favorite Wine-Related Items

What were some of my favorite wine related items of the past year?

Let me continue the lists of my best recommendations and favorites of 2018. I have already posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, Top Ten Wines Over $15 (But Under $50) and Top Wines Over $50 lists. This post will now concentrate on some of my Favorite Wine-Related Items, which are not specific wine recommendations. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of compelling and memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.

This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. For more wine related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.

Analysis Of Top Ten Wines: In my three prior Top Wine lists of 2018, I mentioned a total of 36 wines, which included wines from 9 different countries and regions, four less than last year. In first place was Portugal, with 10 wines, and I'll note that last year, Portugal and Georgia were tied for first place, each with 6 wines. France came in second with 6 wines, including 3 from Alsace. Spain and Italy tied for third place with 5 wines each. Uruguay and California each had 3 wines, while Germany had 2 wines. Rounding out the lists, Turkey and Australia each had 1 wine. As for wine types, the lists are also broken down into 4 Sparkling, 3 White, 4 Rosé, 18 Red, 6 Fortified and 1 Aromatized Wine. 

Favorite Discount Wine Stores: Consumers always want bargains, excellent value wines which won't stretch their wallets. You can buy the cheap, mass-produced commercial wines which can be found in almost any wine store or instead, you can seek out excellent, value wines which put to shame those cheap wines. Certain discount wine stores provide not only excellent prices but also an interesting selection and good service. I want to highlight three such stores which continue to do an especially good job, places where I go to seek bargains: Bin Ends in Braintree & Needham, Wine Connextion in North Andover, and Rapid Liquors in Stoneham. Shop at any of those stores and you won't be disappointed.

Favorite Wine Stores: This is a small list of wine stores which consistently impress me with their selection and service. Each shop is worthy of your patronage and wine lovers should make the effort to visit these places if you have not done so yet.
Lower Falls Wine Company in Newton Lower Falls
Wine-Sense in Andover
Wine Bottega in Boston's North End
Central Bottle Wine & Provisions in Cambridge
Wine Press in Brookline and Wine Press now in the Fenway
Streetcar Wines in Jamaica Plain

Favorite Private Wine Dinner: The wines of Uruguay are still new to many but they deserve your attention. I had the opportunity to taste several Uruguayan wines from the portfolio of Bodega Garzón: Uruguayan Treasures, From Albarino to Tannat, finding plenty of treasures, from Albarino to Tannat, Cabernet Franc to the high-end Balasto. Three of their wines ended up on my Top Wine lists this year. And we got to enjoy this wines while dining at the compelling La Bodega By Salts, savoring some Uruguayan cuisine. Such delicious food, paired with excellent wines, combined to elevate the evening.

Runner-Up Favorite Private Wine Dinner: When you're savoring a dish of Escargot en Cocotte, snails in garlic butter, at Brasserie Jo, you probably crave some French wine. I had an enjoyable and fascinating lunch there with Romain Teyteau, the North America Export Director for Les Vins Georges Duboeuf, which led me to write about The Beauty Of Beaujolais. We had plenty of stimulating conversation, while tasting some delicious wines, including some killer Beaujolais. A couple of those wines even ended up on my Top Wine lists.

Favorite Public Wine Dinner: This was an easy decision as Il Casale in Belmont thoroughly impressed me with their San Felice Wine Dinner. They sold out the entire restaurant, indicative of the popularity of their wine dinners, and I understood the reasons. The food was superb, the wines were amazing, and service was professional. They made it seem easy to serve around 100 guests the same multi-course dinner. A couple of the Italian wines from this dinner ended up on my Top Wine lists. Plus, I was stunned by one of their incredible dishes, the Fusilli fatti in casa con ragù "bianco" di carne e salamino di cinghiale (Handmade fusilli with "white" meat ragù and diced wild boar salami). It was one of the best dishes I ate in 2018. I also attended a wine dinner, dedicated to Olio Taibi & Olive Oil, at their Lexington location, which was just as well done. I give my strongest recommendation that you attend an Il Casale wine dinner.

Favorite Regional Wine Tasting: With a fascinating and delicious portfolio of nine, family-owned Greek wineries, from all across Greece, An Odyssey Greek Wine Tasting with Cava Spiliadis was a stellar tasting event, one that was open to the public. I've long been an advocate for Greek wines and it is tasting like this that can be so persuasive to consumers. The wines were diverse, a myriad of styles and flavor profiles, as well as approachable and food-friendly. Every wine I tasted had its merits and I loved learning more about the indigenous grapes of Greece as well as its terroir. Plus, Post 390 presented plenty of tasty food to accompany all of the wines. You need to Drink More Greek Wine!

Runner-Up Favorite Regional Wine Tasting: Puritan & Co. hosted an informative and fun tasting of Georgian wines, which I wrote about in two parts: Georgian Wine: All About Context (Part 1) and Georgian Wine: All About Context (Part 2). Georgian wines are another passion of mine and I take almost every possible opportunity to taste their wines. With 8,000 years of vinous history, over 500 indigenous grapes, and a tradition of the qvevri, Georgia has plenty to offer a wine lover. There was even an intriguing discussion about skin contact wines that raised some compelling issues. You need to Drink More Goergian Wine!

Favorite Formal Wine Seminar: At the City Winery, I attended an educational seminar about the wines of the Italian region of Alto Adige - Südtirol, which were once known as Rhaetian Wines, Favorites of the Ancients. We did some comparison tastings of wines from various grapes, including Pinot Bianco, Schiava, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Nero, Lagrein and Gewurtztraminer. I was particularly taken with the Schiava wines and want to find more of them to sample. Overall, the wines were delicious, food friendly and compelling, sure to please any wine lover.

Favorite Informal Wine Seminar: This year, Sommelier Theresa Paopao created a Wine School At Asta, an afternoon wine lounge inspired by New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov’s monthly column. I visited the restaurant during the month she showcases the Fiano grape, offering seven Fiano wines from the Campania region of Italy. They were all available by the glass as well as in flights of three wines. Theresa explained all about the grape and the various wines, evidencing her passion and knowledge. Plus, you could pair the wines with various special and delicious dishes created by the restaurant. Excellent food and drink in a fun and informative atmosphere make this a compelling event and hopefully they will continue their Wine School in 2019.

Favorite Restaurant Wine List Change: At Committee, one of my favorite Greek restaurants, Wine Director Lauren Friel instituted significant changes to their wine list, compiling an All Greek, All Natural Wine Program. The list is diverse, exciting, reasonably priced and has plenty of delicious options. And this past summer, they held a Natural Wine Pop-Up on their patio on Wednesday nights, helping to promote their new list. The wines pair very well with the various Greek dishes and every wine lover will find something to excite their palate. Lauren has done a great job with this new list and I will repeat, You need to Drink More Greek Wine!

Favorite New Wine List: Though The Table at Season To Taste has been open since 2016, I only just dined there recently. And I look forward to dining there again very soon. Besides their excellent food, they have an intriguing wine list, curated by Jesse Eslin, their Wine Director, which changes on regular basis with their changing food menu. The wine list has plenty of intriguing and small production wines, the type of wines that excite an adventurous wine lover. The evening began well with a German sparkling wine made from the rare Elbling grape, and continued on that same level throughout the dinner. If you love wine, you need to make a trip to The Table at Season To Taste.

Favorite Wine Pairing: Last New Year's Day, I chose to celebrate with a large pot of Lobsters, paired with two different bottles of Crémant d'Alsace. Sparkling wine is a versatile food wine and often pairs very well with seafood. With the sweetness and rich of lobster, especially dipped in drawn butter, it helps to have a wine with good acidity and these Crémant wines possessed that trait. Plus, their tiny bubbles helped to cleanse the palate between bites. The complex flavors of the two Crémant wines also complemented the delicious lobster. It was a killer pairing, well appreciated by everyone at the table. And such a hedonistic way to begin the New Year.

