TNR: JSC Alazanis Valley

[Matt Walter]

This is a kosher Georgian wine described to me as being "Semi-dry". My friend, who is not a big wine drinker fell in love with it and is insisting that I try it.

Being a CS, Zin, Merlot kind of guy, I have been a little resistant.

Has anyone tried this wine? Any TN's?

Thanks!
Matt

[Daniel Rogov]

Matt, Hi.....

I do not know the specific wine in question but nearly all of the off-dry reds that I have tasted from the Republic of Georgia have been made from the indigenous Kinuzmarauli grape. My experience (albeit limited) has shown that these wines tend to be deep ruby in color, light- to medium-bodied, with generous and forrward red fruits (in general raspberries and cherries) and truly off dry as opposed to "sweet". Some of those I have tasted were pretty poor but some could make for good aperitifs. All should be served as well chilled as a white. The wines that I have tasted in this category have earned scores ranging from 65 - 80 points.

Whether you choose to try this one or not should depend on your friend's recommendation as well as to the question of whether you personally enjoy off-dry reds. If you do try it, please report back with your reactions.

Best
Rogov

[Matt Walter]

Thanks Rogov!

I may acquiesce and try some if I have the chance again.

I found a link to the description on Kosherwine.com:

http://www.kosherwine.com/cgi-bin/ProductInfo.asp?WineID=10071

Looks like the grape is the Saperavi grape vs. Kinuzmarauli. Does this alter things at all?

Thanks!
Matt

[Daniel Rogov]

Matt, Hi....

As I say, I do not know the particular wine in question but there "might" be a better chance with Saperavi, as this is a grape with a high natural sugar concentration and thus a candidate for off-dry red. Once again though the question - is it an off-dry red that you want?

Best
Rogov

[JakovD]

Matt, Hi....

As I say, I do not know the particular wine in question but there "might" be a better chance with Saperavi, as this is a grape with a high natural sugar concentration and thus a candidate for off-dry red. Once again though the question - is it an off-dry red that you want?

Best
Rogov

Daniel ,Hi!
Sure You know, that Georgia is one of the oldest wine regions in the world.
There are unique grapes there as in many other wine lands. Beside that there are unique wine making methods as "QUERY" method. This method means keeping the wine for 20-30 years after fermentation inside the huge terracotta amphorae hidden in the land. It covers the period of 20-25 years and usually happens from after the child's birth till his marriage.
As a result, the wine is really wonderful, aromatic however not too strong. It is enough sweet but has mild tannins.
The one who did not have a chance to try this wine locally in Georgia cannot say he knows the real Georgian wine.
The bottled Georgian wine which is being sold in Israel, US and even Russian market, is usually fake wine and cannot been labeled as wine at all.
All attempts to make the Old or New World style wine from the Georgian grapes (i.e. Saperavi gapes) resulted in weak wine, some sort of Chilean style, with the score about 60-70 as Daniel wrote.
Unfortunately, till now the investments into Georgian wine production have lead to corruption only but not to considerable improvement of the wine making process.
Personally, I'm very sorry about that.
Very, very pity.
Jakov