To learn more about the wines of Armenia, check out our book Uncorking the Caucasus: Wines from Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia.

Zorah received its first international accolade right from the start: the inaugural Zorah Karasi (2010) was one of Bloomberg’s Top Ten Wines of 2012. The winery was founded by Zorik Gharibian, an Armenian who grew up in Italy and made a name for himself in the fashion capital of Milan. With extensive experience in the fashion industry, both Zorik and his wife, Yeraz Tomassians, are well primed to cross-pollinate ideas from a wealth of disciplines – including design and marketing – and bring forth refreshing facets to the wine industry.

Here’s a glimpse of their aesthetic sense and commercial acumen.

All that sound like a recipe for success; and not only does Zorah make world-class wines that live up to its brand identity, it has also captured the world’s imagination: arguably the most widely featured Armenian producer in the mediasphere, Zorah has created a lot of buzz for not only their wines but Armenian wine as a whole – championing this ancient wine country’s pedigree and grandeur.

Armenia’s Vayots Dzor Wine Region

Zorah’s winery and vineyards are situated in Vayots Dzor, a wine region that is home to the world’s oldest-known wine production facility, the Areni-1 Cave. The discovery of this more than 6,000-year-old cave complex in 2011 has since reshaped the narrative about wine history.

Located in southern Armenia, Vayots Dzor has its highest point reaching over 3,500 meters above sea level. Currently, the wine grapes are grown between 1,000 and 1,600 meters in volcanic soil and dry continental climate: the highest temperature can be up to 40°C in summers, and the exceptional minimum temperature is -35°C in winters. The precipitation varies from 300 to 800 mm, depending on the location. In the town of Rind where Zorah Winery is, the average temperature is 10°C  with large diurnal temperature variation and the total annual precipitation is around 350mm. Irrigation is permitted, and all the vines here are on their own rootstock.

Armenia’s Flagship Grape: Areni Noir

Named after a village of the same name in the western part of Vayots Dzor, the flagship grape is an ancient red variety called Areni, which represents an unparalleled clonal heritage. The Areni berry is relatively big and offers good acidity and light to moderate tannins. A mid-budding and late-ripening grape, it has moderate resistance to fungal diseases and high resistance to winter frosts. Jancis Robinson, who has written about Zorah wines several times on her website, states in The Oxford Companion to Wine, that Areni produces “wines that are medium bodied with real zip”.

 Photo credit: Zorah 

But exploring Armenian wine isn’t merely about the sensory merits, it offers something more profound and educational: the ancient history and culture of wine, intertwined with modern society, anthropological study, and human aspiration. In a way, the Areni wine channels Armenia’s past in a bottle and offers a glimpse into the country’s future. One may wonder what the ancient expression of this variety was like, where the Areni wine was drunk, and how this grape would help shape the future of Armenia’s viticulture.

Interview with Zorik Gharibian and Yeraz Tomassians

In the late 1990s, Gharibian had wanted to establish a winery in Tuscany. In 1998, he visited Armenia, and the trip changed the trajectory of his life. Instead of Tuscany, he started searching for plots suitable for wine grape cultivation in Armenia. It took him a decade to find the ideal place, then the ideal Armenian varieties, and get Zorah Winery off the ground.

Gharibian is lucidly aware of his vision. He often emphasizes that Zorah wines are not made to merely appease the Armenians or the Armenian diaspora; the end goal is to create “Zorah wines for wine lovers” and show the world that Armenia has the caliber to make world-class wines.

Gharibian still owns his clothing manufacturing business in Milan. When asked if he prefers to work in the fashion industry or wine, he said that being in the vineyard and winery is a time of respite and peace for him.

In the following videos, Gharibian and Tomassians share more about the history, vision, and wines of Zorah.

Respect for Authenticity

We would be remiss not to mention its Zorah’s oenologist: Alberto Antonini, who was once the assistant winemaker at Frescobaldi and head winemaker at Col d’Orcia and Antinori, has been part of Zorah’s story since its infancy. Tuscany-born Antonini is among the most influential wine consultants in the world. Despite the consulting work he has done worldwide, Antonini is clear-headed when approaching an esoteric wine region like Armenia and does not impose a ‘winemaker’s signature’ on Zorah wines. He believes that the winemaker is the enemy of terroir and seeks to be invisible in his wines – letting simplicity and purity lead to the best possible interpretation of where the wines are born.

Photo credit: Zorah 

In an interview with The Drinks Business, Antonini was quoted:

“Winemakers need to gain more confidence and feel more comfortable in doing their own thing and making authentic wines that are true to themselves otherwise you end up with the wine equivalent of Britney Spears and Justin Bieber—commercially focused wines made to suit the market.”

This sentiment is reflected in his approach to Zorah wines. “He has always believed in the Armenian wine’s identity, and he encourages us to work with native varieties and use traditional winemaking methods so as not to lose Armenian wine to an international style,” says Tomassians.

Zorah Wines: Tasting Notes

Armenia has a rich viticulture heritage. Its mineral-rich volcanic soil,  topography, and microclimates yield a diverse range of grape varieties. Zorah Winery is committed to working with only autochthonous varieties. The winery plans to move all fermentation and aging processes into karases (Armenian clay vessels)—a traditional winemaking method that people in this part of the world have used for millennia. However, a strict timeline for this transition may be futile as karases are in shortage; they are no longer produced in Armenia today. In order to gather all the karases that the winery needs, the Zorah’s team has been going from village to village and home to home to acquire them secondhand. After locating the karases, a second challenge may arise: the vessels are often too big to fit through the door and require the demolishment of walls to retrieve them. Next comes the struggle of transporting these fragile clay vessels to the winery. A plan to open a karas-making school in the region is in the pipeline as Tomassians, who is trained in ceramic pottery, aims to build a facility next to the winery.

Zorah “Heritage” Chilar ( 100% Chilar)

(Tasted in April 2020) Charine Tan: The “Heritage” line by Zorah consists of wines made from revived ancient wine grape varieties of Armenia. While the estate is located in Vayots Dzor, the “Heritage” project will bring the Zorah team to other Armenian wine regions in search of noteworthy wine grapes.

Zorah Heritage Chilar 2018

The Zorah Heritage Chilar 2018 is the debut bottling of this project. As its name suggests, this wine is made from the Armenian native variety Chilar. Fermentation happened in the karas (Armenian clay amphora), with around 60 days of skin contact. Aging lasted for around 9 months in karas before the wine was transferred to bottles for further aging of around 10 months. This is a true ‘natural’, ‘orange’ wine from volcanic soil and high altitude. The vines thrive on their original rootstocks. A wine of only the original essence, so to speak, guided by masterful hands.

Elements of marine, mineral, and smoke form the first impression, which later reveals white peach, apple, and orange blossom. The palate is marvelously textured. Quite rich and unctuous with good tension that elegantly guides the wine to a saline finish with, surprisingly, a bit of gritty tannins. The saline and mineral hints return emphatically on the focused finish, which lingers with serious persistence.
 

Zorah Voski (50% Voskehat and 50% Garandmak)

Zorah Voski 2018

(Tasted in April 2020) Charine Tan: Zorah Voski 2018 is a blend of Voskehat and Garandmak, two ancient wine grapes from Armenia. Like all Zorah wines, this throws a smoky veil over the nose. Then, notes of lemon, pear, peach, and pomelo follow up, plus an herbaceous undertone. Extremely soft on the palate, with a touch of lactic flavor. By the way, soft, very soft, I mean 1,000-thread-count ridiculously soft.