Favorite Wine Travel Event: This past October, I visited Portugal, touring Porto and the Douro region. It was an amazing trip, filled with so much fun and excitement, great food and wine, intriguing museums and historical sites, and much more. A number of the wines from this trip ended up on my Top Wine lists this year. And I'll be mentioning some of the culinary highlights in other Favorite lists next week. Check out my page of Collected Links, which will lead you to all of my 20 articles about the trip to Portugal. And I'll likely add a couple more articles next month.

What were some of your favorite wine-related items this year?

Georgian Chacha: The Devil's Brandy

In the legends of the country of Georgia, wine was a gift from God while chacha, a pomace brandy, was a creation of the devil.

It's said that God created wine to remind Georgians of the wonders of heaven, and he first shared wine with all of his angels, as well as the devil. Though they all enjoyed the wine, it motivated the devil to try to compete with God and create his own alcoholic beverage. The devil created chacha, a potent spirit, and let God sample the fiery beverage. God finally declared that if Georgians drank three glasses or less of chacha, they remained with him, but if they had a fourth glass, they belonged to the devil.

As Georgians love to drink, they came up with a way to avoid falling under the influence of the devil. They simply drink chacha rapidly, in quick shots, so the devil won't be able to keep track and count how much they actually drank.

Chacha is a Georgian pomace brandy, similar in many respects of Italian grappa, though it is sometimes called Georgian "vodka." Pomace consists of the leftover skins, pulp, and seeds from the winemaking process. The origins of chacha are murky, with some claims that it has existed for about 1000 years in Georgia. It was commonly made in makeshift stills at homes and generally wasn't commercially produced until the 20th century. It is potent, often with a 40-60% ABV, and sometimes is aged in qvevri or oak barrels. For centuries, it has been claimed that chacha has medicinal properties, a remedy for a long list of ailments.

Chacha is still very much a niche spirit outside of Georgia. During the period of January to July 2018, Georgia exported only 219,500 bottles of chacha, though that was a 114% increase over the similar period a year before. Chacha is available in Massachusetts, and you'll find some single-varietal versions, such as Saperavi and Rkatsiteli. At a recent Georgian business event, I had the opportunity to taste my first chacha, and I hope to taste many more in the future.

The Askaneli Brothers Premium Chacha (about $22) is produced by a company with roots extending back to 1880, though its modern existence started around 1998. They own vineyards in the regions of Kakheti and Guria, producing wine and chacha. Made in the Kakheti region, this chacha matured in oak barrels for at least 12 months, and is filtered, which accounts for its colorless nature. With a 45% ABV, this chacha has an intriguing floral aroma and was surprising smooth and mild on the palate, with only a minor alcoholic bite. It possessed pleasant and more subtle flavors of hazelnut and citrus with floral accents. It was elegant, with a fairly long finish, and is definitely a very good value at this price. It is certainly not harsh like I've found in some similarly priced grappas. A hearty recommendation.

Have you tasted chacha before? What were your thoughts? Do you have any recommendations?

Rant: Boston Needs A Georgian Restaurant!

The country of Georgia may be the birthplace of wine, with evidence stretching back about 8,000 years, which is why Georgians sometimes state they have 8,000 vintages of history. Georgia is located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, in the Southern Caucasus mountain range, which forms the northern border of the country. It is bordered on the west coast by the Black Sea, by Russia to the north and Turkey & Armenia to the south, with Azerbaijan to the south and east.

When Georgians drink, they eat, rarely drinking on its own. Sometimes they engage in the supra, a traditional formal feast that features near endless food and a vastness of wine. And the various regions of Georgia each have their own food specialties, plenty of diversity in this fascinating region. Georgian wines have started making inroads into the U.S., and you can find a number of them in the Boston area.

However, we need a Georgian restaurant in the Boston area! None currently exists, though other cities, from New York to Washington, D.C., have such restaurants.

It may seem strange that I'm calling for a Georgian restaurant in Boston when I've actually never been to one or eaten Georgian cuisine. However, I'm a passionate advocate of Georgian wines, having tasted well over 100 different ones, and have written 16 articles about Georgian wines. Check out All About Georgian Wine which collects the links to those articles.

Georgians always drink wine with food so their wine is produced specifically to be accompanied by food. And based on the quality and diversity of their wines, it seems logical that their cuisine must be equally as compelling. I've read multiple articles about their cuisine and they have enticed my palate, made me yearn to dine upon many of their dishes.

For example, Khachapuri, Georgian cheese bread, is considered an essential element of the supra, as well as an everyday food item too. There are over over 50 different varieties of khachapuri, made with various fillings. The Adjaruli Khachapuri, a type of molten cheese bread, originated in the seaside region of Adjara and has become hugely popular in New York City according to NY Eater. All you have to do is look at the various photos of this dish and you'll probably start salivating. Who wouldn't love Georgian cheese bread?

Check out this intriguing map of the top dishes from each region of Georgia, and you'll see plenty of enticing photos at that site as well. You can look at Mtsvadi, Georgian barbeque that is made with pork, mutton or veal, often marinated in pomegranate juice. Khinkali, a Georgian dumpling, is often made with mixed pork and beef, though sometimes also with lamb. Shkmeruli is a dish of fried chicken in a creamy garlic sauce. The list just goes on and on with one alluring dish after another. The Georgian Journal also has numerous articles and recipes about Georgian cuisine.

Spend just ten minutes reading about Georgian cuisine, and perusing photos of their foods, and you'll probably become a convert as well, desirous of a Georgian restaurant in the Boston area. This is an excellent opportunity for someone to bring a unique, new restaurant to the area. Who will step forward and be a pioneer, an advocate for Georgian cuisine? We really need Khachapuri!

All About Georgian Wines

"We drink wine to share emotion."
--Giorgi Samanisvili, head of the National Wine Agency of Georgia

The country of Georgia may be the birthplace of wine, with archaeological evidence of wine making stretching back about 8,000 years. Georgia is located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, in the Southern Caucasus mountain range, which forms the northern border of the country. It is bordered on the west coast by the Black Sea, by Russia to the north and Turkey & Armenia to the south, with Azerbaijan to the south and east.

Wine is integral to the culture of Georgia and though it has a lengthy history of wine, its modern wine industry is relatively young, still recovering from when Stalin controlled the country and its wine industry. I'm enamored with Georgian wines, loving their ancient history, the diversity of their 500+ indigenous grapes, and their traditional wine making methods such as the use of the qvevri. My first review of a Georgian wine was ten years ago, back in 2008, when there was little press about their wines.

I've currently written 20 articles on Georgian wines and food, having reviewed about 100 of their wines. I guess that is indicative of my passion for these wines. I've also referenced Georgian wines, generally as a category, in numerous other articles on my blog. At the wine shop where I work, I've often recommended Georgian wines to the customers. In addition, I've presided at two presentations on Georgian wine, in New York City and Chicago.

To help bring more visibility to Georgian wines, I've compiled all of the links to my Georgian wine posts into this single article. This post will be a repository of those articles and I will update it when I write a new article about Georgian wines.

