Wines of Georgia: Georgian Wines and Amber Wine Education

Ever had any wines from Georgia? (The country, not the state.) They’re pretty incredible, and I got a crash course in them at the “Sips & Crisps: a Wines of Georgia Pairing Adventure” hosted by Roni Ginach at the Shay Hotel in Los Angeles back in September.

For starters, where exactly is Georgia? “This small country is located at the eastern edge of the Black Sea, at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, and is recognized as the birthplace of wine, with evidence dating back 8,000 years. Georgia is known for its amber wines and its traditional winemaking methods using qvevri (large clay vessels), while also producing wines in the European, or international style more familiar to today’s consumers. Georgia embraces its more than 500 native grapes, which provide a whole new range of flavors for wine lovers to discover. Wine is an integral part of Georgia, inseparable from the cuisine, culture, hospitality and connection with family and friends.” Thanks to Wines of Georgia for the summary!

Soils all over Georgia are different, as is the climate. As you know, the terroir is a heavy predictor of how the wine will turn out. Different locations, soils, and weather will allow for similarities due to the specific grapes and region, but there will be nuances to each wine.

In Georgia, wine is influenced by the culinary options in the surrounding areas. There are over 525 indigenous grapes in Georgia, and it’s very common for everyone to grow grapes. Wine is heavily integrated into the culture, so there’s no pretentiousness. At mealtime, they toast with Georgian wines, toasting to “God, women and wine.”

For more detail, check out this map of the winegrowing regions of Georgia. It’s a gorgeous country with an incredible climate and multiple terroirs, so many, in fact, that it’s referred to as “the cradle of wine.” I’ve never been, but after trying too many Georgian wines to count, it’s on my list. It sounds like a wine lovers dream, and if you haven’t tried an amber wine yet, it’s a must do.

Roni Ginach is the founder and owner of Roni Selects, an importer and distributor of natural wine based in Los Angeles. She’s incredibly knowledgeable and her charm makes it easy to digest the wealth of information she shared with us in one brief morning. She speaks from a place of experience, not just in wines of Georgia, but as someone who has been to the country many times. She’s certainly inspiring with her efforts to bring attention to an area many of us may not really know exists as it pertains to quality wines.

As I explained in a prior post about a Simply Italian wines master class I attended, a master class is a deep dive into a particular wine, region, grape or winemaker. This class was focused on eight particular wines, each paired with a flavored potato chip. I’ve done quite a few classes and guided wine tastings, and this was the first that paired wine solely with ‘crisps,’ and as incongruent as some of the pairings sounded, every single one worked. It was followed by a walkaround wine tasting in adjoining conference hall with over 100 wines available to taste, with almost 20 distributors and winemakers serving pours. Let’s dive in to the wines and my tasting notes.

One thing I found interesting is that every single one of the wines at the class and the walkaround wine tasting were relatively affordable. The majority were between $14 and $26, with the one outlier being a $48 bottle. This is important, because many wine drinkers feel like either wine is too expensive for quality, or that wine should be more expensive to indicate quality. Neither is true when it comes to many wine regions. (Wine in the Burgundy region of France, particularly Grand Cru, and the Bordeaux region are amongst the highest-priced wines, and Napa Valley usually has the most expensive wines in the United States. This is not to say other areas do not have bottles that cost more, but for averages and norms, those are where you’ll spend more. I can say firsthand that Champagne, France, is expensive but wow, is it incredible.)

The two main kinds of grapes in Georgian wines are Saperavi (red) and Rkatsiteli (white). Georgia is known for a unique style of winemaking where wine ferments in a clay pot called a qvevri, pronounced “qwev-ree.” Qvevri are lined with beeswax, and you pretty much have to get inside them to clean them, which is often done with cherry wood.