Zorah Voski 2015

Charine Tan: Voski means “gold”, and the name is a reference to the grape Voskeat, which means “golden drop”. This vintage of Voski has much more pop than 2014 (first vintage of Zorah Voski). Bursting with floral accent, coupled with notes of ripe stone fruit and a persistent mineral drive. More than just a pleasure to drink, this is packed with nuances and the finish offers something long and suave. This is the best Armenian white wine I’ve come across.

Zorah Voski 2014

Matthew Horkey: Had a sample just one month after bottling. Very nice acidity and clean flavors. It does not taste like any other Voskeat I drank in Armenia. Will taste outstanding after it is aged in the bottle for a few more months before release.

Zorah Karasi (100% Areni Noir)

Zorah Karasi 2018

(Tasted in April 2020) Charine Tan: Zorah Karasi 2018 is riveting from the very first sniff and taste. The marriage of fruit intensity, energy, and purity is nothing short of captivating. Smoky, flinty, spicy, floral, and gently sweet–redolent of savory steak rub, amber, white pepper, lily of the valley, red cherry, and dehydrated strawberry. On the palate, fine, silky tannins add to the wine’s sophistication, plus great acidity and a hint of stemminess integrated well into this refined Areni Noir. The end-palate takes the tongue to an all-night skinny-dip in a sweet cherry pool.

Note: The first vintage of Zorah Karasi is 2010. During our research for Uncorking the Caucasus, we managed to taste three of the latest vintages. We didn’t get a chance to try Zorah Karasi 2012 (yet) and have been told by a few wine lovers that it is their favorite vintage. The proprietor said 2011 is his favorite vintage. For me, 2018 is certainly my favorite. This is one of the most exciting and profound wines I’ve tasted in 2020. Readers who can find Zorah Karasi 2018 should not hesitate.

Zorah Karasi 2015

Charine Tan: The name Karasi means “from karas”, and it’s an apt name for this wine since it is made in concrete eggs and karases. 2015 Zorah Karasi appears more extracted and bigger framed than the 2014’s.  Notes of strawberry, maraschino cherry, rhubarb, mulberry, and earth, piled on a smoky undertone. The acidity is welcoming in this medium-bodied wine. It still needs more time to stretch out but is already showing a lot of depth and potential to evolve well in the medium term. 

Zorah Karasi 2014

Charine Tan: The first impression on the nose and palate is redolent of a Chianti Classico. Notes of sour cherry, grass, earth, crushed rock, tobacco, and a touch of smoke. The fruit is plush on the palate and the smooth tannins guide the long finish.

Zorah Karasi 2013

Tasting notes found in our previous article.

Zorah Yeraz (100% Areni Noir)

Zorah Yeraz 2015

(Tasted in April 2020) CT: Zorah Yeraz 2015 is made from a field blend of various strains of the ancient wine grape Areni Noir, grown on century-old bush vines. The vineyard is located 1,600 meters above sea level, in a Phylloxera-free terroir with a combination of volcanic, sedimentary, and limestone soils. The grapes were fermented in Karas (amphora) and aged in large, untoasted casks. This is the magnum opus of Zorah, and dare I say, of Armenia and Areni Noir as well.

As with almost all Zorah’s wines, Zorah Yeraz shows reductive notes at first and requires plenty of aeration. That said, it is the best kind of reductive notes. The struck match and gunflint aromas do not smell foul. Quite the opposite, they fit the whole profile and play on the idea of ‘volcanic wine’. This character has consistently made Zorah’s wines more complex, and it integrates so well into the wines that I am inclined to consider it a sort of hallmark of the estate. The enticing profile is also marked by black pepper, cherry, cedar, and earth. Ultrasoft and silky on the palate leading to a seamlessly long and spicy finish. A medium-bodied wine with intense punches of flavors and remarkable finesse

Have you ever been so interested in someone that you’re afraid to go on a date with said person or pursue a relationship further for fear that you might go off your rocker? That’s almost how I feel now about approaching Zorah Yeraz, the premium bottling of Zorah’s Areni Noir.

Zorah Yeraz 2013

CT: This is the cru wine from Zorah and is named after Zorik’s wife. The word Yeraz also means hope/dream in the Armenian language. The grapes for this wine are harvested from ultra-centennial, ungrafted bush vines planted at 1,600 meters above sea level. Fermented in concrete vessels, then aged in amphorae and neutral, untoasted oak casks.

Zorah Yeraz 2013 brings a whole new canon of exquisiteness that demands a quiet mind to understand: reticent at first and requires some coaxing, it is ethereally gentle. Notes of strawberry, raspberry, earth, and leaf pile, with a lot of mineral-tasting acidic tension. Soft and round on the palate. A complete wine that has achieved harmony in its balance and integration in flavors. An exceptional wine to drink now but will be rewarding to put it in the cellar and forget about it for at least five years. 

2012 is the first vintage of this bottling, and I find 2013 to be a massive step-up.

Putting It All Together

The vinous ground is shifting with the rise of ‘new’ ancient varieties, powered by the balance between tradition and innovation. While I love to experience how the archetypical international grapes thrive in different climates and various parts of the world, there are many autochthonous grapes in up-and-coming wine countries that can better capture the innate beauty of the local land, history, and culture. The ability to put wine in the right context can lead to more creative and appealing cultural products, such that wine can serve as a platform to help people understand the geography, history, and sentiments of a country. Let’s also not forget that while we can simply enjoy all the sensory pleasure in the world, without human-driven stories, we will achieve little cultural flourishing.

Zorah wines are truly iconic wines that should inspire confidence in the potential of Armenia’s indigenous grapes and tell the story of Armenia as a wine country.

You May Also Enjoy

• Armenian Wines: One Year Later
• Ancient Wine Grape Varieties from Armenia, Georgia, and Turkey
• FAO Working to Revitalize A Historic Sector in Armenia – Grape Production
• World’s Highest Wine Launch Takes Place on Mount Ararat

Cover photo courtesy of Zorah Winery.

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Zorah Wines: Depicting Armenia’s Ancient Wisdom appeared first on Wine Travel.

“EWT Insider” is meant to be a practical guide for gastronomy travelers. We’ll continue to update this page with every new visit to Budapest, so consider it a work in progress. This guide, compiled over six weeks in and around Budapest, is packed with information about where and what to eat and drink.

Budapest as seen from the Gellért Hill. From the left to the right: you can see the Buda Castle, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, and the Hungarian Parliament Building. (Photo: Christian Mehlführer, CC BY 3.0)

Where to Drink

WINE TASTING

• Cintányéros (The wine selection is small so this isn’t the place to visit if you’re looking for a full-fledged, educational wine experience. But what you’ll find here is a good ambience to enjoy wine, sumptuous cheese & meat platters, and friendly service staff.)
• Cultivini (Also offers simple cheese and cold cut selections.)
• Tasting Table (Also offers artisanal cheese and meat selections that you shouldn’t miss.)

BUY & GO 

• Bortársaság (Has many outlets in Hungary; check https://www.bortarsasag.hu/hu/boltok/ for details.)
• In Vino Veritas (Has an adjacent wine bar.)

DINING PLACES WITH GOOD WINE LIST

• Bock Bisztró (Owned by Bock Winery in the Villány wine region, Bock Bisztró’s wine list is compact and offers a good introduction to Hungarian wines, but the food here is what keeps us coming back.)
• Konyvbar (There are many small-production and off-menu wines here. If you’re a vinous treasure hunter, this is the place to visit. The food menu changes every few weeks.)

Where to Eat

ASIAN FOOD: Hanoi Xua Vietnamese Restaurant, Indigo Indian Restaurant

BUDGET MEAL: Bors Gastro Bar (soup), Dagoba Bisztró (lunch), Hummus Bar (middle eastern), Karavan Torok Bufe (Turkish food)

CHOCOLATE: Chocolate Rózsavölgyi, Endorfine Csokoládéüzlet, Stuhmer Edessegbolt

CAFÉ: Butter Brothers (There are many interesting cafés in Budapest, but I love Butter Brothers for its pastries.), Central Cafe (An Art Nouveau cafe best suited for a long coffee-and-cake break.), The Bake Shop (Small café offering good-quality coffee and fantastic cakes, including paleo-friendly ones.)

