Contents:
- Tsinandali Climate
- Tsinandali Microzone Soils
- Grape Varieties and Production Method of Tsinandali Wines
- Tasting. Review of Château Nekresi. Iceberg Tsinandali 2015
- Quality Assessment Based on the BLICE Principle
Red Wines of Georgia. The names Mukuzani, Kindzmarauli and Khvanchkara immediately come to mind. They have truly become symbols of red Georgian wines.
And white wines? Here the title of a famous name – Tsinandali. I dedicate this article to it.
Where it all began
The name Tsinandali comes from a small settlement, also known for the fact that it is the location of the estate of the Georgian prince Alexander Chavchavadze, who was a famous Georgian poet and thinker and often invited musicians, writers and poets to his estate, including Pushkin, Lermontov and Griboyedov. In the early 1820s, Alexander Chavchavadze built the Tsinandali Palace, and it was there that he met Nina Chavchavadze, his future wife. On the territory of the estate of A. Chavchavadze there is also a private winery, storing a unique collection of 20,000 bottles of wine in its cellars. In addition, the Georgian prince founded the Tsinandali Winery in his family estate.
Tsinandali Territory
The Tsinandali microzone is located in the Telavi administrative district, on the right bank of the Alazani River, at 41 latitude (i.e. in the favorable for viticulture interval between 30 and 50 latitudes). The microzone includes the Tsinandali settlement itself, and many others – Akura, Vantaa, Busheti, Kvemo-Khodasheni, Kisikhevi, Kondoli, Nazamkharali, Shalauri, Kurzhelauri and Vardisubani.
The area where grapes for the Tsinandali wines are grown stretches from the wooded northeastern slopes of the Gombori foothills to the Alazani Valley and is located at an altitude of 300-750 meters above sea level.
Tsinandali Climate
- The climate in this microzone is quite warm: the amount of sunlight is measured at 2,300 hours. Average temperatures of the hottest months (July-August) and the coldest (January): +23 C° and +1 C° respectively.
- Humidity is moderate, precipitation is 845 mm per year, with most of it (644 mm) falling during the growing season.
- The main threat to vineyards is hail in May and June, frosts are quite rare. Vineyards bloom in mid-April, and the berries begin to ripen from mid-August. Harvest time usually falls at the end of September.
Soils of the Tsinandali microzone
As in the whole territory of Kakheti, in Tsinandali brown forest and meadow soils predominate, as well as dealluvial (cover formations on slopes, formed as a result of avalanches and landslides), proalluvial (products of rock weathering, moved by snow and rainwater) and alluvial soils (river sediments) with loam.
Brown forest and meadow soils predominate in the foothills of the Caucasus, dealluvial and proalluvial – in the transitional areas between the foothills and the Alazani Valley, alluvial – already in the valley itself.
The soil exposure is mainly north-eastern and eastern, where the soils also contain a carbonate component.
Grape varieties and production method of wines of the name Tsinandali
Tsinandali wines are an assemblage of two white grape varieties: Rkatsiteli and Kakhuri Mtsvane, with the first usually making up 85% of the wine assemblage, and the second – 15%.
Rkatsiteli
- Rkatsiteli, like Saperavi, is the most widespread and well-known Georgian variety.
- It is surprising, but the area of Rkatsiteli plantings was once the most extensive among all technical varieties not only in Georgia itself, but also in the whole world. But as a result of Gorbachev’s policy of condemning the consumption of alcoholic beverages, the area of vineyards was significantly reduced.
- Nevertheless, now this frost-resistant and fairly fertile variety has the largest planting area in Georgia, and is also found in Ukraine (although it ripens to a lower sugar content), Bulgaria and even in New York, where it is valued precisely for its frost resistance.
- An interesting external feature of Rkatsiteli is its reddish combs and branches, which gave it this name (rka is translated from Georgian as “vine”, and tsiteli means “red”).
Kakhuri Mtsvane
The second component of the Tsinandali blend is the Kakhuri Mtsvane variety, or Kakhetian Mtsvane (not to be confused with Goruli Mtsvane). This variety is considered one of the most valuable technical varieties of Georgia, as it has such characteristics necessary for high-quality wine as the ability to accumulate high levels of sugar and at the same time to maintain high acidity.