Khachapuri, Georgian Cheese Bread: From Flaming Pit To Jana Grill
2004 Shavnabada Mtsvane: Black Cloak, Amber Wine & Savoriness
Georgian Chacha: The Devil's Brandy
Rant: Boston Needs A Georgian Restaurant
Georgian Wine: All About Context (Part 2)
Georgian Wine: All About Context (Part 1)
Georgian Wine, Lefroy Brooks, Taps & Showerheads
Ten Reasons To Drink Georgian Wine
Ikalto Academy in Georgia: The Oldest Winemaking School
Boston Wine Expo: Wines of Georgia (Part 3)
Boston Wine Expo: Wines of Georgia (Part 2)
Boston Wine Expo: Wines of Georgia (Part 1)
Boston Wine Expo: Giorgi Samanisvili & Wines of Georgia
Drink More Georgian Wine! Some Recommendations
Georgian Toast: A Taste Of History
Boston Wine Expo: Georgian Toast
Boston Wine Expo: Khareba Winery From Georgia
Bagrationi 1882: Two Georgian Sparkling Wines
Boston Wine Expo: Wines of Georgia
2004 Pirosmani Kakkuri

"Wine is the Georgians’ poetry and their folklore, their religion and their daily bread."
--For the Love of Wine: My Odyssey through the World's Most Ancient Wine Culture by Alice Feiring

Georgian Wine: All About Context (Part 2)

"Present-day Georgia may occupy the land where the vine itself was first domesticated; it’s recently surrendered to archaeological attention the world’s earliest pure-wine residues, dating back some 8,000 years. It has an extraordinary patrimony of indigenous varieties, and unique wine-making techniques, too, unchanged for a millennium or more; these have proved seductively interesting for the natural wine movement worldwide, and for those who perceive modern winemaking as an impasse."
--Andrew Jefford, Decanter Magazine

In Georgian Wine: All About Context (Part 1), I discussed attending a recent seminar, titled "Georgia in Context," presided over by Alice Feiring, a Georgian wine expert and proponent of natural wines, and Taylor Parsons, a sommelier from Los Angeles. In that previous article, I related the essential information about Georgian wine that was presented at the seminar. Accompanying this presentation, we also were led through a tasting of four different Georgian wine flights, totaling about 14 wines, and I now want to talk about those wines.

Nearly all of the wines we sampled would be considered "natural wines," which shouldn't be a surprise as Alice Feiring was one of the presenters. In general, these wines were produced in a traditional manner, using indigenous varieties (often from organic vineyards), stem & skin maceration, fermentation and/or aging in qvevri, natural yeasts, and no filtration or fining. These producers also tended to be small operations, making under 3000 cases annually.

In general, I found these wines to be some of the "cleanest" natural wines I've tasted, lacking the "funkiness" that turns off some people. The white wines certainly are more savory than fruity and I love the transformation that occurs with the extended skin contact. The acidity tends to be high in many of these wines, making them excellent for food pairings as well as aging. I also enjoy the diversity of the red wines, especially Saperavi, which can be made into so many different styles.  Although these qvevri wines only comprise about 3% of the total production in Georgia, they are still important and worthy of attention.

We were supposed to start our tasting with a Georgian Pétillant Naturel (Pét-Nat), a sparkling wine made in the méthode ancestral, but it didn't arrive in time. There are about seven producers in Georgia currently making Pét-Nat, usually with the Chinuri grape. Instead, we sampled the 2015 Orgo Mtsvane Brut Blanc de Blanc, sourced from 50 year old vines. The base wine is fermented in qvevri, but without skin contact, and is aged for about two years in the bottles. It is made more in an international style, and I found it to be crisp and dry, fresh and savory, and a pleasant drink.

Our First Flight was a comparison of the white wines of West and East, two wines from Imereti and two from Kakheti. The 2016 Makaridze Tsolikouri is produced by a winery, founded in 2009, which is located in Imereti. Tsolikouri is the primary white grape of the West. This is a natural wine, with a fine amber color, crisp acidity, a delicious savoriness with intriguing spice notes. The 2016 Vino Martville Tsolikouri-Krakhuna, also from Imereti, is a blend of two white grapes and also is a natural wine. It was a bit more cloudy, very aromatic, and with high acidity and nice complexity.

Representing the East, the first wine was the 2014 Okro’s Wines Rkatsiteli, from Kakheti, and it too is a natural wine, fermenting in qvevri for about six months. With a darker amber color, this wine was impressive, with intense aromatics and a complex melange of flavors. Powerful spice notes, high acidity, salted almonds, dried fruit, and more. This is a wine to slowly savor, enjoying its subtle nuances as it sits in your glass over time. Highly recommended. The 2013 Cradle of Wine Rkatsiteli Blend ‘Gogi’s Wine’ is also a natural wine from Kakheti that is macerated in the qvevri for about six months and is then aged for another three years in qvevri. It too was interesting and delicious, though maybe a bit less complex that the Okro.

Our Second Flight was named Other Stars, meant to showcase some of the other indigenous white grapes of Georgia. The 2016 Archil Guniava Wine Cellar Krakhuna, another natural wine, is from Imereti, made from the Krakhuna grape. It was aromatic and fruity, with crisp acidity, spice notes and was very approachable. This would be a good choice to introduce a newcomer to the wines of Georgia. The 2015 Tchotiashvili Mtsvane, a natural wine from Kakheti, is made from the Mtsvane grape. I found this wine to be aromatic and spicy, herbal and savory, and quite tasty. There were some subtle stone fruit flavors that provided a nice depth to the wine. Highly recommended.

The 2015 Do-Re-Mi Kisi, a natural wine from Kakheti, is made from the Kisi grape. It possessed high acidity and was more tannic, accented by floral and spice notes. The 2016 Orgo Kisi Old Vines, a natural wine from Kakheti, is also made from the Kisi grape. Some of the old vines extend back to 1930. This wine was also acidic and tannic, with floral and spices notes, as well as the taste of ripe peaches. It was more complex and concentrated than the other Kisi and I really enjoyed its taste. Highly recommended.

The Third Flight, titled Modern Approaches, and presented three Saperavi wines, the primary red grape of the East. Saperavi grapes were once used to color yarn and silk dyes, and now can be used to produce a wide range of wine styles. Saperavi is one of the few red grapes with both high acid and high tannins, like Nebbiolo and Cabernet Sauvignon, making it excellent for aging. The 2015 Doqi Saperavi was light and fresh, with mild tannins, high acidity, and plenty of red and black fruit flavors. Very approachable, and a wine that could pair well with burgers to pizza.

The 2016 Chubini Saperavi, another natural wine, was also very fruity and soft, with a touch more tannins than the Doqi, but just as tasty and easy drinking. It was said this wine was uncommonly fruity for a qvevri wine. The 2014 Lukasi Saperavi was made in a more international style, being aged for about 12 months in French oak. Modeled after Napa Cabernet, this wine was pleasant but not impressive. Personally, I'm not looking for Georgian wines that mimic California wines.

The Final Flight, titled Indigenous Reds, presented three more wines, two made from Saperavi and one from a different red grape. The 2015 Gotsa Saperavi Rosé, from Kartli, is a natural wine and their vineyards should soon be certified Biodynamic. It was more of a light red color, rather than a pale pink, and was dry and crisp, with subtle red fruit flavors and a touch of earthiness. Very interesting and delicious, this would be pleasant this summer while you grill outside. The 2014 Shalauri Saperavi, another natural wine from Kakheti, was a bigger wine, yet still elegant and not overly tannic. There were more black fruit flavors, underlying spice notes, and a touch of savoriness. Absolutely delicious and highly recommended. This is a wine for hearty foods, like grilled meats, and something that would appeal to Cabernet lovers.

The 2015 Vartsikhe Otskhanuri Sapere, a natural wine from Imereti, is made from the Otskhanuri Sapere grape, a major one on the East and not related to Saperavi, despite the similarity in its name. It is said to be more akin to Cabernet Franc, and I enjoyed this dark and flavorful wine, with plenty of red and black fruits, mineral notes, hints of spice and a lengthy finish. Also highly recommended.

Once again, I'm impressed by the wines of Georgia. If you're not drinking Georgian wines yet, then you need to expand your vinous horizons and sample the bounty of this fine country. With over 500 indigenous grapes, 8000 years of wine-making, and some fascinating methods of wine production, you should fine plenty of interest in Georgian wines.

Georgian Wine: All About Context (Part 1)

"Every qvevri is, potentially, a microbiological jungle, a sensorial car crash, a celebration of hideousness – unless the vessel itself has been scrupulously prepared, unless the harvest has been carefully sorted and cleaned, unless the vinification practices have been honed and refined."
--Andrew Jefford, Decanter Magazine

I've got Georgia on my mind...