CRAFT BEER: Beerselection.hu

‘EXPERIENTIAL’ GROCERY SHOPPING: Central Market Hall / Great Market Hall, Szimpla Sunday Farmers’ Market

HUNGARIAN FOOD: Belvárosi Disznótoros, Getto Guylas

TRADITIONAL BAKERY: Fröhlich Kóser Cukrászda, Sütipatika

Where to Find

ASIAN COOKING INGREDIENTS: Szep Kis India International

PALEO INGREDIENTS & NATURAL SKINCARE: Bio-Barát Biobolt, Dieta Life Market

Videos

Timestamps: Summer 2018 in Hungary
[0:09] Szimpla Sunday Market – Budapest, Kazinczy u. 14, 1075 Hungary
[0:24] Fröhlich Kóser Cukrászda – Budapest, Dob u. 22, 1072 Hungary
[0:30] KönyvBár & Restaurant – Budapest, 1074, Dob u. 45, 1074 Hungary
[0:40 and 1:54] Tasting Table Budapest – Budapest, Hungary, Bródy Sándor utca 9, 1088 Hungary
[0:48] Cintányéros Wine Bar – Budapest, Bókay János u. 52, 1083 Hungary
[1:05] Central Market Hall / Great Market Hall – Budapest, Vámház krt. 1-3, 1093 Hungary
[1:36] Belvárosi Disznótoros – Budapest, Király u. 1d, 1075 Hungary / Budapest, Károlyi utca 17, 1053 Hungary
[1:47] Central Cafe – Budapest, Károlyi utca 9, 1053 Hungary
[2:00 onward] About Tokaj wine region

Travel Deeper

WINE REGIONS AROUND BUDAPEST: Etyek-Buda (about 30 minutes by car), Ászár-Neszmély (about 60 minutes by car), Balaton Lake (about 90 minutes by car), Eger (about 100 minutes by car), Szekszárd (about 120 minutes by car), Villány (about 140 minutes by car), Tokaj (about 160 minutes by car)

The post EWT Insider: A Wine Lover’s Guide to Budapest appeared first on Wine Travel.

The Cagliari International Wine & Food Festival takes place each summer in Sardinia. This last summer, we were invited by the organizers, APS Promo Eventi. This rendition of the event included the two-day festival and a one-day excursion to the village of Mamoiada – which is famous for its Cannonau.

Before the festival, the day trip to Mamoiada stole the show. We spent the day visiting cellars, vineyards, and small producers – some producing around only 3000 bottles per year. In the afternoon, a group of five producers organized a feast of slow-roasted Sheep and Sheep’s blood. It took place at the home of a local shepherd. While the food isn’t something we would crave every day, it was still a unique and eye-opening experience.

Sardinian Wine

When it comes to wine, Sardinia (Sardegna in Italian) is mostly known for its whites made from Vermentino and its reds made from Cannonau (Grenache) and Carignano (Carignan). All three of these grapes make beautiful wines, both for immediate drinking and cellaring. For hardcore wine geeks, two unique specialties that you shouldn’t miss are Vernaccia di Oristano and Malvasia di Bosa. Both of them are oxidative style wines that age under a film of yeast called Flor. On this last trip, we got a taste of them all.

Last Fall, APS Promo Eventi invited us to judge at The Vermentino Competition (you can read about some of our favorite Vermentinos there). That trip focused on Vermentino, this trip focused mostly on Cannonau. Here are eleven wines that stood out to us during the event and day excursion.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks.

You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.

• Cantina Gungui, Berteru Cannonau di Sardegna 2016

• Vike Vike, Cannonau di Sardegna 2016

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Cantina Vike Vike is founded by the grandson of Guiseppe Sedilesu. The wines are produced in the village of Mamoiada. This is a minimal intervention style of wine and a well-executed one at that. There is a touch of volatile acidity which works in the wine, it is accompanied by pure red fruit flavors. The Vike Vike Cannonau di Sardegna is chewy, fresh, and fruity. This may turn off some, but fans of this style of wine will be in love.   4.1/5

• Cantina Sannas, Bobatti Cannonau di Sardegna 2017

Cantina Sannaz is a tiny producer in Mamoiada and this is only their second vintage of the Bobatti Cannonau di Sardegna. The wine is made in a small garage within Mamoiada. It’s a minimal intervention, unfiltered wine. It’s raw, rustic, and delicious. Notes of Mediterranean herb, rubber, and white pepper accompany the red fruit. Round with chewy tannins.   4.0/5

• Marco Canneddu, Zibbo Cannonau di Sardegna 2016

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

The Marco Canneddu Cannonau di Sardegna is a big bodied and high alcohol Cannonau. In fact, we love that they own the 16% alcohol by clearly stating it on the label. It has notes of strawberry, red cherry, licorice, Mediterranean herbs, and a touch of oak. The wine has a round mouthfeel and chewy tannins. This has the structure to age well in at least the medium term.   4.0/5

• Giuseppe Sedilesu, Perda Pintà 2015

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Guiseppe Sedilesu is one of the prominent producers in Sardinia. The Perda Pintà is made from Granazza – which is the same grape as Vernaccia di Oristano. Aged for one year in oak. Full of apricot, nuts, toffee, and orange peel notes. This has palate presence and a touch of residual sugar, one might get the impression that it is fortified because of its high alcohol (16%). Very oxidative style of wine, Sherry-like. Long spicy finish.   4.3/5

• Fratelli Serra, Vernaccia di Oristano 2002

Tasting Vernaccia di Oristano is always a treat. It’s a wine that undergoes long aging in barrel under a film of yeast called Flor. The Fratelli Serra Vernaccia di Oristano 2002 is aged in chestnut casks under the Flor.

It has notes of almond, hazelnut, dried apricot, and orange peel. It’s similar to a dry Sherry. This has beautiful acidity and the alcohol is well managed. Long finish tells you it’s a masterful execution of this style.   4.4/5

• Emidio Oggianu, Malvasia di Bosa Riserva 2011

Like Vernaccia di Oristano, Malvasia di Bosa is made with long oak aging under the Flor. The Emidio Oggianu Malvasia di Bosa Riserva is a fantastic wine in this style. Barrel fermented and oxidized like a Sherry, the wine is huge at 17% ABV but the flavors are concentrated enough to carry the alcohol. Nutty, apricot, lime, cognac, and other savory flavors emerge from the glass. It’s a full-bodied wine with a chewy texture. It’s a wine to be drunk next to a fireplace, deep in meditation. 4.3/5

• Argei, Pranu Mariga Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 2013

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Argei is a co-operative winery and the Pranu Mariga is the reserve red wine. It is a blend of Bovale, Cannonau, and Monica aged in barriques. It’s a rich red wine with flavors of cherry, Mediterranean herb, meat, and sweet cedar. This has a brilliant tartness that is not typical for this part of the Mediterranean. It’s big-bodied, round, and enjoyable that shows potential to improve with more time in the bottle.   4.0/5

• I Garagisti di Sorgono, Manca 2015

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

The I Garagisti di Sorgono, Manca 2015 is Cannonau aged for one year in used oak. It’s a minimal intervention wine. This is light-handed Cannonau with red fruit, white pepper, and Mediterranean herb flavors. It’s medium bodied with a juicy finish and is well balanced despite the high alcohol (15.5 %). The tannins are easy going and more importantly, the wine has soul.   4.1/5

• Gebelias, Gebel Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 2013

The Gebelias Gebel is a unique blend of Cannonau, Carignano, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sangiovese aged in oak for one year. It has notes of wood, sweet cedar, cherries and Mediterranean herbs. This is full-bodied with round tannins. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese give some juicy acidity to the wine, making it a perfect companion with meats.    4.0/5

You May Also Enjoy
The Vermentino Wine Competition in Sardinia

We were guests of the Cagliari International Food & Wine Festival, who paid for our travel and accommodation. Please note that the opinions expressed are our own and have not been paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post 11 Sardinian Wines From The Cagliari Wine & Food Festival appeared first on Wine Travel.

