Pheasants Tears Saperavi

This popular red is so dark in colour that it’s called black in Georgian, and varies greatly according to the terroir in which it’s grown. Pheasant’s Tears estate Saperavi is a bold, earthy, dry red with flavours of black currant and toasted almond with an elegant, natural tannic structure.

Pheasant’s Tears is owned by three individuals in equal shares: John Wurdeman: Wine Tourism/ Idea Person/ Public Voice/ Sales; Gela Patalashvili: Vinedresser/ Winemaker and Georgian Wine Legacy: A small Swedish importer of wine set up to facilitate small sales in the EU. Pheasant’s Tears estate vineyard plantings flow down the slopes of the eastern Georgian Kiziqi province overlooking the Alazani Valley and snow-capped Caucasus Mountains. The site itself is located near the village of Tibaani in the shadow of the 6th century monastery of St. Stephen. The terroir here is special, with long summer sunlight of over 14 hours a day and evenings cooled by the breeze from the gorge. The soil is composed of limestone, chalk and dark clay on the surface, whilst a metre deep lies a sandy loam mixed with gravel, providing excellent drainage for the vines’ root systems. Gela, and Malkhaz grew up in a farming family learning from their grandparents and parents how to grow grapes and make wine in 314lumies. In 2007 they approached John to help with investment and to be a bridge to the outside world in order to enable the wines to reach more wine lovers that wanted an authentic Georgian wine, they were saddened, that there were too many big wineries, with winemakers detached from the land and from Georgian traditions. They saw an 8,000 year old tradition with hundreds of autochon varietals under the threat of becoming internationalised and homogenised.

Gela’s desire is to preserve the traditional winemaking techniques that have made Georgia a home for viticulture since 6,000 BC. A combination of high-quality soil and diligent vineyard care helps achieve the quality of fruit necessary to create these traditional but elegant wines combined with the commitment to organic principles (which started with the purchase of the Saperavi vineyards in 2007 which has subsequently been certified), are essential practices both protect the land from misuse and harsh chemicals and also to help develop the rich terroir that is reflected in each of the wines. The variety of soils include those from Tibaani : brown carbonate, and stony with limestone mixed in; Bodbiskhevii, black carbonate soil over sand; Manavi: yellow sand with pink quartz and Kartli/ Mukhrani which features mainly limestone and brown carbonate with sand found at 30 cm beneath the surface. Pheasant’s Tears are also committed to seeking out rare indigenous varietals and bringing them to market. Georgia has over 500 species of grape, many limited to tiny micro-regions at specific elevations and most unfamiliar even to the knowledgeable Georgian wine consumer. This rich heritage is in danger of being lost entirely, relegated to DNA databases and laboratory experiments.

Qvevri were the first vessels ever to be used for wine fermentation, with archaeological finds dating back to 6000 BC. Qvevri are clay vessels lined with beeswax and completely buried under the ground where the temperature stays even throughout the year, allowing the wines to ferment in the natural coolness of the earth. Pheasant’s Tears’ qvevris vary in age but some date back to the mid 19th century. The cellar is built in the vineyard itself to minimize the damage to the grapes in transportation, allowing harvesting and process before the heat of the day takes effect. In accordance with Georgian traditional winemaking methods, the ripest of stems are added to the grape skins, juice and pits, for both reds and whites. The maceration time depends on varietal and the size of the qvevris and varies between 3 weeks and 6 months. 

Organic, minimal intervention, low sulphur, natural yeast, Qvevri fermented (lined in beeswax), unfiltered. 

2017

13%

75cl