Marani Satrapezo Saperavi 2019

Cellar for up to 30 years. Decant for up to an hour before serving. From a wine cellar outside the city of Telavi in the historic Kakheti region, Marani have spent over a century providing the world with Georgian wines of the highest quality. The company strikes a fine balance between innovative techniques and time-honoured Kakheti traditions, with their diverse range of award-winning vintages. The Saperavi grapes for this wine are sourced from Marani’s largest vineyard in Kondoli, where they grow on a loamy, loose soil atop a limestone bedrock. They are plucked and de-stemmed by hand, before being buried under the earthen floor of Telavi Wine Cellar in large Qvevries. This skin-contact method of fermentation produces intensely aromatic wines, and in the case of the Saperavi grape, a stunningly dark and inky colour. Sophisticated aromas of blue forest berries, vanilla, and spice marry effortlessly in this savoury red. Blackberry and smooth oaky tannins envelop the mouth at the beginning, followed by refreshing cassis and notes of black licorice. The mouthfeel is a treat, round, silky and full-bodied. Drink this powerful Saperavi now, or let it age for decades further. It is worthy of enjoying alone, but it pairs well with traditional Georgian food, dense meats, or hard cheeses.

Price: £22.96 from 8wines UK