For our November event, we welcomed our long-standing memeber Jon Barnes who presented a selection of wines he had tried and enjoyed during a trip to the Caucasus (mostly Georgia and Armenia).

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Jon has been able to source some very intersting wines from the region, some from local retailers, but mostly from a specialist importer (Wine Origins https://wineorigins.co.uk).

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After a welcome wine - Cremant de Loire from Lidl at £8.99 (on offer reduced from £10.99) we were introduced to the following wines:

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1. Georgia Gorgeous White 2023 (Georgia) using the Rkatsiteli grape sourced from Waitrose and priced at £8.50
A 12.0% wine, pale straw in coulour with an aromatic and spicey nose. On the palate it is round and soft with flavours of peach and quince with an underlying spicey layer to provide a refreshing start to the tasting.

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2 Thilvino Qvevris White 2022 (Georgia - East) using the Rkatsiteli grape sourced from Majestic and priced at £13.50
A 13% wine, fermented in the traditional aphora-type clay vessels (locally called qvevri).This wine is much darker than the previous one, with aromas of almonds with a "sherry like" nose. On the palate, tannins are obvious, but there are fruit and aniseed notes which remain on the palate for some time.

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3. Van Ardi Tor-Tori Voskehat 2019 (Armenia) using the Voskehat grape sourced from Wine Origins and priced at £22.95
A 12.5% wine with a greenish yellow hue in the glass. Aromas of lychee, pear and honeycomb with a slight vanilla complemnet. Fresh on the palate, with the fruits showing and notes of apricot with a very long finish.

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4. Mildiani Tvishi White 2020 (Georgia - West) using the indigenous Tsolikouri grape sourced from Wine Origins and priced at £25.95
A 11% semi sweet wine with many fruit flavours on the nose - noted were apricots, quince, pears and some floral notes. This is a wine with honeyed sweetness and multiple fruit flavours. It will work well with deserts but can also complement many spicey dishes.

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5. Tbilvino Saperavi Red 2023 (Georgia) using the Saperavi grape, sourced from Majestic and priced at £12.50
A dry red, 13% alcohol, and the grape is unusual in that the flersh is red (as well as the skin). The wine is a deep dark red in colour, with black fruits on the nose. It is quite tannic, but with a good balance of fruit and acidity, full forest berry fruit flavours. This wine would probably keep for 2-3 years (or more - see below) if wished.

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6. Makashvili Saperavi Qvevri 2018 (Georgia) using the Saperavi grape, sourced from Wine Origin and priced at £28.95 (reduced from £32.95)
A 13.5% red wine made in the traditional qvevri containers, again with a deep dark red colour. Black forest fruits on the nose with "Port-like"  aromas behind. Ther are the same black forest fruits on the palate, but with softer tannins and balanced acitity. Compared to the previous wine, this shows how the wine can age (if you can wait).

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7. Voskevaz Vintage Areni Noir 2019 (Armenia) using the Areni Noir grape, sourced from Wine Origins and priced at £20.95
A 13.5% wines made from the AreniNoir variety (a.k.a. the 'king of Armenian grapes'), thids is a lighter red in colour with, again, the forest fruit nose. On the palate, there are the underlying subtle tannins with fresh red berry fruit and a little spiciness.

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8. Mildiani Khvanchkara 2018 (Georgia - West Coast) using a blend of Aleksandreuil and Mujuretuli grapes, sourced from Wine Origin and priced at £25.95
A medium-sweet 12.5% wine, pale red in the glass with cherry, plum and respberry aromas This is smooth and sweet on the palate, but with a freshness and plum fruit flavours to balance. Excellent with cheese or even a spicy curry.

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We would also like to thank Penny Barnes for providing the half time buffet.