Georgian Wine Featured on Tasting Table
Photo Credit: Katie Foster/Tasting Table
The love and interest in Georgian wine in the US continues to grow. Alison Spiegel, senior writer at Tasting Table, has just written a piece entitled “Georgia on the Vine” in which she tells the amazing story of Georgian wine. Alison writes:
People are starting to catch on to the region’s enchanting wines: Take a good look around, and you’ll find more restaurants and wineshops selling the stuff. And you’ll hear a growing buzz among natural wine enthusiasts who just might feel like they’ve struck something like, er, gold.
Alison goes on to focus on Georgia’s unique skin-contact or amber wines which are being featured at top restaurants in DC and NY. She has some nice conversation with Alex Alan from the newly opened Freeks Mill in Brooklyn which features many Georgian amber wines including the Orgo and Vinoterra brands.
Georgian Wine House’s own Noel Brockett gets a nice shout out and offers this guide on getting to know three Georgian varietals:
If you’d like to start exploring the world of Georgian wines, Noel Brockett of importer and distributor Georgian Wine House recommends starting with these three accessible grapes:
If you like Pinot Grigio, try Mtsvane:Mtsvane, which means “green” in Georgian, is an aromatic white grape that resembles Pinot Grigio but is more floral than fruity. You’ll find this in single varietal wines, as well as blends.
If you’re a beer geek, try Rkatsiteli: Brent Kroll, wine director of D.C.’s Neighborhood Restaurant Group, calls Georgia’s most popular white grape a “beer drinker’s wine,” thanks to its cloudiness and subtle funk. Brockett describes Rkatsiteli as complex, with “sweet aromas of dried fruits and nuttiness,” and a “bone-dry finish.” For lighter tannins, try Vinoterra Rkatsiteli, and for heavier tannins, Orgo Rkatsiteli. (Note: Feiring recommends serving these amber bottles with savory dishes you’d typically pair with a light red and keeping the bottle a little bit cooler than room temperature.)
If you like Syrah or Northern Rhone wines, try Saperavi: Known for its inky-black color, dark red fruit notes, earthiness and mild spice, Saperavi is a “very tannic, structured, bold red grape,” Brockett says. Try Teliani Valley Saperavi, which has a traditional profile, but is made in the European style, for something Syrah-like. Pop open some Orgo Saperavi for something similar to a Northern Rhone.
You can view our full portfolio of Georgian wines here and read the entirety of the Tasting Table’s Georgia on the Vine
Georgian House of Greater Washington (Georgian Wine House) is the premier Georgian wine importer in the US with operations based in Maryland. Since 2006 Georgian Wine house has been searching Georgia for exceptional wines and building partnerships with quality winemakers and brands.
Our Mission is to tell the untold story of Georgian wines to the US. Georgia has been making wine for over 8,000 years, yet most Americans are not aware that it is even a country let alone a wine producing country. Our mission is to share the beauty and delicious taste of Georgian wines with the US and to help people experience something more than what they have already tasted.
You can browse our wine portfolio and find where to buy Georgian wine. To all those who Drink Different, we salute you!
