Anapea Village Kisi Amber 2020

In many ways, Georgia is the original home of wine. The trends of skin-contact whites and amphora ageing that feel trendy now started here, 8,000 years ago. 

Anapea Village was founded by Khatia and Gocha Darguashvili. This husband-and-wife team built their winery in Kakheti to revive Georgia's traditions. They farm organically, work only with indigenous grapes, and ferment everything in qvevri, the hand-crafted clay amphorae buried in the ground, a method recognized by UNESCO as cultural heritage.

This wine is made 100% with the local grape Kisi (and no, we had no idea the grape existed before tasting this beauty!) The grapes ferment on their skins for seven months in qvevri near the surface, where it's warmer, then age for another six months in qvevri buried six meters deep, where it's cool and still. The result is a dry, textural amber wine.

It smells of ripe peach, lychee, and grapefruit, with a floral lift that’s almost Gewürztraminer-like. The palate is savoury, and wrapped in gentle, chalky tannins. It’s the kind of wine that demands something equally bold: think duck pad Thai, pepperoni pizza with hot honey, or anything grilled and spiced.