The wines from the country of Georgia are still a niche product in the U.S. but I hope that changes. All wine lovers can find something of interest in the diversity of Georgian wines. In 2017, Georgia exported almost 77 million bottles of wine, about 6.4 million cases. Their top export market is Russia, which currently purchases about 60% of their wines by volume. And the third export market, and which has been growing significantly, is China, with exports doubling from 2015 to 2016. As for specific wine styles, about 50% of Georgia's total production comprises semi-sweet wines, many which end up in Russia. And though qvevri wines get lots of publicity, they comprise no more than 3% of total production.

Recently, I attended a seminar, titled "Georgia in Context," and tasting on the wines of Georgia at Puritan & Co. The two presenters included Alice Feiring, a Georgian wine expert and proponent of natural wines, and Taylor Parsons, a sommelier from Los Angeles. Alice has written a book on Georgian wine, For The Love of Wine, which is fascinating and recommended if you are interested in Georgian wines.

Back in December 2016, I attended a prior seminar on the wines of Georgia which was led by Taylor. At that time, Taylor approached Georgian wines as a potential buyer, coming at them with fresh eyes. At the recent seminar, Taylor stated that his prior seminar was more "Wow, this is Georgian wine," an indication of the newness of those wines to the U.S. market. Now that those wines are becoming better known, this new seminar would be more about context. As was stated, "Context matters in everything, but especially in wine."

Our contextual understanding of wine includes four aspects, including evolution & development, culture, geography/climate/topography, and typicity. A contextual understanding of Georgian wines though is a work in progress, with additional study and research needed to gain greater comprehension of everything that plays a role. A greater understanding will also allow us to provide consumers even more reasons why they should drink Georgian wines.

Some general comments were made about the country of Georgia, noting that it has a population of under 4 million people, less than the number of people that live in the Greater Boston area. Much of the country is mountainous terrain, including the Caucasus and Likhi Mountains. There was then a brief historical sketch of Georgia and its wine industry, which extends back 8,000 years. One important event occurred during the 19th century when Europeans, and especially the French, helped to influence wine production. Another important event occurred during the 1970s, when the overall wine quality of George decreased substantially as Stalin ardently pushed for massive quantity over quality.

At this point, I want to take a minute for a brief historical detour, touching on the influence of France upon the Georgian wine industry. In The Classic Cuisine of Soviet Georgia: History, Traditions and Recipes, by Julianne Margvelashvili (1991), there is an intriguing, albeit brief, passage concerning the possible origins of sparkling wine in Georgia. The passage states, “In the 1840s a young Georgian from the vineyards of Kakheti found himself a prisoner-of-war in France’s champagne region. He was not a warrior by nature, but he was a winemaker by heritage. It was not long before he made it his business to learn the techniques of champagne production. Upon his liberation and return to his father’s vineyard, he taught how French champagne is made.”

I've tried to gather more information about the events in this passage but have been unsuccessful so far, but my research continues. If anyone has any more information, I would appreciate it if you contacted me.

Back to the seminar. Next, there was an explanation of the three main types of wine making in Georgia: traditional, modern and pragmatic. In general, traditional wine making includes the use of indigenous varieties, stem & skins maceration, the use of qvevri, and no filtration or fining. On the other hand, modern wine making generally uses steel and/or oak, inoculation, no skin & stems maceration for white wines, and the use of filtration and fining. The pragmatic style is a hybrid of the two other styles, using whatever aspects they believe will be best for their wine.

Since 2011, a number of home wine makers have made the transformation into commercial wineries. During the time of Stalin, these home wine makers helped keep wine making traditions alive, as well as preserving indigenous grapes species that Stalin cared nothing about. With these people, there is plenty of intuitive wine making, simply following old traditions that have been passed down through the generations. These individuals may not have been formally trained, but they are relying on the knowledge and experience of their ancestors.

Considering scientific endeavors, Georgia lacks adequate information on its soils, needing a soil study to examine and review its various soil types and terroir. They do not possess a definitive soil map and that should probably be a priority for the country. That will help them better plant their grapes, decide which areas are better regions for vineyards, and much more. The quality of Georgia wines could be enhanced with a comprehensive soil study.

There were some comments on the nature of qvevri, giant earthenware vessels which can be used to ferment and age wine. For example, it is said that you shouldn't be able to taste the qvevri in the wine. Cleanliness of the qvevri is essential to Georgia wine makers. Many wine cellars possess qvevri of different sizes, allowing them to vary production sizes of specific grapes or wines. In general, whites wines fermented in qvevri include skin contact, though a wine with only two weeks of such skin contact may actually be considered a "no skin contact" wine.

I was shocked to learn that in Georgia, until the 2013 vintage, there weren't any female winemakers! Currently there are approximately 7 or 8 female winemakers, many second generation daughters who work in the family winery, or even have taken over the ownership. This reminds me in some respects of the Japanese Sake industry, which was also dominated for centuries by men. It wasn't until 1976 that a woman was legally permitted to become a Sake brewer. Prior to that, women often weren't even permitted inside a Sake brewery, especially when brewing was occurring. I will be following up on this aspect of the Georgian wine industry, to highlight the contributions of these women.

Now that people have started to become familiar with Georgian wine in general, it may be time to go into deeper detail, to provide them more information on the country's wine diversity. To do that, we can begin to explain about the different wine regions of Georgia, starting with the basic division of West and East. As an example, in the West, Tsolikouri is the main white grape while in the East, Rkatsiteli is the main one. We discussed two main wine regions, each reflective of that basic division, including Imetri (West) and Kakheti (East).

The region of Imetri is broken into three sub zones, Higher, Middle and Lower Imetri. It is a mountainous region, with lots of humidity, varied soils, and lush vegetations and forests. There are some subtropical areas as well as ancient forests. The primary grapes of this region include Tsolikouri, Tsitska, Krakhuna, Aladasturi, and Otskhanuri Sapere. The cuisine tends to be lighter, more vegetarian, and spicier, while the wines tend to be lighter and more delicate. The wineries are also often kept outside, as they say, "Qvevri need to feel the rain."

The region of Kakheti is broken into two sub zones, Inner and Outer Kakheti, and comprises about 65% of all Georgian vineyards. The region has plenty of sub-alpine plains, with fertile soils (with more clay), and includes the basins of the Alani and Iori Rivers. The primary grapes of this region include Rkatsiteli, Saperavi, Mtsvane Kakhuri, Kisi, and Khikhvi. They also have the greatest number of international grapes. It is a hotter region so white wines generally have longer skin contact, giving them a deeper orange/amber color, to help preserve the wines, almost like UV protection. The cuisine is more "shepherd's food," using the meat of cows and sheep, often grilled, as well as plenty of cheese and bread. Lots of comfort food.

Near the end of the seminar, Peter Nelson, the wine director of Puritan & Co., posed an intriguing question, asking "How do persuade people to drink 'skin contact' wines when they respond that all those wines taste the same?" Puritan has a cool wine list, and it includes about 10-15 skin contact wines. Peter noted that the issue is not limited to their customers, but includes some of his peers in the wine industry as well. This issue is also applicable to Japanese Sake, and I've heard that same criticism before, that they all taste the same. Thus, I was very curious as to possible solutions to this dilemma.

Taylor stated that "Skin contact is all about the savory." It is not about the fruit, and those who expect fruit in their wines may be turned off by the savory aspect. Taylor then compared the concept to people who say how all "New Oak" wines may taste the same for some people. With Georgian wine, Taylor recommends that you tell people to forget their wine preconceptions, to go beyond the similar textures and seek deeper within the wine. Confronted with something new, people commonly try to create an analogy to something they know. And that can color their opinion of the new item. It takes an active measure to be more open to something that is new, to see it with fresh eyes. And that is the challenge for advocates of niche beverages, whether they are Georgian qvevri white wines or Japanese Sake.

One of the last bits of wisdom from the seminar was from Taylor, who started, "Don't apologize about wine. Don't be dogmatic about what is good wine."

(To Be Continued..)

2017: Favorite Wine-Related Items

What were some of my favorite wine related items of the past year?