How do you approach a wine country that you are unfamiliar with? With respect, curiosity, enthusiasm, openness, and—above all else—love for the place and its people.

This is a narrative of how we ended up writing a book about Croatian wine.

THE BEGINNING

In 2016, before we went on a three-month, self-guided wine trip through the ex-Yugoslavian countries, we saw a few programs that made us particularly curious about Croatia.

Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations: Coastal Croatia

Gary Vaynerchuk’s Wine Library TV

“The people were gregarious and hospitable to the point of self-harm.”

Located in southeastern Europe, Croatia’s modern culture primarily represents a mix of Austro-Hungarian, Mediterranean, and Slavic influences.

While Croatia is an ancient nation with one of the oldest cultural heritage in Europe, it is a young independent country formed in 1991. Preceding its political timeline, Croatia’s viticulture is believed to date back to at least 500 BC.

Croatia boasts over 130 types of indigenous wine grapes and many remote islands that cultivate their own esoteric varieties. Because of that, we presumed that we’d need more time in Croatia than the neighboring countries in order to grasp a sense of the local wine scene. With information from Cliff Rames‘s Wines of Croatia website and the help of our then only Croatian friend, Vedran Jakovac, we sketched out a plan for a four-week exploration through the country.

THE JOURNEY

Our first stop in Croatia was the Danube wine region, as we entered Ilok from the Fruška Gora region of Serbia. This continental part of the country seemed more Hungarian and Slavic in its cuisine, architecture, and outlook. The people were gregarious and hospitable to the point of self-harm.

At one winery, we wanted to purchase a few bottles of wine after a complimentary tasting. However, our request was ignored as the proprietor insisted on gifting two cases to us.

On another occasion, we were having dinner at a winemaker’s guesthouse. The evening turned into a full-fledged revelry, with free-flowing food and library wines that were blithely offered to us into the wee hours of the night. We had to beg the host to stop digging deeper into the cellar and wasting any more precious juice on tired palates.

“Within a few days, we became susceptible to their tendency to drink and make merry.”

Mispronunciation in the video: “Iločki Podrumi” is pronounced “Ee-loh-chh-kee Poh-druh-mee”. Sorry, we speak better Croatian now.

After a week of reveling in the crisp and aromatic white wines and appreciating—rather infrequently—the red wines in Ilok, we exited Croatia and traveled to Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Montenegro before coming back to Croatia via southern Dalmatia.

In Dalmatia, the atmosphere turned Mediterranean. The food revolved around seafood, olive oil, and vegetables. The vinous offering was led by fruit-forward red wines with high alcohol. Life moved at a slower pace. The people had an unhurried disposition. Within a few days, we became susceptible to their tendency to drink and make merry.

From there, we spent three weeks tasting our way through the Dalmatian islands before reaching the Istrian peninsula.

View from the town of Motovun in Istria, Croatia.

In Istria, the towns, cuisine, and wine donned an Italian tint. The people, at times, even considered themselves different from Croatians.

At a winery visit, Vedran said to an Istrian winemaker, “I have never tasted a Croatian white wine as good as this.” The winemaker responded, “But this is not a Croatian wine. You’re in Istria now.”

While the food and winemaking style bore a striking resemblance to nearby Italy, the people of Istria appeared to have absorbed some Austrian influence as well; this was reflected in their meticulous organization and polished, direct mannerism.

Octopus Peka and house wine at Belotovo restaurant, Island of Vis.

Wine is deeply rooted in the Croatian culture. All over in Croatia, we saw wine on nearly every table during lunch and dinner hours. Most restaurants and konobas (traditional local taverns) offered at least a house white wine and a house red wine. Gemišt, a mix of sparkling water and white wine, and Bevanda, another popular local beverage made by mixing red wine and still water, were also common sights.

THE EPIPHANY

“Most importantly, we felt a special affinity for the people of Croatia.”

During the trip, we were toying with the idea of writing a wine guide to the ex-Yugoslavian countries. It was only after much post-trip contemplation that we decided to create a book exclusively on Croatian wine. The reasons:

• Croatia’s wine industry was more developed than the other ex-Yugoslavian countries we visited: there were more high-quality producers; the wine culture was prevalent in all parts of the country and among most of the demographic groups.
• Fundamentally, there were more materials for us to write about: Croatia’s diversity in viticulture would offer qualities that could attract casual, experienced, and professional wine drinkers.
• By dint of the tourist traffic, there was an existing need for a visitor-friendly wine guide in English. There was a problem to solve too: wine was readily available throughout the country, but figuring out which one to drink was a challenge.
• Most importantly, we felt a special affinity for the people of Croatia. We felt integrated into the wine community right on the first trip, and the local wine professionals were receptive to the idea of us writing a book about Croatian wine.

THE RESEARCH

We returned to Croatia later in the year and spent three months in the country tasting more Croatian wines at wine fairs and workshops, as well as visiting producers in Slavonia and the Croatian Uplands. It was a cold winter alleviated by a lot of wine.

Coming from Singapore, I had never experienced the winter season in its totality, and I was happy to let Croatia form my first impression, which concluded with me falling in love with winter dishes and hoping I would never have to videograph a vineyard at -13 degrees Celsius again.

Smiling but withering inside.

The research continued into the summer of 2017 when we spent another three months in Croatia. Between research and writing, Matt and I also managed to complete WSET Level 3 in Zagreb.

By May 2017, we had tasted around 2,000 Croatian wines in preparation for the book, Cracking Croatian Wine.

THE INTENTIONS

Croatia welcomes over 18.5 million visitors in 2017. This number has been on an upward trajectory since 2011, yet Croatia rarely garners the attention of serious wine tourists. Unlike the established wine regions of Europe, like Piedmont and Burgundy, few people travel to Croatia solely for wine. It’s also not top of mind when listing the European countries known for their world-class wines. Perhaps it is because, in spite of the flourishing wine scene, Croatia offers so many other attractions as a tourist mecca that wine exploration becomes incidental, which often means tourists end up drinking simple wine from konobas.

In an interview with Exotic Wine Travel, Jo Ahearne MW, said: “Often, this wine [konoba’s house wine] is kept in a hot place, and it gets oxidized, volatile, mousey, and sometimes all three at once! Sometimes it’s nice, but other times, the tourists think this is what Croatian wine is all about. And they will go back home and never ask their local wine shops for Croatian wine because, based on their experiences, Croatian wine is okay at best. We need to work on getting the tourists to take home the message that Croatian wine is great, and also spend time in export markets pouring wines and talking to potential customers.”

Spurred by our own experiences, we wrote Cracking Croatian Wine to help wine-loving visitors in Croatia save time, money, and effort. This book aims to provide the essential information to help them avoid the plonk and identify the types of wines they will enjoy. We have created this book with passion and affection, and we hope to pass on these good energies to tourists and armchair travelers who want to experience Croatian wine but don’t know where and how to begin.

Click on this link to learn more about Cracking Croatian Wine: A Visitor-Friendly Guide.

