Georgia's 8,000-Year-Old Wine

There are few wine regions so obscure as those of the country of Georgia. Many people can’t even point Georgia out on a map, let alone name a wine grape varietal from it. Yet in Georgia lies the origin of all our modern-day winemaking, without which there would be no Bordeaux, Tuscany, or Napa Valley. So for those of you who love drinking a fine Burgundy or a nice Barolo, I suggest you pay your respects to the oldest wine region in the world and say gaumarjos (cheers) with a glass of red Saperavi or white Rkatsiteli in hand!



Georgia's wine regions.



According to Greek myths, wine was flowing in the Kolkheti region (home to the legendary Golden Fleece) since well before the 8^th century BC. At this time, people of the South Caucasus had discovered the magical transformation that would take place when wild grape juice was left in shallow pits through the winter.  The perfect climate, mineral-rich soil, and abundant water available in the Caucasian Mountain area made wine production easy.  (The Kolkheti region still makes a famous fortified white port-style wine from Tsitska and Tsolikauri grapes today)

Kvevrei discovered near Gori

There is evidence of winemaking and trade with Persia and Greece dating to 6,000 BC. By about 1,000 years later the tradition of using kvevris (qvevris) had been established. These are clay vessels like amphorae lined with beeswax and sealed with earth, buried halfway in the ground, and used as fermenters and aging containers for the wine. The kvevri is often still the vessel of choice for vinification.

A depiction of Rtveli

Winemaking became intricately intertwined with Georgian society over the many centuries. Rtveli is an ancient harvest festival that continues to this day, taking place in late September. Feasts and vintage-themed music are part of the festivities celebrating vine and wine. In some regions people still drink wine from kantsi, or cleaned, boiled, polished animal horns from herd animals.

A Georgian silver-mounted drinking horn



Another expression of the depth of the grape vine’s roots in Georgian culture can be seen in the symbol of the Greek Orthodox church: a cross made of dried grape vines, tied together with the hair of Saint Nino. Legend has it that Saint Nino, who preached Christianity in Kartli, wandered bearing this vine cross. Christianization of Georgia increased the influence of wine from the 4^th century AD.

Saint Nino of Cappadocia with her vine cross

Given Georgia’s role in the history of wine, one may expect that people would be more familiar with this ancient source of viticulture and viniculture. Unfortunately Georgia has witnessed a few hurdles to the internationalization of its wines. Mikhail Gorbachev’s “dry law” in the mid-1980’s put a huge damper on sales of Georgian wines. Authenticity issues within the Georgian wine market due to mislabeling and use of imported grapes, along with rising political tensions, led to the 2006 Russian embargo on Georgian wines, hurting sales further. Additionally, the international palate has not necessarily been calibrated to the flavor profiles of Georgian wines. But with the recent spike of interest in “orange wine,” a style that originated in Georgia, and a new appreciation for earthy, terroir-driven reds, perhaps attention will be focused on Georgia once again.

A vineyard in Kakheti

Today winemaking in Georgia is recovering, with wine tourism in the country rising every year. The opening of international trade has led to an increase in quality and exposure. Hopefully soon more examples will be available on the US market. There are a few out there now… look for the following wines to try:

Saperavi – Literally, “paint” or “dye.” This black grape is a teinturier, meaning it’s juice is actually colored.  Saperavi makes a very extracted red wine by the same name in the Kakheti region known for its earthiness and notes of blackberry syrup and pleasant astringency. An aged version is called Mukuzani and is highly prized (look for Teliani Valley Winery’s Mukuzani). Try Pheasant’s Tears Saperavi at The Barrel Room for an excellent example.

Rkatsiteli – Translates as “red stem.” One of the oldest vinifera grapes, Rkatsiteli originated in Georgia and spread throughout Russia and Eastern Europe to become one of the most widely planted white grapes in the world. It produces acidic, crisp white wines with spicy and floral notes, which can develop quite a bit of complexity. It also makes some fantastic orange wines. Pheasant’s Tears Rkatsiteli is a delicious wine readily available in the US.

Mtsvane – Also known as Mtsvane Kakhuri. Translates to “new, young, and green.” Mtsvane makes a soft, more rounded, fruitier wine and is often blended with Rkatsiteli for balance. Try Teliani Valley’s Tsinandali to sample one of these blends. Bagrationi’s sparkling wines also use a good amount of Mtsvane.

So get out there and try some true old-world wine from Georgia. After all, the country did give us our word for wine (ghvino) in the first place!