Let me continue the lists of my best recommendations and favorites of 2017. I have already posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, Top Ten Wines Over $15 and Top Wines Over $50 lists. This post will now concentrate on some of my Favorite Wine-Related Items, which are not specific wine recommendations. This is certainly not a complete list but it is more a sampling of compelling and memorable matters I have experienced and posted about over the past year.

This is also a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" of anything. But all of the items here have earned my strong recommendations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. For more wine related items, you can just search my blog posts for the past year.

Analysis Of Top Ten Wines: In my three prior Top Wine lists of 2017, I mentioned a total of 36 wines, which included wines from 13 different countries, three more than last year. Tied at the top were Georgia and Portugal, each with 6 wines (and I'll note Spain was in first place last year). Alsace came in second place with 5 wines and Spain, California and Greece ended up tied in third place, each with 3 wines. Moldova and Israel each hold 2 spots while France, Italy, Chile, South Africa, Germany, and Great Britain each hold 1 spot. As for wine types, the list is also broken down into 5 Sparkling, 9 Whites, 2 Rosé, 18 Reds, 1 Fortified and 1 Dessert Wine. Sixteen of the wines were first tasted at the Boston Wine Expo, where I often find a significant number of intriguing wines.

Favorite Discount Wine Stores: Consumers always want bargains, excellent value wines which won't stretch their wallets. You can buy the cheap, mass-produced commercial wines which can be found in almost any wine store or instead, you can seek out excellent, value wines which put to shame those cheap wines. Certain discount wine stores provide not only excellent prices but also an interesting selection and good service. I want to highlight three such stores which continue to do an especially good job, places where I go to seek bargains: Bin Ends in Braintree & Needham, Wine Connextion in North Andover, and Rapid Liquors in Stoneham. Shop at any of those stores and you won't be disappointed.

Favorite Wine Stores: This is a small list of wine stores which consistently impress me with their selection and service. Each shop is worthy of your patronage and wine lovers should make the effort to visit these places if you have not done so yet.
Lower Falls Wine Company in Newton Lower Falls
Wine-Sense in Andover
Wine Bottega in Boston's North End
Central Bottle Wine & Provisions in Cambridge
Wine Press in Brookline
Streetcar Wines in Jamaica Plain

Favorite Wine Breakfast: As a rather novel wine tasting, representatives of Chapel Down, an English winery, held a tasting of a couple of their Sparkling Wines at a breakfast at Bar Boulud. Smoked Salmon & Eggs atop English muffins with delicious bubbly. In my post, The British Are Coming! Chapel Down Sparkling Wine, I wrote about my experience, impressed with the first two English Sparkling wines I've ever tasted. The English climate is similar to that of the Champagne region during the 1960s-1980s. And their chalky soils are similar as well, so it isn't a stretch to understand why English Sparkling wines have become such a hot item.

Favorite Wine Dinner: A deconstructed Flammekeuche with some killer Alsatian wines, surely a combination for success. At Bistro du Midi, I dined with Jean-Frédéric Hugel, of the famed Alsatian winery Hugel et Fils, discussing Wines Without Make-Up. Alsatian wine pairs so well with various foods and you should always have some in your cellar. Besides the delicious food and wines, there was plenty of interesting conversation, especially concerning the philosophy that wine is made in the vineyard, not the cellar. And two of the wines from this dinner ended up in my Top Wine lists.

Runner-Up Favorite Wine Dinner: This category was a tie, between a Moldovan wine dinner and a Portuguese wine dinner. The Moldovan wine dinner at Moldova Restaurant, in Newton, exposed me to Moldovan cuisine for the first time, accompanied by numerous tasty Moldovan wines, including two which ended up on my Top Wine lists. I strongly recommend you dine here to experience a taste of Moldova. The Portuguese wine dinner at Terra Nostra, in Fall River, was such a fun evening as I was hosted by the good people of LGL Imports, a distributor of Portuguese wines. The food was excellent, including some intriguing Portuguese dishes including Grilled Limpets and Cow's Leg Stew. The wines were compelling as well, which wasn't a surprise, and I would definitely dine here again the next time I was in Fall River.

Favorite Regional Wine Tasting: At the 2017 Boston Expo, the Wines of Georgia had a major presence, with approximately 18 producers showcasing their wines. I ended up tasting about sixty of their wines, a broad swath through their intriguing and delicious offerings. You can read about my experiences in multiple articles, including Boston Wine Expo: Giorgi Samanisvili & Wines of Georgia, Boston Wine Expo: Wines of Georgia (Part 1), Boston Wine Expo: Wines of Georgia (Part 2), and Boston Wine Expo: Wines of Georgia (Part 3). A number of wines from this tasting also ended up on this year's Top Wine lists. With 8000 years of history, Georgian wine has much to offer, and you can read numerous reasons to taste their wine in another of my articles, Drink More Georgian Wine! 

Favorite Wine Seminar: Also at the 2017 Boston Wine Expo, I attended one of their wine seminars,  Quinta Vale D. Maria, Port & The Douro, which was informative, fun and absolutely delicious. This Portuguese winery has an interesting history and the owner, Cristiano Van Zeller, was an excellent speaker, explaining their history and philosophy. The wines we tasted, especially the comparative ones, were fascinating and we even got to taste a wine from 1870! Two wines from this seminar ended up on my Top Wine lists. As was mentioned at this seminar, "Port is the greatest poetry in wine."

Favorite Large-Scale Tasting: This year, this award goes to the 2017 Boston Wine Expo, a huge consumer wine event. I ended up tasting about 175 wines and spirits, and sixteen of those wines ended up on my Top Wine lists. The Expo has its issues, primarily due to the large crowds that attend, but there are ways to maximize your wine exploration and enjoyment, from attending the Seminars to focusing your tasting on certain regions and/or wine styles. Unfortunately, it seems that there won't be a Boston Wine Expo in 2018.

Most Unique Wine Pairings: What wine would you pair with a showerhead? Or an ornate faucet? I had the opportunity to make such pairings, using only Georgian wines. At a Georgian Wine presentation at Lefroy Brooks in New York City, we tasted the attendees through four Georgian wines, pairing each wine with one of the bathroom creations from Lefroy Brooks. It was an unusual pairing combination but lots of fun. The attendees loved the wines and the company enjoyed the presentation so much that they had us do it again for them in Chicago this past October, which was also another big success.

Favorite Sangria: Quincy has become a fascinating culinary destination and one of the new restaurants is 16C, which is owned by Kerri Lynch-Delaney, who is the niece of famed Chef Barbara Lynch. Sitting at the bar, I opted for their Red Sangria, which is made with blood orange, dragonfruit, and raspberry. The different fruits are what intrigued me, and I was very pleased with the Sangria. It was fruity, with a nice depth of flavor, and with only a mild sweetness. I'm picky about Sangria and this is actually one of the best versions I've tasted in quite some time. I could have easily drank a few of these without feeling like I was in a sugar coma.

Favorite Wine Travel Event: This past June, I attended TasteCamp Maryland, exploring the food and drink or Maryland. TasteCamp is always one of my favorite events as a small group of wine writers get together to explore a wine region, though the event has expanded to include additional alcoholic beverages as well. Maryland was a compelling destination, with delicious and interesting wines and spirits, such as those of McClintock Distilling Co. and Tenth Ward Distilling Company. We were based in Frederick, which has some delicious restaurants, though we traveled a bit to various regions within Maryland. I very much look forward to the next TasteCamp, wherever it might be.

Favorite Wine Rant: My weekly Monday Rants cover a wide range of food and drink-related issues and my favorite one dealing with wine this year was Rant: Become A Wine Activist. It touched on an article written by Peter Weltman, which states "Wine transcends borders and bridges cultures, and it can be used to improve lives if we make the right purchases." Though wine is often seen as a mere luxury, its purchase can possess the power to help people as "Financial support of a country’s wines contributes to the well-being of regions, countries, and producers." I like how this article helps to elevate the status of wine, and how it can benefit people from all over the world. It is definitely an idea we all should embrace when engaged in wine buying.

