2012 Orgo Rkatsiteli Republic of Georgia

Staff Reviews

DO

David Othenin-Girard

David Othenin-Girard

Medium Gold Color. You can see the weight and power in the glass. Incredible nose of confit citrus, funky dried fruit, and almond butter. Massively tannic (for a white), pithy and focused. Needs something greasy and grilled, but one of the best I've had in this traditional Georgian style.

Notes

From the importer: "A jewel-like amber hue is the first thing you will surely notice about this qvevri fermented wine. On the nose, aromas of dried apricots, dates, chestnut honey, dried orange peel, cinnamon stick, and almond paste abound. This 'white' wine drinks more like a red with a grippy tannin presence on the palate. Flavors of citrus peel, warm spices, and herbal tea with a nutty toasted walnut finish beg for food. Simply one of the finest Kvevri wines made in Georgia today by Orgo's young star wine maker Timuri Dakishvili. Try with a hearty roast chicken or other fowl like duck or quail. Orgo is a small family-owned winery focusing on producing high quality wines made in qvevri. Running the winery is young Temuri Dakishvili, the Dakishvili family's fourth generation winemaker and a rising star in Georgian winemaking. The winery is located near the town of Telavi in eastern Georgia. It produces a very limited quantity of wines fermented in qvevris or oak barrels without additives and filtration, a traditional Georgian winemaking style going back 8000 years that produces wines with uniquely distinctive flavors. Temuri uses native grapes including Rkatsiteli, Kisi, Mtsvane and Saperavi, that are sourced from the 2.5 hectares stony and well-drained Vita Vinea vineyard that he owns with his brother Daviti."