Archil Guniava Dzelshavi 2021

Cellar for up to 10 years. Decanting is optional, up to 30 minutes before serving.

Archil Guniava Wine Cellar is a boutique winery located in the picturesque village of Kvaliti, in the region of Imereti, Georgia. Founded by charming winemaker Archil Guniava, the winery is known for producing high-quality organic wines using traditional Georgian winemaking methods, and a wide variety of indigenous grapes.

The Dzelshavi grape doesn’t have much exposure outside of Georgia, but it is a fantastic way to start exploring the country’s intricate family of native grapes. It’s known for producing delicious, summery, medium-bodied reds, similar in style to Gamay from Beaujolais or Burgundian Pinot Noirs.

This example is bursting with lively notes of all things red: cherry, apple, raspberry and strawberry are all present on the nose. Each sip reveals further complexities. You can discover flavours of rich dark chocolate, black pepper, and dried, savoury herbs. Qvevri ageing has imparted some mouth-drying tannicity, but overall, it is a light and easy-to-drink red. This wine has a shocking light scarlet colour and is perfect for enjoying with friends, on a summery evening. Dzelshavi is a flexible wine for food pairing, and we recommend drinking it alongside some rich Georgian food, such as lobiani, khachapuri or a bean soup. It will also be excellent with mushroom risotto.