What were some of your favorite wine-related items this year?

2017: Top Ten Wines Over $15 (But Under $50)

What were some of my favorite wines of the past year?

Welcome to my second Top Ten Wine List. Last week, I posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15, which I hope you enjoyed and found useful. Now it is time for my Top Ten Wines Over $15, though these wines also cost less than $50.

Like the prior list, this list includes wines that not only I enjoyed, but which I also found to be particularly compelling for various reasons. They might be especially delicious, something more unique or just excellent values for the price. They all stand out, for some particular reason, above the other wines at this price point that I have tasted this past year.

This is a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" wines out there. It is primarily the wines which spoke to me the loudest, even when they were subtle wines. These are all wines that I highly recommend and which I believe many other wine lovers will also enjoy.

The wines are not listed in any particular order and each choice is linked to my more detailed prior review. All of these wines are worth your consideration but please also note that the prices are approximations and the actual price may vary in your area. In addition, some of the wines might not be available in your local area, though you might be able to order them from the winery or an online store, dependent on your state's shipping laws. Please also note that this is technically a Top 12 list as three Sherries are tied at one spot.

1) Julien Brand La Bulle De L'Oueste Petillant Brut ($20.00)
A Sparkling Muscadet? This was my first such wine and it won't be the last. Made from 100% Melon de Bourgogne grape, this French wine is certified organic and was fermented by the Methode Ancestrale, also known as Pétillant-Naturel. It has a low 9.8% ABV, meaning you can have an extra glass without worrying much about getting too tipsy. As I raised the flute to my nose, visually delighted by the tiny bubbles, I was entranced with this wine, loving its appealing and intense aromas, such beautiful fruit with a wisp of the ocean. On the palate, there was lots of crisp acidity, delicious citrus notes, and a steely minerality with an herbal hint. It was fresh and tasty, each sip making you crave more. Highly recommended!

2) 2016 Vigneto Saetti Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce ($18.99)
This Italian Sparkling Lambrusco was produced from 100% Salamino di Santa Croce, from 40+ year old organic vines. The wine was a deep, almost purple color, with an alluring aroma of berries, violets, mild spices, and a hint of earthiness. On the palate, it has a creamy effervescence, with enticing, dry and juicy flavors of black cherry, raspberry, and ripe plum, with an underlying earthiness and mild spice notes. The tannins are well-integrated, the acidity is strong, and the finish is lengthy and pleasing. It was easy drinking but with plenty of complexity, the type of addictive wine which you'll likely finish the entire bottle before you know it.

3) 2011 Artevani Qvevri Aged Rkatsiteli ($30-$35)
One of the top three wines I enjoyed at the Boston Wine Expo, this Georgian wine is impressive on many levels. Artevani is a family-owned winery, seeking to produce more natural wines, reflective of terroir, and combining ancient traditions with modern technology. This wine is made from 100% Rkatsiteli, from seventy-year old vines, and is fermented in qvevri for about 24 days and then aged in qvevri for another 8-12 months. With a rich amber color, the wine presented with a fascinating aroma, an alluring mix of herbs, spices, and dried fruits. On the palate, I found a complex and intriguing melange of flavors and it was actually difficult to describe everything happening in my mouth. It was full bodied, with nice acidity, and a lengthy and satisfying finish. This is the type of wine you slowly savor, enjoying the new and surprising flavors you encounter with each sip.

4) 2016 Valdespino Ojo de Gallo Palomino Fino ($15.99)
This Spanish wine is made from 100% Palomino Fino, the grape usually used to produce Sherry, but the producer chose to make an unfortified version. The organically cultivated grapes are 20-25 years old. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts, and then it is aged for about 6 months on the fine lees. With a 12% ABV, it has a nice golden color and the nose reminded me immediately of a Fino Sherry. On the palate, it also was reminiscent of Fino Sherry with a bright salinity, citrus flavors, a strong minerality backbone and savory notes. It was crisp and very dry, with a lengthy and pleasing finish. It was fresh, elegant and complex, an intriguing wine that certainly shows the potential for Palomino Fino in unfortified, still wines.

5) 2014 Clos de Gilroy “Cuvée Particuliere" ($19.99)

Bonny Doon Vineyard, based in Santa Cruz, California, produces a fascinating range of intriguing and delicious wines. Another of my top three wines from the Boston Wine Expo was their 2014 Clos de Gilroy “Cuvée Particuliere", which is produced mainly from Grenache with a little bit of Mourvedre. It was more of an Old-World style wine, with bright red fruit flavors, some peppery notes and a mild earthiness. It was complex and intriguing, an elegant and delicious wine that calls out for lamb or wild boar, or a hearty Italian ragu. The wine easily seduced my palate and it was hard to refrain from draining the bottle on my own.

6) 2015 Metrick Mourvèdre ($31)
Alex Russan, with his Alexander Jules Sherries, has been on these prior lists multiple times and this year he earns a spot for his non-Sherry wines. His Metrick Wines explore the different wine regions of California and the 2015 Metrick Mourvèdre is a blend of 85% Mourvedre, 5% Marsanne, 5% Counoise, and 5% Syrah. The wine was fermented in 50% stainless steel and 50% concrete. 95% of the juice was free run, and it was then aged for about 11 months in concrete. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered, and has a 12% ABV. This wine was thoroughly impressive, a light bodied and savory elixir. A complex blend of herbs, olives and earthiness dominated the taste, with subtle hints of berry. It was so ethereal on the palate, with a compelling taste, including a lingering finish, which made me crave a second and third glass. I would pair this with an herbed, roast chicken or a mushroom risotto, or maybe a venison steak.

7) 2015 Alapiani Shavkapito ($25)
Another Georgian wine, I was thoroughly impressed with this wine produced from the indigenous Shavkapito grape which is even in Georgia. Its name means "vine with a black cane" and is said to be terroir-reflective. The grapes were sourced from a vineyard in the Okami village of the Shida Kartli region and the wine was fermented and aged in qvevri. With an alluring aroma of black fruit and herbs, the wine presented with a fascinating melange of flavors, including ripe plum, blackberry and black cherry, along with herbal accents, a smoky note, and a touch of spice. Lots of complexity, smooth tannins and a lengthy, pleasing finish.

8) 2016 1865 Pinot Noir ($18)
Finding excellent Pinot Noir for under $20 is difficult so I was extremely taken with this Chilean wine. Made from 100% Pinot Noir, from the El Platero Vineyard in the Valle Del Elqui, the wine was aged for about eight months in a combination of foudres, concrete eggs and barrels. With a 13.5% ABV, the wine has a light red color, and an alluring and complex nose of red fruits and touches of earth and spice. Those aromas will draw you in and you won't be disappointed once you taste it. The wine is elegant and light bodied, with a complex and fascinating melange of flavors, including bright red cherry, more subdued black cherry, subtle spice notes, and underlying hints of earthiness. There was excellent acidity, mineral notes, and a lingering, satisfying finish. It was well-balanced and compelling, reminding me in different ways to Burgundian Pinot as well as Oregonian Pinot, yet still with its own unique character.

9) 2013 Ktima Gerovassiliou Avaton ($47)
I love Greek wines and this is a killer wine, compelling and delicious. It is a blend of three indigenous Greek grapes, including 50% Limnio, 25% Mavrotragano & 20% Mavroudi. This wine is fermented and aged in French oak, has a 14% ABV, and has an inky dark red color, with an alluring aroma of black fruit, mild spice, and a touch of earthiness. On the palate, the wine is muscular and big, though it is still elegant and the tannins are well restrained. There are complex & rich flavors of ripe plum, black cherry, and blackberry, enhanced by a spicy backbone, good acidity, and a hint of herbs. It is delicious and well-balanced, with a lengthy, pleasing finish. It would be great paired with hearty dishes, from a grilled steak to a leg of lamb.

