Barbale Danakharuli Tavkveri 2020

Drink it now or cellar it for up to 5 years. No need to decant.

Located in the village of Bolnisi, in the Kartli region, not far from the border with Azerbaijan, Barbale is one of the most promising and interesting wineries in the emerging Georgia wine scene. The winery was founded in 2016 and is now led by the oenologist Berdia Berishvili. Here, traditional Georgian and European-style wines are produced from indigenous grapes from organically grown vines in the historic Kartli and Kakheti wine regions.

This dry red wine is a blend of two indigenous grapes, the rather rare and ink-colored Danakharuli and the much more popular and light Tavkveri. The wine spends 8 months in Qvevri jars according to traditional Georgian winemaking techniques. The grapes come from the Shida Kartli sub-area.

Barbale Danakharuli Tavkveri has a medium ruby color with violet reflections. On the nose, the wine enhances a vibrant palette of roses, red plums, black cherries, blackberries, blueberries, and delicate spicy notes. On the palate, it has a relatively light body with medium acidity, velvety tannins and a good balance. The finish is elegant and recalls hints of licorice.

It goes well with poultry and especially guinea fowl, grilled vegetables, and medium-aged cheeses.