Amber wine is the most common wine, which is basically white wine with skin contact while the qvevri are buried underground. Amber wines are in qvevri from seven weeks to eight months, depending on the size and grape type, with no added preservatives. Saperavi is typically a full-bodied dry red, whereas the amber wine is made from white grapes and is considered fully dry with very low sugar. Both have distinct flavor profiles, which I’ll describe in more detail for the eight types of wine in the master class, with wine name, wine maker, and region.

• Ocho, Do You Wonder? Tavkveri Rose 2022: Kakheti, Rose — paired with an oyster chip. (I didn’t even know oyster chips existed. I probably would not buy them BUT they totally worked with this wine. In fact, all of the pairings, as odd as they sound, worked.) The Ocho was very pale, but light, fruit-driven, and perfect as an aperitivo wine. The label is reminiscent of a Loki-esque figure from Georgian mythology.
• Next up is the Archil Guniava, Krakhuna 2021: Imereti, White — paired with a honey butter chip. (I could eat my weight in this particular chip. SO good.) On the nose, the aroma of this wine was almost imperceptible. Amber/yellow in color, very honey-forward, it pairs well with rich food by cutting the fattiness down. This wine alone made the entire choice to use chips work.
• Third was the Vazisubani Estate, Kakhuri Mtsvane 2021: Kakheti, Amber, paired with the sichuan pepper chip. (Another one I didn’t know existed.) Amber, very acidic, this one would go well with spicy or fatty foods. (It runs about $27.50 per bottle. Not all of them had prices, so I’ll share the ones we did learn.)
• Anapea Village, Vardisperi Rkatsiteli 2022: Kakheti, Amber, paired with Iberico Ham Chips. I don’t eat meat, so in all honesty, I skipped this chip. I did a lot of swirling and sipping to make up for it. (Rough work.) This one had a bit of a funky aroma and it was pretty acidic, but was more rosé-looking than amber, as it was fermented with the skins for 6-7 months. (That’s what gives it the gorgeous color.) Probably my least favorite of the eight, but even then, not a bad wine by any means. Maybe it was because I didn’t get the full pairing experience due to the chips being ham-focused.
• Moving on to the Teliani Vineyards, Amber Blend 2023: Kakheti, Amber, paired with the Chevre & Espelette Chips, and coming in at about $16 per bottle. This was my favorite. Intense tannins, lightest amber (orange wine) of the bunch, and full-bodied with notes of peach and almost cinnamon. Dry and delicious, I need to buy bottles of this to add to my wine fridge at home.
• Vartsikhe Marani, Aladasturi 2017: Imereti, Red, paired with salted egg chips. It had a slightly smoky aroma, with fruity and berry notes. Lighter in body, slightly reductive, it was almost sweet on my palate before I tried the chip. Altogether a solid wine.
• Next to last is Martvilis Marani, Ojaleshi 2022: Samegrelo, Red, paired with truffle chips. (That’s another chip I could an entire bag of.) Rich burgundy in color, slightly smoky aroma, with notes of plum and berries. Tannic and fruity, I can see this pairing well with richer foods; it’s a bit on the flat side, so it would cut through the fat and allow the wine flavor to shine through.
• Last wine of the master class was Georgian Wines & Spirits, Tamada Kindzmarauli 2023: Duruji Valley, Kakheti Region, Red Semi-Sweet, paired with Kobe beef chips. I didn’t try this chip either, and already the wine had a sweeter aroma than the others. Priced around $16.99, it’s another indicator that Georgian Wines do not cost an arm and a leg. I prefer dry reds, but I could easily sip this around a Christmas tree or fire pit.

I came away from this Wines of Georgia master class with a newfound love of amber wine, which is also called orange wine. It’s more trendy and popular and you’re likely to find it at more wineries. I’m not a big rosé drinker, but orange wine is not the same, and I thoroughly enjoy these amber wines. After the class, we wandered the conference hall, trying wines from so many tables, we really had to pick and choose which ones to try first. (And we carried that handy red solo cup.) I need to get a hold of a few more for my wine collection at home. Which ones sound intriguing to you?