10) 2016 Rară Neagră de Purcari ($22-$23)
Another tasty wine from Moldova, this Rară Neagră de Purcari was impressive, luring me in from my first sniff of its compelling aroma. The wine is made from 100% Rară Neagră, was fermented in stainless steel, aged in French oak barriques and has a 14% ABV. The aroma is very savory, with black fruit accents and subtle spicy notes. On the palate, it is medium-bodied, with soft tannins and good acidity. It presents an intriguing melange of bold flavors, ripe black fruit, spicy notes, hints of vanilla, and an almost meaty undertone. A lengthy finish completes this well balanced and delicious wine.

This is always my toughest list to compile because there are numerous other excellent wines which I could have added. I had to ponder long over which wines to actually select for the main list, meaning that I had to eliminate other worthy wines. To give some credit to those other worthy wines, which almost made the Top Ten list, I have an Honorable Mention list. These are also wines you definitely should check out.

Honorable Mention

1) 2015 Metrick Chardonnay ($36)
This Metrick Chardonnay is made with grapes from the Sierra Madre Vineyard, planted in 1971 and sustainably farmed, in the Santa Maria AVA. The wine was fermented in stainless steel and aged on the lees, in stainless, for about 11 months. It underwent malolactic fermentation, allowing it to be bottled unfiltered, and has a 12% ABV. I found this wine to be crisp and clean, with bright citrus notes and some minerality. There was some richness in the mouthfeel and it came across as elegant and delicious. I paired this wine with some stuffed clams and it was an excellent pairing. It was obvious that this Chardonnay would be perfect with seafood, from sushi to oysters.

2) 2015 Batono Qvevruli Tetri ($20)
This Georgian wine is an intriguing blend of three indigenous grapes, 40% Kisi, 40% Mtsvane and 20% Rkatsiteli. It was produced in both qvevri and oak, and was a fascinating and delicious wine with a unique melange of spice, dried fruit, herbal accents and a touch of eucalyptus. Each sip brought a new flavor combination to my palate and this is a very good value wine to savor and enjoy over time. This wine would work well with seafood dishes and roast chicken.

3) 2016 Alpha Estate Rosé ($19.99)
You should enjoy Rosé year-round and this Greek Rosé should please you. Made from 100% Xinomavro, it spent two months on the lees and has a 13% ABV. With a bright pink color, this wine has a delightful fruity nose and on the palate, it is crisp, dry and fruity, with tasty flavors of strawberry and cherry and subtle floral notes. It has a medium-body, with a lengthy, satisfying finish.  This would certainly be a food-versatile wine, from oysters to burgers, roasted chicken to pizza. Though sipping it on its own, while relaxing poolside, would be quite the pleasure as well.

4) 2013 Adega de Borba Reserve ($18-$19)
Another excellent value Portuguese wine, this is a blend of Aragonez, Trincadeira, Castelão and Alicante Bouschet. The wine spent about 12 months in French oak, and then another 6 months in the bottle. This is a delicious, complex wine and though it is also powerful in some respects, that power is restrained within a velvet glove, presenting a silky smooth taste. There are lush black fruit flavors, plenty of intriguing spice notes, and some exotic herbal accents. This is another wine which would benefit from pairing with meat dishes.

5) 2013 Vallegre Vinhas Velhas Reserva Especial (about $21)
Another tasty Portuguese wine, this is an intriguing blend of Tinta Amarela, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Sousão and Tinta Francisca, from 60+ year old vines. It presents as deep and dark, complex and smooth, spicy and tannic. Concentrated flavors of Rich ripe plum and flavors, with hints of chocolate and leather. A well-balanced wine with plenty of acidity and a lengthy, satisfying finish. So much going on in this wine, it is sure to impress.

6) 2015 Artevani Saperavi ($24)
The Georgian winery of Artevani also produced a compelling organic Saperavi, made from an old recipe and which sees no oak. With a dark red color, it presented with a fruity aroma, and a rich palate of red fruits with a hint of earthiness. It was smooth, with low tannins, good acidity, and a lengthy, pleasing finish. A wine that would pair well with plenty of different foods, from pizza to burgers.

7) 2011 Ktima Biblia Chora Biblinos ($35)
Another fascinating Greek wine, the Biblia Chora Biblinos is made from 100% of an unknown grape that was discovered on the slopes of Mount Pangeon. DNA testing couldn't identify the grape but it was able to verify that it was vitis vinifera, of Greek origin. Essentially this is a lost grape, one whose origins could extend back to the ancient Greeks, and it might never be identified. The wine was fermented in stainless steel and then aged in French oak for about 12 months. With a 14.5% ABV, the wine is inky dark in color with an interesting aroma of black fruit with some light floral notes, like wild violets. On the palate, there is an intriguing and complex melange of flavors, with ripe plum, blueberry and black cherry up front and leading to some spicy and savory notes, especially on the long and lingering finish. Good acidity, some rich voluptuousness up front, and well-integrated tannins. The savory aspect, hints of herbs and roast meat, was compelling and I was well enamored with this wine.

8) 2013 Ramat Negev Ramon Petit Verdot ($39.99)
This Israeli winery saw its origins back in 1997, with a desire to establish a winery that was based only on local produce. Their Petit Verdot, from a single vineyard, spent about 18 months in new French oak and then six months in the bottle. With a powerful spicy aroma, this wine is deep and dark but with restrained tannins. It possesses juicy blackberry and plum flavors with a touch of blueberry, a spicy aspect, and a lengthy, pleasing finish. This is a wine that is probably best paired with food and it should also impress many wine lovers.

9) 2015 Survivor Pinotage ($18-$20)
This South African wine is made from 100% Pinotage and it was aged in 95% French and 5% American oak for about 18 months. Pinotage can be a divisive grape but I've always been a fan, and this example was compelling. I found it to be smoky and spicy, with deep flavors of plum and black cherry, with hints of vanilla, spice and bacon. The tannins were well integrated, it had a lengthy finish, and would be an excellent accompaniment with lamb, steak, or other roasted meats.

10) 2014 Enderle & Moll Basis Pinot Noir ($30)
Pinot Noir is probably not something you think of much when you consider German wines but maybe you should based on this fine example. It has only an 11.5% ABV, an amazingly low alcohol level compared to most other Pinot Noirs. This wine has a very light red color and on the nose, its present an alluring scent of cherry, mild spice and a touch of earthiness. On the palate, you'll be impressed with its elegance and complexity, its bright acidity and delightful flavors of red fruit, spice notes, earthy elements and a touch of herbs. With a lengthy and pleasing finish, this is a killer Pinot, one that can easily compete with Pinots from any other region. It seems like a wine reflective of place, and it was easy to finish the bottle over the course of an evening.

Summary

Eight countries made the list this year, as opposed to seven last year. Georgia and California occupy the most spots on my Top Ten list, each with two spots. The rest of the list is occupied by France, Italy, Spain, Chile, Greece, and Moldova. The list is also broken down into two Sparkling Wines, two White wines, one Rosé, & five Reds.

On the Honorable Mention list, seven countries made the list and Georgia, Greece and Portugal occupy the most places, each with two spots. The other regions include California, Israel, South Africa and Germany. The list is also broken down into two Whites, one Rosé, & seven Reds.

When you combine the two lists, Georgia is in first place with four spots while California and Greece are tied for second place with three spots each. Portugal has two spots while France, Italy, Spain, Chile, Moldova, Israel, South Africa and Germany all have only one spot. In addition, you'll find two Sparkling Wines, four White wines, two Rosé, & twelve Reds. Eight of the wines on these lists were tasted at the Boston Wine Expo.

I have plenty of other recommendations for wines at this price point on my blog. There are top notch wines from countries all over the world, made from an incredibly diverse selection of grapes and you can still find plenty of values too. My advice is that you seek out wines outside of your comfort zone. Explore the multitude of diversity in the wonderful world of wine. Taste and try anything new, unique or potentially interesting. I am sure your search will lead to new favorites.

