The Natural Wine Shop for Georgian Wines and Spirits
The Natural Wine Shop for Georgian Wines and Spirits
Wine is one of the drinks that can benefit from temporary aging under certain conditions. While the term "bottle aging" or "bottle maturity" usually combines the positive influence on the drink wine, the term "aging" covers the entire period between the completion of the alcoholic fermentation and the time at which the wine becomes inedible. Ideally, the wine will improve over a period of time. An abundance of chemical reactions changes the wine aromas, the fragrance, the texture and the taste, and the wine forms the so-called bouquet. Involved in the reactions are the sugars contained in the wine, the acids and the phenols. The ability to age depends on a variety of factors such as the grape variety, the vintage, the wine production, the wine region and the desired type of wine (for example varietal wine, blend, oxidative wine, etc.).
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When the grapes are ripe, they will be picked and poured into the press, where they are (hopefully) gently pressed. This produces the so-called mash (must + pomace), meaning the mixture of freshly squeezed juice on crushed skin, seeds and stems of the grape. The squeezed juice is called must now, the residues are called pomace. Pomace can be used as organic fertilizer or, with appropriate knowledge, can be distilled into pomace brandy. Depending on the origin, this spirit is then called e.g. Chacha (Georgia), Grappa (Italy) or Trester (Germany).
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The traditional method of wine making is to bury amphorae into the soil, where the product ripens for several weeks up to many months under constant temperatures and extensive oxygen occlusion. A special feature of the Kakhetian wine tradition is the expansion of the grapes together with the skin, seeds and stems in Qvevris. As a result, and by the greatest possible seal against oxygen supply, additional tannins and polyphenols are created to the wine, which is thus very long and full-bodied. Incidentally, it should be noted that polyphenols as aromatic compounds give our natural wine not only its individual, strong taste. Better known as antioxidants, they are also anti-inflammatory, cancer-preventive and involved in many other health promoting processes. Definitely good helpers in every sense.
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The place where the Qvevris are buried is called in Georgian "Marani" (მარანი). It can be entirely outdoors, covered or built as a wine cellar under the house. The burial in the earth serves to ferment the wine under approximately constant temperatures and with extremely little oxygen. The location and depth of the Marani influence both the fermentation temperature and the maturation of the wine. Dry clay soils are preferred because moisture can adversely affect the quality of the wine.
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An orange or amber wine is a white wine made like a red wine. The white wine grapes are fermented with the grape skins (mash) and thereby extract more tannins and colors from the grape skins. Orange wine is characterized by a dark yellow to orange color. It is sometimes referred to as the fourth wine color next to red, white and rosé. While the production of mash-fermented white wines has a long tradition in Georgia, it is more of a new trend in the natural wine scene internationally, with winemakers consciously experimenting to create different styles using both traditional and modern methods, or to underline the regional character of the terroir.
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A Qvevri (Georgian Amphora) is a shapely, usually considerably large clay pot, in which even today the traditional methods of extraction of traditional wine production in Georgia is practiced. It is the world's oldest form of winemaking. Since 2013, this fascinating process has been part of UNESCO's "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity". Regrettably, the craft of the Qvevri potter is almost extinct. By focusing on mass production in Soviet times, Georgian wine culture was criminally neglected. Initiatives, however, endeavor to hand over old enriched and irretrievable knowledge to the younger generation. The handmade production of a Qvevri with a capacity of two tons for example takes about 7-10 days. This is followed by a slow drying process of about one month. Only then the kiln is gradually heated up to 1200 degrees where it will take another seven days before the Qvevri is finally finished and can protect its precious contents even from earthquakes.