- Sarah    

Turkish Wine: The Newest Old-World Wines on the Market

 

“They make wine in Turkey?!” people often say incredulously after glancing at our by-the-glass wine list and seeing Yakut, a red Turkish wine from the Elaziğ province. And we take the opportunity to mention that not only is wine made in Turkey, it is actually home to some of the oldest winemaking cultures on the planet. Turkish wines have received some attention recently and we expect them to get a lot more in the very near future. But the story of Turkish wines is unfamiliar to most, and the grapes are entirely unrecognizable, so these wonderful wines have quite a hurdle to overcome. If you’d like to get to know Turkish wines better, hopefully this post will help you get started.

First, a little history…

a Hittite relief showing the predominance of grapes in Anatolia

 

Wine production in Turkey dates back millennia… in fact, the first traces of viticulture in Anatolia appear 7,000 years ago. This region is the supposed location of the vineyard planted by Noah after the biblical flood had receded. The Hattis and the Hittites, also of biblical reference, thrived here and used wine as a ritual libation to please the gods. They even declared a holiday every year dedicated to celebration of the wine grape harvest. The Hittites’ successors, the Phrygians, introduced wines and winemaking techniques to Greece and by the 6^th century BC wines were being exported as far as Western Europe. Some say the legend of Dionysus (aka Bacchus, god of vine and wine) parading half-naked with wine goblet in hand and drunken masses in tow is a metaphor for the spread of wine from Anatolia through Thrace and into the rest of the ancient Greek empire.

Grapes native to Anatolia soon became prevalent throughout Europe including one extremely influential grape known as Misket, later to become the Muscat grape in France, Moscato in Italy, and Moscatel in Spain, among other names. A local variety grown in what is Izmir today was the fruit of Pramnios, the wine of Homer’s Iliad. Scybelites, a wine from Central Anatolia, was repeatedly praised by Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger.  

Winemaking has flourished in Turkey despite the spread of Islam throughout the centuries; non-Muslims typically produced the wines, and both Muslims and non-Muslims consumed it. The second half of the 19^th century saw wine production reach very high levels. The havoc wreaked by phylloxera in Europe led to massive demands for exported wine from Turkey, boosting technology and introducing winemakers to the international palate. Today the wine industry in Turkey is thriving and interest from the international wine community has been piqued, as can be seen by the appearance of Turkish wines in retail shops and on restaurant bottle lists, and numerous posts by wine bloggers trying to dispel the notion that these wines are just novelties.

Quite a few Turkish wines are now imported and available to consumers. So how does one know where to begin when choosing a Turkish wine? This quick lesson on Turkish grapes (and a very necessary pronunciation guide!) should help a little…

Here are the most common grapes you will encounter (which, thankfully, are typically written on the labels of Turkish wines):  

Emir (eh-meer): translation = “lord” or “ruler”

Native to Cappadocia. This grape produces a deliciously crisp citrusy white with a nice touch of salinity. Perfect for almost any seafood, especially oysters and mussels. It is also sometimes used in production of sparkling wines.

Narince (nah-rin-jeh): translation = “delicate”

Native to Tokat, where the Black Sea climate and continental climate meet. Ageworthy whites are made from Narince. Citrus and stone fruits dominate, along with elegant floral notes. The best of these can be matured in oak and will develop a Burgundian creaminess over time. Some excellent pairings include Gouda, mushroom risotto, rich fish dishes with white wine and herb sauces, and goat cheese based dishes for the unoaked versions.  

Sultaniye (sool-tah-nee-yeh): no translation

Grown around Izmir and Denizli, this seedless grape makes wines light in texture that are pleasant, fruity, and spicy.  Kayra makes “köpüklü” (bubbly Sultaniye) that has a hint of mulberry. The still wines are great with falafel or hummus, or with light salads.

Kalecik Karası (kah-le-jic car-ah-se): no translation

Could be native to the region around Ankara. This is Turkey’s most popular red wine grape at the moment. Previously almost extinct, the grape was revived by French and Turkish viticulturists working together. Kalecik Karası makes a structured, light-bodied wine with notes of herbs, red fruits, and chocolate reminiscent of Pinot. Some producers use oak, but this wine is also an excellent candidate for unoaked treatment. Great with grilled meats, lamb kabob, or roasted chicken.