If you have some of your own recommendations for wines that are over $15 but under $50, please add them to the comments.

2017: Top Ten Wines Under $15

What were some of my favorite wines of the past year?

As 2018 approaches, it's time once again to reflect upon the past year, to remember and savor many pleasant memories. As 2017 winds down, I'll be posting my annual series of Favorite Lists over the next few weeks, covering food, wine, sake and spirits. These lists should provide a comprehensive summary of my favorites from this past year, allowing my readers to more readily locate such gems, the best of my recommendations.

My first Favorites List of 2017 is my Top Ten Wines Under $15. This list includes wines that not only did I enjoy, but which I also found to be particularly compelling for various reasons. They might be especially delicious, something more unique or just excellent values for the price. They all stand out, for some particular reason, above the other wines at this price point that I have tasted this past year.

This is a purely subjective list, based on my own preferences, and makes no claims about being the "best" wines out there. It is primarily the wines which spoke to me the loudest, even when they were subtle wines. These are all wines that I strongly recommend and which I believe many other wine lovers would also enjoy.

The wines are not listed in any particular order and each choice is linked to my more detailed prior review. All of these value wines are worth your consideration but please also note that the prices are approximations and the actual price may vary in your area. In addition, some of the wines might not be available in your local area, though you might be able to order them from the winery or an online store, dependent on your state's shipping laws.

1) Cricova Crisecco Vin Spumant Alb Brut ($12-$14)
A Moldovan Sparkling wine! This wine is a blend of 90% Fetească Albă (an indigenous grape) and 10% Muscat, produced by the Charmat method (like most Italian Prosecco). At 12.5% ABV, this bubbly is aromatic, with a distinctive Muscat nose enhanced by some citrus notes. On the palate, it is dry, crisp and tasty, with flavors of apple, pear and subtle citrus. A very pleasant and easy-drinking Sparkling wine, this is also an excellent value and highly recommended.

2) Telavi Wine Cellar NV Marani Sparkling White Brut ($11)
Another excellent value Sparkling wine, this bubbly is from the country of Georgia, which has over 500 indigenous grapes. This bubbly is a blend of Rkatisteli, Mtsvane and Kisi (three indigenous grapes) and has a 12.5% ABV. It is dry and lightly effervescent, with bright peach, citrus and almond notes, and a hint of toast. A tasty and easy drinking bubbly, with plenty of complexity at this low price point.

3) 2015 Batono Chinuri ($12)
Another wine from Georgia, this white wine is produced from 100% Chinuri, another indigenous grape. I found this wine to be interesting and delicious, with notes of ripe pear and melon, accompanied by some intriguing herbal accents. It was easy drinking but with some complexity, good acidity, and a nice texture. An excellent value wine offering a fascinating taste profile at this price point.

4) 2015 Cuvée René Dopff Pinot Blanc ($12.99)
The French region of Alsace has long had a special place in my heart and this white wine is a fine example of some of the values found in this region. Produced from 100% Pinot Blanc, the wine sits on the lees for about 4 months, is then filtered, and sits in stainless steel for several months before bottling. With a light golden color, it has a delightful fruity aroma, and on the palate, there are bright notes of peach, citrus and lemon. It has a rich mouthfeel, with a nice crisp acidity, and a clean finish. It is an easy drinking, but not single-note, wine and a very good value at this price.

5) 2016 Maetierra Atlantis Albariño ($12)
Spain is another country which produces some excellent value wines, such as this one. From the Rias Baixas D.O., this wine is made from 100% Albariño, sees no oak and is only 12.5% ABV. With a light golden color, the wine presented an appealing, fruity aroma and on the palate, it was crisp, dry and delicious. There were tasty flavors of apple, melon and pear with a medium-body and a pleasing finish. An easy drinking wine, it presents with more complexity than many other wines at this price point.

6) 2015 Hugel Gentil ($12)
Alsace offers another great value wine for this list. The Gentil is a blend of 50% Sylvaner & Pinot Blanc, 22% Pinot Gris, 15% Gewurztraminer, 7% Riesling and 6% Muscat. I should note that the 2015 vintage was considered exceptional in Alsace. This is an excellent value white wine, with lots of character and complexity at this price point. From its aromatic nose to the delicious melange of flavors on the palate, this is a wine for everyday drinking, especially with food. There were tasty flavors of pear, lemon and melon, with a hint of spice, and plenty of crisp acidity. It was fresh with a pleasing finish and pairs well with seafood. 

7) 2014 Montes Clares Reserva Tinto ($13.99)
It's certainly no surprise that Portugal appears on this list, as it always does, because I believe they have some of the best values in the wine world. This red wine is a blend of Trincadeira, Aragonez, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Tinta Caiada, which was matured for about 12 months in new French and American oak and then 6 additional months in the bottle. With rich flavors of plum and blackberry, there was a strong spicy undertone with a subtle earthy element, especially on the finish. Tannins are manageable and it has a fairly lengthy finish, especially for such a value wine. Pair this wine with meat, from wild boar to steaks, though it would work with a juicy burger as well.

8) 2012 Costa Do Pombal Red ($8-$10)
Another Portuguese wine, this is an incredible value as you would be hard pressed to find a wine from another region priced under $10 that offers as much as this wine. This red wine is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Barroca which is a fruity and easy drinking wine, with low tannins, a hint of spice, and a pleasing finish. It is more than a one-note wine, possessing more character than most wines at this price point. Highly recommended.

9) 2015 Ruhlman Pinot Noir Cuvee Mosaique ($14.99)
About 90% of Alsatian wines are white, so it is more difficult to find their Pinot Noirs, but you should seek them out. This wine was absolutely delicious, an easy drinking Pinot with a nice melange of flavors. It is very light red in color as well light-bodied on your palate. It offers bright red fruit flavors, cherry and raspberry, a hint of an underlying earthy element, and a decently long finish. At this price point, this is one of the best value Pinots you'll find and highly recommended. I'd buy this by the case to enjoy on its own or with dishes from burgers to pasta.

10) 2015 Proyecto Garnachas de Espana La Garnacha Salvaje del Moncayo ($11.99)
This Spanish wine is another killer value, made from 100% Garnacha and with a 13.5% ABV. It is fermented in stainless steel and then is aged for five months in new French oak barrels. It possesses a more subtle aroma on this wine, mild fruity notes with hints of spice. On the palate, the wine immediately impressed, presenting delicious black fruit flavors, enhanced with a touch of earthiness and spice, and there was even some minerality beneath it all. The tannins were well integrated, presenting a smooth and easy drinking wine, with a moderately lengthy and satisfying finish. You could easily enjoy this on its own, or accompanied with food, from pizza to ribs.

Five countries made the list this year, as opposed to six last year. Alsace took the lead with three spots on the list, with Georgia, Spain and Portugal each occupying two spots. Moldova occupied the last spot. Five of the wines on this list were tasted at the Boston Wine Expo, an event where I often find a number of excellent value wines. There are no real surprises on this list, though I'll note you probably start seeing more Georgian wines on local shelves as more people find the treasures being produced in that country. Moldova is the newcomer to the list and I suspect you'll see more on these lists in the near future, if not on another list this year. As for wine types, the list is also broken down into 4 Whites, 4 Reds and 2 Sparkling. Last year, there weren't any Sparkling Wines on the list.

I have other recommendations for wines under $15 on my blog and you just have to search for them. You can find value wines all over the world, in every region, though some regions provide a greater range and diversity of value wines. It is important to remember that though wine stores sell plenty of wines in this price range, not all of them are of equal value. Wines in this price range do not have to be one-dimensional wines that all taste the same.

You can find wines of character and complexity, though you might need to spend a little more time seeking them out. Wine blogs can help you in that regard, pointing out wines that you might not otherwise know about. Tasting the wines before you buy them is another way to find such values. Or simply ask your trusted wine store staff for advice and suggestions. For more advice on finding value wines, please check out my prior article on the subject.

If you have some of your own recommendations for excellent wines under $15, please add them to the comments.