Kisi is one of the best of Georgia’s unique line-up of indigenous grapes, so it’s great to see an example on a supermarket shelf in the UK. This is a traditional, orange style white that was fermented and matured in buried clay vessels called qveveris. It has intriguing layers of oolong tea, orange zest and juniper, some underlying tannic structure and a fresh, tangy finish. Something a little different.
White Varietal: Kisi
2011 Vinoterra Kisi, Kakheti
( €11.90, 12.5%, Geovino )Too young at the moment – winemaker Gogi says wait two years, but there’s a bright future for this complex, structured amber wine. The nose has everything from cooked plums, to toffee and caramel. Generous stone fruit and quite full bodied.
2010 Alaverdi Monastery Kisi, Kakheti
( POA, 13%, Les Caves de Pyrene )Alaverdi’s Kisi spends 6 months in the Qvevri, the skins and stalks lending it its deep amber colour, with fine-grained but persistent tannins. The aromas are intensely herbal, almost medicinal with hints of caramel and musk. Quite full bodied, with peachy, cooked stone fruit dominating the palate. Hugely complex, but needs food to show at its best.