Öküzgözü (oh-cooz-goe-zu): translation = “ox eye”

Native to the Elaziğ province near the Tigris River in Southeastern Turkey. Öküzgözü makes a well-balanced wine loaded with ripe raspberry and cherry, and is often blended with Boğazkere. This wine can age 10+ years. Excellent food wine… you can pair it with almost anything!

Boğazkere (boe-ahz-keh-reh): translation = “burning throat”

Native to the Diyarbakir province in the Mesopotamian flatland between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It has a very dark, red garnet color and intense aromas of dried red fruits and spices. It is often combined with the softer, lighter Öküzgözü grape. Pairs nicely with grilled meats, steaks, and pasta with meat sauce.

Now you are fully equipped to get out there and try some Turkish wines. Come to The Barrel Room for a glass of Kavaklidere Yakut, a deliciously bright and easy-drinking blend of Öküzgözü and Boğazkere.

Cheers, or should I say Şerefe (shair-ef-ay)!

- Sarah

How adventurous should a wine list be?

A response to New York Times article: Should a Wine List Educate or Merely Flatter You? 

I believe that a wine list should not only educate consumers but ease them outside of their comfort zone of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and introduce them to the Xinomavros and the Pecorinos of the world.  Isn’t that why we as consumers go to new, interesting and innovative restaurants and wine bars?  If we wanted to recognize every wine on the list maybe we should stick to Olive Garden and Applebee’s?  Personally I love discovering a restaurant with an interesting wine list and a selection that is hard to find or unknown to me, this shows me that the sommelier has taken great care in selecting the wines.

After a successful launch of our new “Obscure Wines of the World” menu last night, it came as no surprise to me that people come to the Barrel Room and embrace our unconventional wine selection to experience something new and interesting.  Here at the Barrel Room we’re happy to introduce and discuss the obscure wines that we proudly carry on our list.

Stop in and try our new menu this weekend as we celebrate our first year in business!

Cheers!

-Carolyn

The Almighty Screwcap

In the past 10 years a staggering number of wineries have made the switch to the screwcap closure on their wines, forsaking the cork, and looking to climb into the 21^st century of wine closures. 

Screwcaps have been used for food closures since the 19^th century to preserve freshness.  In 1959 a French company, Le Bouchon Mecanique, created a screwcap called the “Stelcap-vin” that was intended specifically for wine in place of a cork closure.  The Swiss were the first to embrace the Screwcap in the 1970’s, used primarily for Chasselas,  a fresh light white that is particularly sensitive to being “corked”.  However, because of lack of acceptance and lack of awareness of the shortcomings of cork, it took another 30 years for the screwcap to gain traction in the international wine market. 

In 2000 a group of winemakers from the Australian wine region Claire Valley were fed up with the cork tainting their Rieslings, and decided to adopt screwcap, marketed in as "Stelvin caps", as closures for their premium wines.  Soon thereafter New Zealand winemakers, who were already looking for an alternative to cork, followed suit.  While this was a risky move and could conceivably result in consumer resistance, the winemakers were more concerned with improving the sustainability of their wines using screwcaps instead of corks. 

There are several reasons that these “pioneers of the screwcap”were looking for a replacement for the cork. Most notable perhaps, is something called “cork taint”.  Somewhere between 5-15% of wine is affected by TCA (2,4,6-Trichloroanisole) occurring when chlorine is used to wash the cork or from cork trees affected by organic pesticides. TCA has an offensive odor many describe as wet newspaper or moldy basement.  With corks there is always a possibility of the wine being oxidized or exposed to unwanted amounts of oxygen.  Screwcaps seal from the outside of the bottle creating an airtight seal. Some arguments against screwcaps state that the low levels of oxygen transmission are not beneficial to all wines and there are certainly wines out there that benefit greatly from slight oxidization.  

Since the early 21^st century, New Zealand has most notably taken the lead with over 85% of wineries using screwcap closures.  Every major winemaking country now produces wine using screwcaps, and although corks will probably never not be part of the wine, it’s amazing how something as simple as a wine closure has gained wide spread use over the past decade.  As a side note: in the middle of the switch many wineries have made from cork to the screwcap the quality and production methods of natural cork has greatly improved. 

Some still associate the screwcap with low priced wines, but since winemakers have been bottling their premium wines using screwcaps, they’ve definitely gained credibility in the world of wine. Consumers who were once attached to the romantic ritual of opening a wine bottle with a corkscrew are more recently embracing the convenience of the almighty screwcap.

-Carolyn

The oldest wine culture in the Americas: México!

