Georgian wines: Kindzmarauli, Akhasheni, Gurjaani, Tsinandali and many others - were probably remembered by Russians due to their rich and at the same time gentle taste. In their bouquet you can hear all the warmth of the southern sun, the crystal freshness of the Caucasus Mountains. Alas, after the ban of Rospotrebnadzor on the export of Georgian wines, only a few companies returned to our market. In this article, we comprehensively examine the Kindzmarauli wine : reviews about it, an interesting story, unique technology. This is necessary in order to be able to distinguish an authentic drink from numerous fakes. We will reveal the main characteristics of the wine, as well as tell you how and what to serve it with.
Kindzmarauli wine story
Joseph Stalin was very homesick for the good alcoholic drinks of his small homeland. To please him, the best winemakers of Georgia invented in 1942 and began to produce a new product called Kindzmarauli. This drink was made from Saperavi grapes - this is one of the oldest local varieties. Translated from Georgian, its name means "dye." The fact is that the juice in these berries is saturated red, while in the other varieties of dark grapes it is white. Winemakers used the most ancient Kakheti technology - we will talk about it a little later. Because of this, the taste of the drink turned out to be surprisingly rich, languid. Wine Stalin liked it. In the wake of the popularity of wine, Kindzmarauli began to produce everywhere throughout Georgia. But in 2010, the Law on Territorial Product Indicators was adopted in the country. According to him, Kindzmarauli can only be made on the territory of this appellation.
Terroir
Saperavi for this wine is collected within a strictly defined territory. It is located in Kakheti, in the Kvareli region, in the vicinity of the village of Kindzmarauli - it gave the name to the drink. But behind these address data are two magic words - "Alazani Valley". There are wines with the same name. The valley has favorable climatic features and unique soil. Where its tributary of the Duruji flows into the Alazani River, sandy soils. Each year, with the rise of groundwater, the fertility of the land is fueled by alluvial sediments. The sown area of grapes for Kindzmarauli wine totals only 120 hectares. In addition, Saperavi is a very capricious and low-yielding variety. Therefore, authentic wine from this microzone is extremely difficult to find. It is much easier to get Kindzmarauli grown within the large Alazani Valley. Also not bad, considering that this is one of the oldest wine-growing regions of Kakheti.
Kindzmarauli wine manufacturing technology
This method of fermentation and ripening of an alcoholic drink is included in the UNESCO List as an intangible asset of mankind. While in Europe resin was added to the wine to stop the fermentation process (now it is sulphide aldehyde), qvevri was used in Georgia. These are large (on average 1,500 liters) jugs of conical shape, similar to ancient Greek amphoras. In qvevri, wort and pulp are poured along with bones and even crests. The vessel is sealed with wax and buried in the ground at the very neck. So qvevri stands for two years. Due to the constant and low (10-12 degrees) temperature, wine yeast does not have time to absorb all the sugar. And the pulp gives the wine a rich taste. There are manufacturers who increase the quantitative composition of the wort when poured into qvevri. Then the drink comes out lighter.
Specifications
As a result of this technology, semi-sweet red wine is obtained . As can be seen from the inscriptions on the labels, its strength is from ten and a half to twelve percent, and the sugar content is 30-40 g / dm³. The color of the drink, like any wine made from Saperavi grapes, is ruby, similar to pomegranate juice. The bouquet is typically varietal. The aroma of overripe cherries, blackberries, ripe pomegranates is guessed in it. And what kind of wine does Kindzmarauli taste like? Reviews speak of velvety and tenderness, pleasant astringency and notes of crimson cherry. The taste is full and harmonious, leaving a long-lasting train, which causes the palate to associate with a juicy ripe blackberry. It is precisely because of these wonderful characteristics that Kindzmarauli wine (authentic, of course) was awarded three gold and four silver medals at international exhibitions.
How to serve
Some sweetness of the drink precludes its use with seafood and fish. But the red wine Kindzmarauli will be the best match with meat dishes, especially fried on the grill or grill. Also, it will serve as a worthy decoration of a sweet table. This wine is a great accompaniment to ice cream, light desserts (not cakes) and fruits. It should not be cooled too much, the optimum temperature when serving is 16-18 degrees. Such consumers can be recommended to the Russian consumer: Kindzmarauli Marani, Chateau Mukhrani, Khareba. Premium wine, very expensive, is made by the Alaverdi Traditions company. Kindzmarauli of this manufacturer in 2010 fell into the top 100 of the best wines in the world.