Tsitskauri, no skin

Tsolikouri No Skin 2022

Region : Georgia

Grape : Tsolikouri

Color : White

A recommended bottle for those trying Georgian wine for the first time.

Beautiful amber color.
Contrary to its color, it's clear and bone-dry, with elegant acidity that creates a surprisingly sophisticated finish. Yet, it has plenty of umami.
Aromas of pear, apple, yuzu jam, chervil, and mint.
Tsolikouri is destemmed and fermented and aged in Qvevri without skin contact.

*Qvevri… A large traditional earthenware vessel used for fermentation and aging, which has been in use in Georgia for approximately 8,000 years.
It is egg-shaped and buried underground to produce wines with unique flavors.

[Producer Information]

Approximately 300 kilometers northwest of the capital Tbilisi.
Samegrelo region, Martvili district, Targameuli village, upstream of the Tekhuri River.

In upstream river areas and mountainous regions with altitudes of around 200m or more, humidity and rainfall are quite low, and they are strongly affected by the continental climate and winds from inland. Furthermore, if the vineyards are on south-facing slopes, they receive abundant sunlight, which has a positive effect on grape growth. The Samegrelo region produces excellent wines depending on the area, altitude, and slope direction.

The soil is a chalky clay-limestone soil rich in marl. On mountain slopes and hillsides, the upper layer of clay-limestone is composed of carbon-rich marl, gravel, and loess.
It is said that over 60 local varieties existed in this region before the phylloxera epidemic in the 9th century. The most famous white grape in this region is Tsolikouri.

With a winery on the first floor and a residence on the second, they operate their winemaking in a small space. Both husband and wife have separate small wineries, but Vino Martovile Marani is led by the husband, Zaza Gagua.

Established in 2012 by five friends, Vino Martovile is located in Targameuli village in Martvili district. This is the village where Zaza grew up and where he spent a lot of time with his grandparents in his childhood, a place full of memories. His grandfather also used to make wine, and helping his grandfather in his childhood was his first winemaking experience.
In their first year of establishment in 2012, they started with a production of only 400 bottles. In 2017, their total production finally reached 3,800 bottles, and in 2018, 8,000 bottles, steadily growing at a slow pace.

While Martvili district has an annual rainfall of 1580mm, this number significantly decreases in the mountainous areas and the Tekhuri River valley mentioned above. It is also strongly influenced by winds from the east (inland), making it an ideal place for vineyards and winemaking. This Targameuli village is right by the Tekhuri River.
A major characteristic of his wines is that the tannins and astringency derived from maceration are very soft and delicate, and they possess a very cute, freshly squeezed fruitiness, making them very simple yet three-dimensional. I feel that simple home cooking pairs very well with Georgian wines.