White Wine Dakishvili Family Selection Cuvee Amber 2020. No need to decant, may benefit from breathing for up to an hour before serving. Dakishvili is a family-owned winery, located in the Georgian wine-making stronghold of Kakheti. Giorgi and Temuri Dakishvili are a father and son duo, both expert oenologists dedicated to making wines with finesse. Winemaking in the family extends back to Giorgi’s great-grandfather, and with this accumulated knowledge and experience, the Dakishvilis create wines with true artistry. Their wines are produced exclusively from family-owned vineyards, all located in Tsinandali PDO in the picturesque Alazani River Valley. They create wines in traditional Georgian fashion, employing clay fermenting pots called Qvevri and prolonged skin contact to create gorgeous amber wines. Their vineyards are home to international varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, but are chiefly planted with Georgian natives – Saperavi, Kisi, Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane. Notes of white and yellow fruits emerge on the nose of this dry amber wine, with a hint of nuttiness. In the glass, it is an incredible deep gold. It’s a blend of three native fruits, the structural Rkatsiteli, the aromatic Mtsvane and Kisi, which meets somewhere between the two. The blend is velvety and luscious in the mouth, with flavours of apricot, honey, subtle apple and toasted almonds. Pairs perfectly with traditional Georgian food, as well as fish and sushi.
2020
White Wine Dakishvili Family Selection Cuvee Amber 2020
White Wine Dakishvili Family Selection Kisi Amber 2020. No need to decant, may benefit from breathing for an hour before serving. Situated in the classical wine-making region of Kakheti, near the village of Shalauri, Dakishvili winery is a family affair. Father and son Giorgi and Temuri are at the helm right now, carrying on a legacy that extends back four generations. This generational knowledge, as well as the ancient wine-making tradition in Georgia, enables the pair to create a delicious range of wines. Dakishvili Family own vineyards on the right bank of the Alazani River, where they grow a variety of indigenous Georgian grapes. They also employ time-honoured methods of prolonged skin contact, and clay fermenting pots called Qvevri, to create some gorgeous dry amber wines. Aromas of tree fruit, toasted almonds and sweet spice emerge from this 100% Kisi wine. The grapes are sourced from old vineyards in the Akhmeta region, planted by Giorgi’s great-grandfather in the 1930s. They grow on well-drained clayish soils, before being aged for 6 months in Qvevri jugs, giving the wine its distinctive copper gold colour. Orange peel, apricot and the typical bold papaya flavours of Kisi are prominent on the palate, along with smooth notes of honey. This amber wine can be paired with a variety of dishes, from barbecued meats to the umami-heavy flavours of sushi.
2020
White Wine Danieli Kisi Quevri 2020. Danieli is a small family-owned winery founded in 2013 with the aim of rediscovering and reinvigorating the interest in traditional Georgian wines. Located in the mountainous northeastern part of the Kakheti region, just above the Alazani River, the estate cultivates its vineyards with organic practices, honoring local winemaking traditions and producing both traditional Georgian wines and European-style ones. The wine is made with 100% indigenous Kisi grapes. The grapes are handpicked from one of the major microzones of Argokhy, in western Kakheti, in eastern Georgia. They are fermented with stalks, seeds, and skins for about 2 weeks in traditional Qvevri clay pots and then left to macerate there for 6 months underground. The resulting wine has a beautiful orange tone with intense aromas of honey, followed by dried apricot, pear, quince, apples and hints of vanilla. In the mouth, it is slightly creamy with a pleasant balance of tannins, medium alcohol and dried fruit, and with a honeyed persistent aftertaste. It is characterful and yet easy to drink. Serve the wine at 10-14ºC and enjoy it with veal, chicken, white fish or sushi.
2020