The wines of Alaverdi Monastery, Kakheti, Georgia
A remarkable taste of history, with qvevri wines made as they would have been thousands of years ago

Website: www.since1011.com/en/

This is a rather special producer. The Alaverdi Monastery in Kakheti, in the east of Georgia, has been making wines since the 10th century, an possibly as early as the 8th century. The historical cellar was renovated in 2005, and the wines here are still made in the traditional way, in large clay vessels called Qvevri. As you taste these remarkable, natural wines, made as they would have been in ancient times, you connect with history.


Father Gerasime

THE WINES 

Alaverdi Monastery Rkatsiteli 2011 Kakheti, Georgia
Yellow/amber colour. Nutty, rounded, ripe apple fruit with nice grip on the palate. Lovely fruit ad a long, rounded finish. 91/100

Alaverdi Monastery Kisi 2010 Kakheti, Georgia
Lovely supple, textured, rounded and smooth pear and apple fruit, yet with a slightly grainy, grippy mouthfeel. 94/100

Alaverdi Monastery Kisi 2011 Kakheti, Georgia
Elegant, supple pear and apple fruit with some spice and mineral undertones. Tangerine and herbs make an appearance, too. Long finish. 92/100

Alaverdi Monastery Kakhetian Mtsvane 2011 Kakheti, Georgia
Amber in colour. Lovely perfumed nose of peach and nuts and flowers. The palate is supple, fresh and appley with some pearskin grip. Elegance and structure combined. 93/100

Alaverdi Monastery Khikhvi 2011 Kakheti, Georgia
Aromatic, fine and spicy showing peach and pear fruit. There's a slightly earthy, mineral edge to the palate which has attractive pear fruit and some nutty notes. Intriguing. 90/100

Alaverdi Monastery Rosé Rkatsiteli 2010 Kakheti, Georgia
Highly aromatic, appley nose. Oxidative, warm and grippy. Spicy palate with lovely fruit and nice structure. 90/100

Alaverdi Monastery Saperavi 2010 Kakheti, Georgia
Intense, vivid and deeply coloured with concentrated red and black fruits. Grippy and fresh, this is amazing stuff with a really intense personality. 94/100

UK Agent Les Caves de Pyrene 

See also:

Natural wine tasting, May 2013
Natural wine tasting in Oxford, 2013

Wines tasted 05/12  
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