WHAT’S NEXT

After spending nearly 50 percent of the past two years in Croatia, the country is beginning to feel a lot like our second home. Do we enjoy living in Zagreb more than Belgrade, Budapest, Tbilisi or Yerevan? Not really, but returning to Zagreb offers us the comfort of friendships, mutual understanding, and familiarity. Our work on Croatian wine is no longer just another project; it’s morphed into a sense of civic responsibility.

Vina Croatia Grand

In a few weeks, we will head to New York City to present Croatian wine at Vina Croatia Grand.

There will be a walk-around tasting featuring more than 20 producers and over 100 Croatian wines. Matt and I look forward to sharing our Croatian wine journey and presenting wines made from local varieties. A second masterclass, led by Cliff Rames, will offer attendees the chance to taste some award-winning Croatian wines.

This event will be a great opportunity to get acquainted with Croatian wine. If you’re in the media or wine trade and would like to attend the event, please send email us at contact@www.exoticwinetravel.com.com

Cracking Croatian Wine Video Series

 Photo: facebook.com/vinartgrandtasting

In May 2018, we will resume our sojourn in Croatia and travel through the country again. Unlike the previous trips—where we were fanatically trying to taste as many wines as possible, ferreting out the best of the best (less than 10 percent of the wines we tasted made it into our book), and scribbling illegible tasting notes—this time, we will be making videos of the wineries we recommend and creating bonus materials including recommendations for food and accommodation. Diverging from the tasting videos, which we already have plenty on our channel, the new series will cover several other video styles such as travel vlog, interview, and documentary.

As some of you know, our Croatian wine project was completely self-funded and took us more than a year to research and write, and tens of thousands of dollars to produce and sustain. For us to continue producing useful content, some monetary support and help in furthering our project would go a long way. If you find value in what we do, please consider helping us to fulfill our upcoming video initiative and book tour in Croatia.

If you’d like to partner with us in the upcoming videos or if you know someone who would benefit from being featured in our videos, please let us know. Specifically, we are looking for support or sponsorship in:

• Accommodation
• Car rental
• Opportunities for us to deliver author keynotes, wine workshops, and private/corporate/public wine tasting events
• Bulk orders or stockists for Cracking Croatian Wine

Please note that all partnerships, co-marketing arrangements, and sponsorships will be acknowledged or declared explicitly in our writing and videos. We continue to welcome wine samples but we do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. The Exotic Wine Travel website has and will always remain ad-free.

Gourmand Awards 2018

Cracking Croatian Wine is in the final selection round for being the winner in two categories at the Gourmand Awards 2018: the “European Wine Book” and “Wine and Spirits Tourism Book”. The ceremony will be held in Yantai, China on May 26. Thank you, Edouard Cointreau, for the honor!

We look forward to fostering more conversations about Croatian wine. Will you join us?

Useful Links
Chasing The Donkey
Frank About Croatia
Uncorking Croatia

GET TO KNOW US

Hi! We are Matthew Horkey and Charine Tan. We’re a location-independent couple (some call us “wine gypsies”) who has been on the road since 2015.

While traveling through the wine regions of the Caucasus, we experienced many obstacles during the preparation and actual trips, which compelled us to turn our love for wine into a creative force for good.

In December 2015, we established Exotic Wine Travel with the goals to promote wine tourism and lesser-known wine regions. The wine countries we’ve explored include Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Georgia, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Macedonia, Mexico, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States.

Between sipping wine and lugging our lives in a suitcase, we’ve managed to author three wine books—Uncorking The Caucasus, Sipping Santa Barbara, and Cracking Croatian Wine—and we’ll continue to publish one new wine book every year.

The finest selection of

Croatian wines available at:

Shipping is available EU-wide and to the UK.

Check out Croatian Wines Available in the USA.

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    Do you want to try Croatian wines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Croatian wines, look no further than wineandmore.com. With an abundance of options from different winemakers, it’s easy to find exactly what your palate desires. Not sure which bottle is best for you? Try out one of their curated wine cases and discover the perfect vintage for any occasion!

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Want to learn more about wine?

Are you ready to discover the wonderful world of wines? Come join us at wineandmore.com and let’s explore the incredible selection of delicious wines together! We can’t wait to share our passion for wine with you!

The post Making Cracking Croatian Wine appeared first on Wine Travel.

• Orange wine, amber wine, natural wine, and oxidative wine. What are their differences?

Orange wine and amber wine are two names for the same thing—winemakers in different parts of the world have different preferences, although “orange wine” is definitely the most popular name we have at the moment, like it or not.

It’s important to point out that “orange wine” refers to a winemaking technique (long skin maceration of white grapes during fermentation), whereas “natural wine” is a much broader, more philosophical term referring to any kind of wine made with minimal intervention in the vineyard and the cellar. Not all orange wines are natural wines—and certainly not all natural wines are orange, many are red, white or rosé!

Oxidative wine is another category, I guess in this we could include things like the Jura voillé wines, Vin Jaune, Maderia and some sherry styles. For me,  classic orange wines (eg: such as those found in Friuli Collio) should not be especially oxidative in nature.

• A significant number of orange wine producers are also minimal-intervention, ‘natural wine’ producers. Are there any reasons for that? Do skin contact and minimal-intervention winemaking go hand in hand?

Yes, they tend to—macerating white grapes is best done without any yeast or other additions, and it’s a labor-intensive, even risky way to make white wine. Producers attracted to this traditional method tend to be the smaller more artisanal ones—ergo, natural or minimal intervention producers.

Day 6, Project orange. She’s going, finally! #orangewine #douro

A post shared by Simon J Woolf (@themorningclaret) on Sep 17, 2016 at 6:38am PDT

• Are there specific grapes that are more suitable for making orange wine?

Grapes with thick skins and lots of flavor compounds to extract—Ribolla Gialla in Friuli being the most classic, the “don” of orange wines if you like. But aromatic varieties (Gewürztraminer, Muscat) also work very well. As do classics like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Anything with high acidity is normally in with a fighting chance!

• What do you value most in your favorite orange wines?

Electricity, beguiling complexity and textural character.

A post shared by Simon J Woolf (@themorningclaret) on May 12, 2017 at 6:41am PDT

• Orange wine can be a polarizing subject. Do you have tips for people on how to educate consumers who are new to orange wine?

In my experience, consumers without prior knowledge are often more open to the style. It’s people in the trade, or people with some wine knowledge who tend to suffer more from preconceptions. It’s often best to think of orange wines more like red wines, that can help!

• Why are you publishing a book about orange wine now, and what is your ultimate goal for this project?

Because the world is crying out for a book that unravels the secrets and the misconceptions behind orange wine. I see articles popping up almost daily, where people are getting excited about the style, but sometimes completely without really understanding what and why it is.

My ultimate goal is twofold. First, to create a really exciting book that makes you want to read it cover to cover and second, to create the go-to reference work for orange wine—the book I looked for back in 2011, and just couldn’t find.

• What’s your biggest struggle when researching orange wine?

The fact that winemaking as a craft has an almost entirely oral history, there’s very little written down about techniques and practice over the last few centuries.

• What has shaped your point of view in wine?

A sense of adventure, a lifelong belief that organic or biodynamic agriculture is the only way to feed the planet and the realization that some of the world’s best wines are obscured from view, almost unknown and barely understood.

• What is your happiest moment in your wine career?

The day Amber Revolution is published and I hold the first copy in my hand!

• What aspects of the wine industry frustrate you the most?

Close-mindedness, inability to see that the wine world is changing, whether we like it or not.

• Do you have a muse?

Not really. Once upon a time, it might have been my cat, who sadly died.

• What are your guiding principles at work?

Accuracy, honesty, transparency, eloquence, respect, professionalism.

• What is your secret vice?

A very occasional American Spirit. (Not really that secret!)