After a recent visit to the wine regions in Baja California, I hosted a tasting at The Barrel Room featuring wines I had brought back from Guadalupe Valley and Ensenada. During this tasting the most frequent question I encountered from attendees was, "They make wine in Mexico? I thought they just made beer and tequila!"

a view of vineyards in Guadalupe Valley, which currently produces 90% of Mexican wines

I have become familiar with Mexican wines over the last 5 or so years through numerous visits to Baja and Mexico City. The wine culture is surprisingly advanced, with most wines being sold to the massive population of the country's capitol city. Few of these wines make it to the United States. Many producers, when asked why they don't export, respond with "Why? We sell all of our wines every year, and exporting is expensive."

Thus the American market remains unfamiliar and uninformed regarding the vast spectrum of the wines produced in Mexico, and more importantly, the country's influence on winemaking in the Americas. Below is a brief history of winemaking in Mexico, and some interesting wines you can try here in the US. Ask us at The Barrel Room for information on how to get them!

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Mexico's official wine regions

Mexico has a much more extensive history of wine than most would imagine. In fact, the first Vitis vinifera grapes brought to the Americas from Europe were planted in Mexico by the Spanish in the 1500s, long before they arrived in any other country in the New World. After unsuccessful attempts by Spanish conquistadors to grow vinifera wine grapes in the tropical areas of Mexico, cuttings were planted alongside the native varietals which grew profusely in the Parras Valley in Coahuila. Soon afterward grapes were introduced to other regions such as Puebla and Zacatecas. 

"Spanish black"?

There is some debate over what the initial grape varietal was that first crossed the Atlantic in the early colonial era. What is known for sure was that the grape was referred to as the “common black grape” of Spain, and that it gave rise to the Mission grape of California, the Criolla (Criolla Grande) grape of Argentina, and the Pais (Criolla Chica) grape of Chile. A side note: Pais and Criolla are now known to have a common ancestor that was a crossing between Muscat of Alexandria and Mission.

Casa Madero, a true Mexcian château

The planting of vinifera grapes was ordered by Hernán Cortés in the 1520s after the supply he had brought dwindled. During the next century and a half wine production in Mexico skyrocketed. Casa Madero, the first commercial winery, was established by Lorenzo Garcia in Santa Maria de las Parras (Coahuila) in 1597 and still exists today. 

A 1699 ban on wine production in the country was not officially lifted until Mexico’s independence. The ban, however, did not faze the Mexican wine producers. Juan Ugarte, a Jesuit priest, was one of the many who continued making wine despite the ban. He introduced the first vines to Baja California upon his relocation in 1701 to Loreto. The vines were transported from Loreto to the Santo Tomas Mission in 1791 by the Jesuits, then to Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe del Norte Mission in Guadalupe Valley in 1843 by Dominicans.

Bodegas Santo Tomas

A group of Russian immigrants (the Molokans) fled the Czar’s army and relocated to Guadalupe Valley and its surrounding areas. There they began making good quality wines, only to be stifled by the Mexican Revolution. Since the 1980s there has been a small revival of winemaking especially in Guadalupe Valley. This is definitely an area to keep an eye on during the next few decades…

Some Mexican wines to look out for:

 2006 L. A. Cetto 'Don Luis Cetto' Merlot, Guadalupe Valley, Baja: 

 Merlot may be the way to go in Guadalupe... this rich, chocolaty, ripe plum-filled example of a Merlot will challenge anyone who doesn't think Baja can make wine! It certainly didn't last long at The Barrel Room, and those who purchased it wished we had more... we're working on it. We also have L. A. Cettos' award-winning Nebbiolo and Petite Sirah for those who'd like to try them!

2009 Mariatinto, Guadalupe Valley, Baja:

Sommelier Bernabe de Luna of San Francisco's RN74 recently paired this wine with a mole dish at an event called "Somms in the Kitchen," a food and wine pairing competition judged by a panel of wine experts including Raj Parr. And he got first place. This Tempranillo, Grenache, and Syrah blend has been featured in Food & Wine Magazine events among others, and is a soft, fruit-forward, easy-to-drink wine that serves as an excellent accompaniment to spicy cuisine.

2010 Viñas Pijoan 'Paulinha,' Guadalupe Valley, Baja

A blend of Merlot and Zinfandel that makes me want barbacoa! Soft and supple, this wine comes from a family of serious winemakers with an underground cellar that looks like something straight out of Europe. They make a great 100% Zinfandel, too.

- Sarah