Any opinions on GEORGIAN wines?

Tried some Pheasant's Tears label wines this weekend...have to admit I was skeptical because of the label and everything, but the red and the white were very interesting...the orange wine was quite unique!

Brian,

Were you at the Georgian wine tasting at one of the Vintage Berkeley branches on Saturday?

Brian,

Were you at the Georgian wine tasting at one of the Vintage Berkeley branches on Saturday?

Yep! Vine Street. One of my favorite shops in the Bay Area! I picked up the Vinoterra (much better, imo, than the 2001 I had picked up at Bondivino a while ago) and the two Pheasant's Tears.

Vinoterra makes some cool wines. Just don't ask me to pronounce the varieties used.

Back in January, I posted a couple of notes from a tasting that I went to: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=37232.

At any rate, haven't heard of Pheasant's Tears before, but the wines that I have had from Teilani Valley PLC and Telavi Wine Cellars have all been at least interesting. Those are the only producers that I have tried so far, though. All of the reds that I have had have come from the Saperavi grape, which seems to have some potential. I have never had a Georgian example of Isabella, which is widely grown over there, but Finger Lakes Isabellas have not impressed me. Khvanchkara and Kindzmarauli are two semi-sweet reds that have some historical significance, but the semi-sweet aspect may turn other people off. The one Kindzmarauli that I have had from Teilani Valley PLC was good, if you don't mind that it isn't a dry red.

As far as whites, Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane (I'm not sure if Kakhuri Mtsvane is the same grape or not) seem capable of at least making some good value wines. I have also had domestic Rkatsitelis from Dr. Konstantin Frank in the Finger Lakes, and Westport Rivers in Massachusetts;the Georgian versions that I have had are at within striking distance of their American counterparts, if not quite as good as the best from Dr. Frank.

The Rkatsiteli was the one white they poured. This version was made in clay amphorae in an oxidative style. I quite enjoyed it...but definitely different. My eyes fooled my palate a bit...I saw the clear orange color and my tastebuds told me there was a hint of orange peel in the flavors coming through.

I liked the Pheasant's Tears Sapervalli also. Then, I tend to like very rustic, "natural" wines so I might rate it a little higher than just interesting.

The Vinoterra Sapervalli was obviously a little more "international" (some new oak, I believe) and more "serious".

Definitely try some Saperavi if you get a chance - some very fine examples are being made. They are loosely reminiscent of Chianti most of the time, I find.

Isabella is a labrusca hybrid, and as such, I would be quite surprised to see any being exported . . . though, who knows?