• I heard you are quite the cook. Who would be your ideal dinner party guests, and which three dishes and three wines would you serve them?

I could give a clever answer like “Stravinsky, Monica Galetti and Paul Giamatti”, but the truth is the best guests are my greatest and oldest friends, who love good food and wine just as I do. I don’t think there is any perfect menu, but if budget, seasonal availability and culinary technique were no object, I might attempt:

1.  Cold or warm (depending on the season) borscht, with a trickle of sour cream and fresh dill, served with a Roig Boig pet nat.
2.  Lobster Ravioli served “in brodo”, with Elisabetta Foradori’s Fontanasanta Nosiola 2014
3.  Beef Wellington with sauteed cavolo nero and bottarga on the side, and to pair with it, Dario Prinčič’s Favola 2008

(I don’t tend to do deserts, I’m very lucky to live with a talented pastry chef and anyway it messes with the wine pairings too much!)

Modelling my new Apron & happily making walnut gnocchi. They tasted glorious but disintegrated into mush in the pan!

A post shared by Simon J Woolf (@themorningclaret) on Jan 15, 2017 at 7:47am PST

• What do you value most in your friends?

Healthy sense of the ridiculous, willingness to debate forcefully, enjoyment of good food and wine.

• Besides wines, what is your most treasured material possession?

Art, or maybe my vinyl collection! Which is also kind of art.

• How would you like people to remember you?

Amber Revolution:
How the World Learned to Love Orange Wine

You can order the book on Amazon.

Simon Woolf is the perfect voice for this project. He’s spent years traveling, researching, inquiring, and learning what’s under all that soil of life experiences and choices. He’s visited hundreds of producers who make orange wine and written about it on his website and other established publications.

Amber Revolution is a self-published, crowdfunded book, which means it requires support from all of us who care about orange wine or the collective progress of the wine world. Whether your interest in wine points you to mere sensory pleasure, history, human-driven stories, or wanderlust, you’ll find something interesting in this book.

More About Simon J Woolf
Simon J Woolf is an award-winning English wine and drinks writer, currently clinging to mainland Europe in Amsterdam. He is somewhat obsessed with orange wines and is considered to be an expert on the developing natural wine niche. Simon is WSET educated and began his writing career in 2011 by founding The Morning Claret – an online wine magazine specializing in artisanal, natural, organic and biodynamic wines and related issues.

Simon is a columnist for Palate Press and contributes regularly to Decanter and Meininger Wine Business International. He’s also written for Punch Drink, Jancis Robinson, timatkin.com, Harpers online and Catavino.net amongst others. He is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Orange Wine Recommendations
Krauthaker Kuvlakhe: Amber Wine from Slavonia, Croatia
Amber Wine: Škegro Krš Orange Žilavka 2015 from Bosnia-Herzegovina
Gravner and Radikon: Italian Wines Without Compromise
Tsitska-Tsolikouri Amber Wine from Imereti, Georgia

You May Also Enjoy
Chatting with: Wine Writer Simon J Woolf, by  Les Caves de Pyrene
Hugh Johnson Accepts Orange Wine Challenge, by The Drinks Business
Winners at the Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards 2019, by Decanter

Disclosure

• This interview was conducted over email. All answers are provided by Simon, and they have not been edited in any way. However, we’ve switched the language of this article from UK English to US English to remain consistent with the rest of Exotic Wine Travel’s content. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide. 
• All photos courtesy of Simon Woolf.
• Special thanks to Drew DiMatteo for sharing his thoughts on orange wine with me.

The post Amber Revolution: Orange Wine Now Gets A Voice (And Book) appeared first on Wine Travel.

Welcome to As Drunk By Exotic Wine Travel, a new weekly column where we feature wines that are worth noting. The wines featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or more well-known wine regions. Sit back, grab a glass, and discover new and exciting wines with us!

Pheasant’s Tears Chitistvala 2015

Pheasant’s Tears will always hold a special place in our hearts. They were the first qvevri wines that we tasted and really enjoyed. They were the only Georgian wines that we knew about when we first went to the country in 2015.

In late 2016, we returned to Georgia to launch our first wine book. During that time we spent a lot of time with John Wurdeman, Co-Founder of Pheasant’s Tears. He is an American artist that moved to Georgia and fell in love with the culture. By sheer chance, he met a local winemaker and his life changed from that point. There’s plenty about him on the internet, just Google his name.

The winery is near the hilltop town of Sighnaghi. The town towers over the Kakheti valley and feels lifted out of a fairytale with its restored medieval architecture. John also has a restaurant in the center of Sighnaghi.

We took a tour of the vineyards and had a humble lunch on top of the winery. Several excellent salad and vegetable dishes were accompanied by several pastes consisting of walnuts, seeds, and unique Georgian spices. The juicy barbecued meat followed. It added up to be a perfect meal with good company under the warmth of the Kakhetian sun. A perfect late-Autumn day in the vineyards.

The lunch was paired with several Pheasant’s Tears wines. We’ve tasted the entire portfolio previously but were impressed with how well the wines made of Shavkapito, Tavkveri, and Rkatsiteli showed on that day. All of the wines paired wonderfully with the fresh food.

Later that evening, an intense wind storm rolled into Sighnaghi. So intense that pieces of roofs were flying all over and the power in the entire town went out. We ate dinner at the Pheasant’s Tears restaurant under candle light. Even though there was no electricity, the show went on for John. He entertained both our group and a separate press group from Asia throughout the evening.

Some special bottles were opened that day and this Chitistvala really made me stop and think. It is made from the fruit of an old, tree-climbing vine that is allegedly 200 years old. Like all of John’s wine, it is fermented and matured in buried terracotta vessels, also known as the traditional Georgian qvevri. This wine doesn’t have a label and is made in small quantities. It is only available at the winery.

Rich and dense, this needs a lot of time to air. Beautiful aromas and depth of fruit emerge after the wine breathes. The nose has rose, sour plum, and green herbs. The palate is earthy at first but draws you in with wonderful raspberries and dark fruit mixed with balanced acidity and a little tension in the mouth. This is a fantastic effort that fans of both conventional and qvevri-style wines will approve. 

4.0/5   (You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

You May Also Enjoy:
The Unstoppable Progress in the Georgian Wine Scene 
Saperavi: Georgia’s Flagship Red Wine Grape
An Introduction to Georgian Qvevri Wine in Zagreb
A Night of Natural Wines in Tbilisi, Georgia

Disclaimer: The ideas expressed in this article are personal opinions and are not associated with any sponsors or business promotions

Thanks to the team at Living Roots for putting together a wonderful schedule.

The post Pheasant’s Tears Chitistvala 2015 appeared first on Wine Travel.

Welcome to As Drunk By Exotic Wine Travel, a new weekly column where we feature wines that are worthy of your attention. The wine reviews featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or more well-known wine regions. Sit back, grab a glass, and discover new and exciting wines with us!

Old Bridge, Red Dry Reserve 2009

The oldest known winery in the world is located in Vayots Dzor, Armenia. It is near the village of Areni, in the heart of Armenia’s wine country. The Areni-1 Cave dates back to at least 4100 BC and in addition to being the oldest known wine production site, the world’s oldest leather shoe was found there as well.

Not far from the Areni-1 Cave may be the first modern producer in Armenia’s latest winemaking chapter. Armen Khalatyan started producing wine in the late 90’s after Armenia separated from the Soviet Union. He produces only one wine, a reserve dry red made from the native grape Areni. Production is limited to only excellent years.

Armen named his wine and designed his label after an old bridge he used to play on as a kid. This isn’t just lip service. After visiting Armen for the first time and tasting multiple vintages of his wines, he took us to this hidden bridge off the main road near Areni. The label is a spot on replica of the original.

