This week we're really all over the map, with new arrivals from Africa, Georgia and South Australia... Given the distant prospects of travel, maybe we should allow our minds to wander with some foreign liquids. Producers closer to home are still rolling out 2019 wines, including favourites The Other Right which we have online now as well as some restocks of Les Fruits, which are on the way. Read on for some yarns on the new arrivals and other nuggets.
GEORGIA, THE HOMELAND OF WINE
The distinctive and delicious wines of Georgia have been talked about in natural wine circles for quite a few years now, with many drinkers now connecting the orange, the fruity and the sometimes cloudy wines they've encountered from Australia, Italy etc with their heritage in Georgia.
The story goes that after the human species migrated from East Africa across a land bridge to settle in what is known as the 'fertile crescent' between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, hunter-gathering practices changed to cultivation, pottery was developed for storage of crops/eating/drinking and civilisations we're established. By this time, the species had spread out a bit and just east of here, between the Black Sea and the Caucus Mountains in Georgia, approximately 8000 years ago people began to harvest the fruit of a native vine growing wild in the forests and crush into clay vessels where it would magically transform into a liquid we know as wine. It's not long after such a miracle substance was discovered that it was cultivated, codified, crossbred and trained into vineyards. And there we have it, the wine industry.
Now as you can imagine the timing and location of such a discovery are disputed by neighbouring regions. The Mesopotamians, Sumerians and others may have come to such a discovery on their own but in terms evidence we have wine compound residues on ancient clay vessels dating to 8000 years ago in Georgia, nobody else has come close.
Aside from archeology, there is the incredible unbroken tradition and culture of the place. The Qvevri (Kvevri), the iconic conical (iconical) clay vessel of Georgia is not just a symbol of the heritage but a practical tool which is used in all these wines we stock. It represents the original winemaking. Whatever your views on filtration, packet yeast or 'natural' winemaking, it's hard to argue against the purity of these wines, they are wine at it's most essential and basic.
With a minimum of disturbance, wines in Georgia have for 8000 years been made by harvesting organic grapes, crushing them by foot in what looks like a wooden canoe and running the juice and plenty of skins into a buried clay qvevri where they ferment and age. Soviet demand for mass production seemed to blow up the whole culture, where great factories churned out enormous volumes to supply the empire, but in the years since the fall Georgian wine tradition has picked up where it left off as if nothing had happened. Today a rapidly expanding number of producers, young and old are patriotically burying qvevri and making wine in the old way.
The distinctive quality of these wines is their sheer vinosity (wineyness 🤷). Intense fruit, aromatics and texture. Rustic, but in a pure and natural sort of way, without artifice. The whites, though there are straight whites, are most often 'amber' from long periods of juice and skins cohabitating. These possess the mouthfeel and structure of red wines but with the acidity, fruit and aroma of all manner of fruits, tropical and herbal, spicy and unknown. Indeed there is often no easy reference in terms of flavours... Imaginary fruits.
We are excited to have a selection of some of the leading examples of Georgian wine in the shop and online this week. We have wines from leading figures in the movement like Okro's Saperavi, an iconic Georgian red. Also Niki Antadze's Rkatsiteli, a stunning example of Georgia's prime white grape with only a few days skin-contact. We also have a cracking wine (pictured) from newer upstarts Do Re Mi, whose wines have recently been featuring on the menu at Noma. Lastly, there's something utterly unique; a blend of 417 (!) indigenous varieties from the Pheasant's Tears vine library block called Polyphonia. A mix of white, pink and red grapes it ends up as a light red wine of amazing complexity and interest.
These are special wines and we only have a few of each so jump on it.
HEAPS OF PACKS ONLINE
Our curated packs are good vibe for isolating times, discounted prices and curated selections mean that the thinking has been done for you. We're changing them all the time so check in here for the current lot.
STAY BRAVE AND FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS
Inspirational words of advice from our favourite African winemaker Craig Hawkins. The brother of our mate Neil from The Wine Farm in South Gippsland, Craig's making some brilliant and world-renowned wines in Swartland South Africa. A remarkable terroir on the western side of the Cape, known for Chenin Blanc but not like this. Stay Brave is a Chenin that sees 11 days skin-maceration and displays the resulting spice, aroma and texture with style, minerality and acid. The Follow Your Dreams is a crunchy Carignan, full of cherry and raspberry notes, light and perfumed.
These ares some of the best value and most delicious wines we see so grab them while they last!
WHAT'S LEFT OF THE OTHER RIGHT
It's safe to say people are pretty hot for the wines of Alex and Galit or The Other Right. They come and go quickly. We've got a few left of each since they arrived last week and if your looking for bright sappy reds or fun textural whites this is your moment. Check them out here.
FREE SAME DAY DELIVERY TUE-SAT
We've gone from recommending wines to our customers in shops to spilling hot 7-11 coffee in our laps while trying to read the Gregory's. We've added Tuesdays into the mix so now we're delivering every afternoon except Sunday and Mondays. If you're within 15km of Melbourne CBD and order before 1pm you'll get the wine before dinner time FREE.
SUBSCRIBE NOW TO OUR MONTHLY PACKS!
Now is the time to get in on the subscription action, we're currently selecting wines for our June packs which will go out in a fortnight.
We have from the outset prided ourselves on having the best monthly subscription wine service in the game. We take this so seriously that each and every month we convene a panel of expert wine industry folk around a cheese board at Sam's house for a tasting selection panel. No punches are pulled, frankly it's brutal. So the wines that go in our monthly packs are certified FIRE.
