#LesJourneeduPatrimoine
La Cite du Vin
17 Septembre 2017
On the day all the museums and monuments in France open for public in free,
La Cite du Vin was not really free.
However, there was a very interesting wine tasting, so I paid 6 euros for it!
These days, there is an temporary exhibition of Georgian wine.
This wine tasting was related to this exhibition.
I was little bit late, and I was fool because I was not able to find where I should go,
anyway...
At first, I watched two very old Georgian movie.
Because I went into the cinema quite late, I could not really understand the first movie, but the second one was so funny.
It was an episode related to Qvevri which is a traditional wine container in Georgia.
After that, we learned about Georgian wine, Terroir, and grape varieties etc.
The wine history in Georgia is 8000 years. This country is the first place of wine production in world history.
There are 525 grape varieties. wow
Like Jeju island, most of Georgian people seem to have vine plants at home.
There is a humor in South Korea.
Jeju people said that not everyone in Jeju has citrus trees at home.
But my grand mother has one.
I'm wondering if Georgian people are same or not. LOL
Originally, the scale of vine yard was 150,000 ha before Soviet Union regime.
After that, today, 40,000 ha of vineyard last.
AOC, 18 Appellation
The vineyards in Georgia get the impact from Black sea, mountains and a variety of soil types. (15 major types)
The west part (near Black sea) is cooler because of maritime climate,
and East part (the most famous wine production area: KAKHETI) is warmer.
70% of wine production belongs to KAKHETI area.
The wines from the area next to Black sea is becoming famous.
The style of wine is similar to Loire Valley's.
* Wine making process *
(white wine)
Crush grapes in wooden crusher ( Satsnakheli 사츠나헬리)
Pour grape juice with certain percentage of skin and stems into Qvevri
Bury Qvevris under the ground and seal the lid not to contact to light and air
In western region, Qvevri would be buried outside.
After 4-6 months, the sediments move down.
In Korea, we have similar thing named as "Jangdok".
It's for fermented food like Kimchi.
* Wine Tasting *
1. TBILVINO QVEVRIS RKATSITELI (2014)
grape: Rkatsiteli
Region: Kakheti
12.5%
The characteristics of this wine:
Thick skin / High phenolics(석탄산) / Medium Acidity /
Qvevri fermented / Age worthy
Beautiful amber colour
High Intensity in terms of aroma
not traditional white wine aromas
Toasty, Smoky, Tropical, little Jammy note, Floral
Dry / Medium body / Medium Acidity
And Tannins!!!!
2. VINOTERRA KISI 2014
Grape: Kisi
Region: Kakheti
13%
beautiful beautiful amber colour! more amber colour than the first one!
Aromas like cognac (little bit)
Tropical, more honey! Jammy (Confiture) coing...?
Dry / High Acidity / M-H Alcohol
L-M body / More tannic than the first one
Smoky, Toasty, Mineral (humidity), Petrol?, Kerosene?
Like it! :-)
3. Alaverdi Monastery Marani (2011)
grape: Saperavi
Region: Kakheti
14%
The grape 'Saperavi' is similar to Syrah and Cabernet.
Characteristics:
thick skin
Frost sensitive
High Acidity
Age worthy
Aromas: Licorice, berries(blue berries), smoke
Deep Ruby colour
High intensity of aroma
something like Cognac,
Jammy, Blue berry, fig, Herbaceous, Licorice, Grape,
Toasty, Smoky, Herbs, Mint
Dry / High Alcohol / Medium Acidity/
Medium Body / Medium Tannins
It was really interesting tasting.
Specially, Georgian white wine was so impressive.
Unlike normal white wine, the colour was very deep, with smoky and toasty aromas because of Qvevri and even tannins on the tongue because of skin and stems connection.
Perhaps I should visit the Georgian wine exhibition!