From Old Bridge to Old Bridge: “The infamous Silk Road used to pass through this Old Bridge, built in the 13th century on the Arpa river. According to a number of sources, Marco Polo passed through this very bridge when heading towards China. The Old Bridge served as a passageway for many merchants and travellers, who would stop and rest in the valley of the river and enjoy the unique wines of Vayots Dzor.” What a brilliant day! We drank at the source (Old Bridge winery), learned from the source (Armen the owner), and saw the source and ultimate inspiration (the Arpa river and the real Old Bridge). The connection is formed with the land, its people and its result and this bond shall never be forgotten. Thank you Armenia, Old Bridge Winery and the kindest gentleman Armen. #theblueroster #mytravelgram #globetrotting #passportlife #wanderlust #igtravel #instatravel #traveldiary #adventures #wine #oenophile #winelover #wineenthusiast #enotourism #viniculture #vinoculture #areni #armenia #travelarmenia #travelwithfathom #theworldguru

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Oct 25, 2015 at 10:24am PDT

Over the course of several years, we have tasted Armen’s wines several times and have walked away impressed each time. Armen makes wine part-time (he has a full-time career in Yerevan) and his wines have a lot of soul. His production is small, less than 10,000 bottles in good years but his love for winemaking can be felt in his vino.

We enjoy many vintages of Old Bridge including the modern 2012 and the rustic 2005. The 2009 falls somewhere in between. Chocolate, tobacco, dirt, game, sour cherry, and mineral flavor profile on a medium-bodied frame. The wine changes in the glass with air and gains a bit of smokiness. It has nice acidity and is an excellent food wine but pleasant enough to drink on its own. 

The 2005 is also impressive, it has less polish than the 2009, but is still delicious. Armen made 50 magnums of the 2005 and we were fortunate to open one of them.

We’ve shown Old Bridge wines several times to winemakers and wine geeks and they have come back impressed every time. The 2009 vintage just won a Gold Medal at the 2017 Mundus Vini competition. Quite a feat for this small one-man operation.  

4.1/5 (You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

Related:

Disclaimer: The ideas expressed in this article are personal opinions and are not associated with any sponsors or business promotions.

The post Old Bridge Red Dry Reserve 2009 appeared first on Wine Travel.

Disclosure: Some of these links are built via the Amazon Associates program. These are products that we’ve purchased with our own money—with the exception of the Coravin. If you are planning to purchase one of these, please use the links below so we can get credit for referring you. 

What are the best gifts for wine lovers? Wine geeks are cut from a different cloth and can be notoriously opinionated, and moody without wine—we confess to be guilty on both counts. For this reason, it can be intimidating to buy gifts for them. While a bottle of wine is a tried-and-true gift for a host or at a Christmas party, our suggestion is not to buy them wine unless you really understand their preferences. Instead, buy something that is truly useful to them. If you get a wine lover something unique and useful, they will love you forever. Or for as long as the product lasts. If you are the wine lover and looking to pick up something for yourself, it’s important that it is useful too. The whole point is: be useful and buy useful things!

Below are three products that have completely changed the way we approach wine. Here are our thoughts on them and why they make perfectly useful gifts.

Gifts For Wine Lovers

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Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator

We love decanted wine. But since we are on the road full-time, it is not feasible to carry a delicate glass decanter with us all over the globe. Enter the Vinturi! It is basically a turbo decanter. As you pour wine down through the top of the device, it sucks air in and mixes it with the wine. The device also comes with a filter that removes sediment.

This has revolutionized our wine exploration. It is easy and compact to carry and the filter comes in handy for older red wines. When traveling in wine regions, we are often tasting young wines and new releases. Many of these wines will benefit from some aeration and that is where the Vinturi comes into play.

A cool random thing about the Vinturi is the slurping noise it makes as it sucks in air. This fact alone makes it a great talking point when using it in the presence of guests. We always love explaining the mechanics of Vinturi when people ask about it. Pouring wine through it is quite fun as well. Charine once got so enchanted with the psssshhhh noise and the sight of the wine going through the Vinturi that she accidently filled her wine glass to the top.

We have done several trials of tasting wine straight from the bottle versus wine poured through the Vinturi. The effect can be so significant that even novice drinkers will notice the difference.

One note is that if you’re traveling with it, remember to put it in your checked luggage. We’ve been stopped at the security line numerous times and being asked to open our bag to show the officers this obscurely shaped object. Besides that small inconvenience, we are extremely happy with this lightweight gadget. We highly recommend it as a gift for any wine lover.

The Vinturi Wine Aerator is available on Amazon HERE.

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Coravin System

One of the best wines we’ve tasted is a Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 2002. It is a rare wine made from Syrah grapes harvested from a small hill in Northern Rhone. The brooding aromas of leather, pepper, meat and mineral were addictive. We were lucky that we had the opportunity to order it by the glass at a fine restaurant in Singapore. Buying the wine by the bottle in a restaurant can be cost prohibitive. But how can a restaurant serve a fine wine by the glass without compromising on the quality?

They were using the Coravin wine preservation system. The wine system uses a surgical-grade hollow needle to get through the cork, extract wine, and then fill the empty space in the bottle with argon gas. The argon gas keeps oxygen from being in contact with the wine and without the oxygen contact, the wine is able to stay fresh for a long period of time.

Below are videos of Robert Parker and Greg Lambrecht, the inventor of Coravin, discussing this device. In the video, Parker gets giddy like a schoolboy when he smells and tastes the wine pulled by the Coravin. If you don’t want to watch the full videos, then skip ahead to 5:35 of the second video Robert Parker Coravin Demonstration Part 2 to get the gist.

As great as Coravin sounds, it does have its opponents. There are critics who don’t believe that Coravin is reliable for preserving wines in the long run. A week or ten, maybe. But to open a wine with Coravin and expect it to taste fresh a year later? No one’s reported back on that. Anyway, why would anyone do that? We have had many wines served to us from Coravin and all of them appeared correct and well preserved.

The Coravin System is not for everyone; it is for serious wine drinkers who are drinking priced bottles or older wines. The argon capsules cost about 10 dollars per piece; this can equate to anywhere from 50 cents to one dollar (USD) per glass. Our temporary cellar in the USA is growing and in the future when we have a permanent place, we will certainly be purchasing this device.

Coravin Model Two is available on Amazon HERE.

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Wine Gift Sets

If you should insist on buying wine as a gift, we have a special recommendation for you. One of our favorite wine sellers Blue Danube Wine is currently offering six-pack sampler sets of some unique wines. The “6-Pack Georgian Discovery Sampler” features indigenous grape varieties and producers featured in our book Uncorking the Caucasus. The other 6-pack samplers feature wines from Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, most of which we’ve tasted before. And boy are they excellent!

If you have purchased our book Uncorking the Caucasus, you are eligible for 10% off your purchases at Blue Danube Wine. Simply go to the back page of the book and scan the QR code, which will take you to a secret website that contains the discount code.

You can view the “6-Pack Georgian Discovery Sampler” HERE.

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Conclusion

Buying gifts for wine lovers can be challenging but it is possible to hit a home run. If you know your wine, consider buying them a special bottle. If you don’t know your wine, it’s best to stick to books or many of the wine tools available on the market. There are a lot of great things out there to show your beloved wine geek friend that you care about them.

The post Recommended Gifts for Wine Lovers appeared first on Wine Travel.

Disclosure: These links are built via the Amazon Associates program. These are books that we have bought with our own money. If you are planning to purchase one of these,  please use the links below so we can get credit for referring you. 