- Kakhuri Mtsvane comes from the small area and settlement of Manavi and is today grown mainly at the foot of the Tsiv-Gombori Range, on the right bank of the Alazani River.
- Like Rkatsiteli, Kakhuri Mtsvane is frost-resistant, but does not tolerate drought well, due to which it can even shed its flowers, which leads to a decrease in yield, as well as mildew.
- Kakhuri Mtsvane has a bright floral-fruity aroma, is used to produce varietal wine (even fortified and sparkling) and in blends with Rkatsiteli, in particular, in Tsinandali wines.
Tsinandali wines were traditionally aged in qvevri, but nowadays neutral steel vats and oak barrels are also used in production.
Tsinandali is one of the most famous and successful dry white wines of Georgia, which has been highly appreciated at international competitions, and is distinguished by a floral-citrus, refreshing aroma, pleasant acidity and creamy shades due to aging in barrels.
Tasting. Review of Château Nekresi wine. Iceberg Tsinandali 2015
A bit of history
This time I had to get wine somewhere in France, because due to my small omission I brought only red Georgian wines from Russia. Well, if you need something rare and exotic for Europe, the first thing I do is head to the Bordeaux wine museum, where you can find almost everything, including wines from Tahiti or Thailand. There were no problems with Georgian wines, rather, I was pleasantly surprised by the good selection. And Tsinandali was also found there. Therefore, this time – a review of what our cavists choose from Georgia.
Chateau Nekrezi wine
Chateau Nekrezi is located near the famous Nekrezi monastery – one of the main attractions of Georgia. Its white Rkatsiteli grapes for the Tsinandali wine grow at an elevated position, where the cooler air produces grapes with bright, fresh fruity notes and lively acidity.
Color: pale lemon, even greenish lemon. In official terms, the color is lemon with low intensity.
Aroma: quite expressive, with an intensity above average. The wine has an interesting and multifaceted bouquet with notes of citrus (lemon, lemon zest), sweetish shades of apricot and pineapple, floral (acacia) and mineral notes (wet stones). Even subtle hints of spices (cloves, nutmeg) were felt in the aroma.
Taste: A dry wine with a bright taste (above average intensity), which combines notes of lemon zest, candied lemon peel, peach, apricot and pineapple.
Against the background of medium acidity (but sufficient for the overall balance of the wine) and less pronounced mineral hints, the wine seems slightly sweet. The body is below average, but quite long and pleasant, moderately bitter aftertaste with notes of grapefruit (longer than average). The alcohol content (medium) also fits well with the overall rather light style of the wine.
Overall quality assessment: A wine of very good quality, with quite an expressive and varied aroma and taste. A wine of a balanced light style, pleasant and refreshing, the body and alcohol level are well balanced by the level of acidity.
The wine may be a little lacking in richness: its attack is bright, fruity and ripe, but the subsequent taste sensations are more modest in comparison, although the fairly long aftertaste leaves a very pleasant impression.
Ageing potential: after four years in the bottle, this wine is at its best. I don’t think it’s worth keeping it for more than 2-3 years, as it may lose its fruity freshness.
BLICE Quality Assessment
Balance — generally a balanced wine of a light style with a harmonious combination of sour citrus and sweetish notes of stone fruits. Moderate alcohol and sufficient acidity also fit well into the organoleptic profile of the wine.
Length — quite a long and pleasant aftertaste with a refreshing lemon sourness.
Intensity – the wine has good, bright expressiveness of tastes and aromas. Complexity/Слоность — the wine has a multifaceted bouquet of primary aromas (citrus, stone fruits, floral and mineral shades).
Expression-Typicity — refreshing fruity-floral wine made by a modern method. According to cavists, this is one of the typical examples of Tsinandali.
What to drink with and when: a very “friendly” wine for a variety of recipes from white fish, seafood and chicken. As for the most controversial combination — wine and cheese, then Tsinandali is more suitable for fresh goat or cow cheese, mozzarella, as well as soft and creamy hard cheese.