We’ve been traveling around the world full-time for nearly two years. Everything we own fits into two backpacks and one rolling suitcase. Being in the wine countries all the time means we accumulate a lot of literature… and wine of course! All of these things are heavy and unfortunately, we can’t keep nearly as much as we would like to. Those of you who have done long-term travel would know the importance of minimalism. As we whittle life down to the baseline of what we want in order to be optimally happy, there are two wine books that we’ve decided to keep over and over again. One of them is in e-book format; the other is weighty–in every sense of the word. These two books have been invaluable resources as we dive deeper into the world of wine every day; and in this article, we’ll share with you more about what we consider to be essential reading for wine lovers.

We’ve cherry-picked three wine books–the two books that we’ve been holding on to for the past two years, plus one bonus–that we strongly believe will help to catapult your wine philosophy, knowledge or experience to a new level.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S ESSENTIAL WINE BOOKS

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The Wine Bible, 2nd Edition – Karen MacNeil

Our well-worn copy of The Wine Bible.

Do you love wine? Do you have a sense of wanderlust? Then this wine book is definitely for you. It took Karen MacNeil over 10 years to finish writing it. When Matt first got this book, he read it from cover to cover in less than a month.

The Wine Bible opens with several chapters about the basis of wine, winemaking, the major wine grape varieties, and wine evaluation and wine-pairing know-hows. Afterward, the book is laid out methodically: first by country, then by wine region within each country. What we love most about this book is how we can promptly extract a preparatory lesson on a wine region that we are visiting. The book does an effective job at introducing a brief history, tradition, and styles of wine within a region – even highlighting food and fun facts where relevant. There are also random, cool notes highlighted in call-out boxes. Who knew that there is an article within the laws of Chateauneuf-du-Pape that states “any aeronautical machine – ‘flying saucer’ or ‘flying cigar’ – that lands on the territory of the commune will be immediately taken off to the jail”?

At the end of the chapter on each region, Karen gives a handful of signature wines to look out for. These wines are listed with details of the producer, appellation, and label, sans the vintage. But not to worry, because these recommended wines are known to have stellar reviews year after year. The recommendations also come with a photo of the exact wine label. We’ve been diligently checking off Karen’s recommendations every time we visit a wine region that is mentioned in the book. And based on our experience, Karen’s recommendations are remarkable at directing the readers to wines that show the true character of the region, as opposed to just the most expensive or most popular wines.

If there is one wine writer that we try to emulate, it is Karen MacNeil. She is knowledgeable, relatable, and humorous all at the same time. The book gives interesting, essential facts without bogging the readers down with excessive technical details. The only people who would not enjoy this book are those who are not interested in learning and experiencing new wines. If you like wine and are curious, this book is a revelation.

You can purchase your copy of The Wine Bible here

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The Oxford Companion To Wine, 4th Edition – Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding

An iPhone screenshot of our Kindle version of The Oxford Companion to Wine.

We purchased this on Kindle because it only comes in hardcover, which would be a major PITA to haul around. This is a completely different style of book from The Wine Bible in the sense that it is more of a reference book than a book that is meant to be read from cover to cover.

The breadth and reach of the wine knowledge in The Oxford Companion to Wine are astounding.  It is just over 900 pages and is packed with enough information to make the geekiest wine nerd wet the bed. This is basically a wine encyclopedia. Do you want to know what co-fermentation is? This book has you covered. How about the grape varieties grown in Puglia, Italy? No problem.

The book is organized by keywords and an article is appended to each keyword; exactly like those old, hardcover encyclopedia sets that we used as kids. Alright by “we”, we are referring to the pre-millennial folks. For example, if you want to find out what corrective measures may be used in winemaking, go to additives. Following additives is a write-up about all the additions and intervention in the winemaking process.

What we love most about the Kindle version is the Alphabetical List of Entries page in the beginning of the book and how all the keywords are hyperlinked to the appropriate entries. It’s so easy to access information in a pinch and it makes you look a whole lot smarter, quicker–at least when it comes to wine. If you like how the Kindle version sounds but do not have a Kindle device, don’t fret! Amazon offers a FREE Kindle Reading App on iOS, Android, Mac & PC. This is exactly the app we use on our iPhones to access the book.

The hardcover version of this book would make a great coffee table book. Or wine bartop book? For us and others who are constantly on the road in search of exciting wines, the Kindle version is more ideal. This is indispensable for someone studying to be a Sommelier or taking the WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) track. It is relatively pricey and is definitely NOT for the average wine consumer. But if you are a wine enthusiast and want to know as much as possible, this book is a must-have.

The Oxford Companion to Wine is available here

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For The Love Of Wine: My Journey Through the World’s Most Ancient Wine Culture – Alice Feiring

Photo is taken from Alice Feiring’s blog.

Alice Feiring is well-known for earnestly championing raw wine (or “natural wine” as some people would prefer to call it), as well as being a spokesperson for the qvevri-fermented, natural wine from Georgia. This book is about her experiences traveling through Georgia and getting to know the small and talented wine producers from this tiny nation nestled in the Caucasus.

In this book, Alice shares about her time with a small group of natural winemakers in Georgia and the other inspiring people she met along the way. She also laments poetically the issues that the Georgian wine industry faces. Should they modernize the industry and make inexpensive conventional wines, or focus on small artisanal wines made in the traditional Georgian style? The former is hardly an option to most of them, and to us too.

Georgia is very near to the heart for the both of us. It is a magical country that instantly gets under your skin when you visit. Food, wine, music, poetry, celebration, generosity, and kindness form the main tenets of its social fabric. The food is unique but strangely familiar at the same time. The natural wines made in qvevri are creating buzz all over the world now and for good reason. We’ve met many of the people featured in her book, and the book has enabled us to know them on a deeper, more intimate level. The book was a real page-turner for us and it made us feel closer to Georgia–if that was even possible.

We no longer carry this book in our travel bags. The book was given to us as a gift from the National Wine Agency of Georgia, and we devoured the content within a matter of days. We enjoyed the book so much that–unlike other times when we would drop a book at a hotel or cafe after we’re done reading it–we decided to mail it to Matt’s parents in Michigan.

This is for people who love wine and are open to learning about the emotional tales and philosophy about unconventional winemaking. Alice has a way to encapsulate the ethereal mood of a country and in her writing, you can certainly feel how she deeply cares for not only natural wine but the people who make it. Even people who are inclined to dismiss “natural wine” should give this a read to understand why supporters are so adamant about preserving this raw energy in a glass.

For The Love Of Wine: My Journey Through the World’s Most Ancient Wine Culture is available on Amazon

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As Karen MacNeil said,

“The best way to learn nothing about wine is to continue to drink what you already know you like. Many people drink the same wines over and over again. That’s like eating chicken and carrots every day for years. There are over 5,000 varieties of grapes in the world–waiting for you to experience the wines made from them. I think it’s helpful to occasionally push the boundaries.”

Just like life, we need the language to make sense of the world around us, the same concept applies to wine. The best way to learn and get better at understanding wine is to both read about it and drink it. Theory + Practical = Booyakasha! We hope you enjoy these reviews on our favorite wine books. Now, go get some!

The post Recommendation: Essential Wine Books appeared first on Wine Travel.

Have you ever came across a tasting note that describes the myriad flavors of a wine and after reading it, you still have no idea whether you’d enjoy drinking the aforementioned wine? Have you ever tried to make sense of wine parlance and perhaps feel irked by a wine writer for going overboard with wine descriptions that don’t help you one bit in grasping the true experience of a wine? Have you ever splurged on a 90 plus-point wine only to be disappointed by it? Yes, I have. Yes, me too. Yes to all of the above.

In the book Inventing Wine: A New History of One of the World’s Most Ancient Pleasures, Paul Lukacs wrote “just as beauty is often said to be in a beholder’s eye, delectability is on a taster’s palate.” Especially for wine, an egalitarian product with price range and flavor that cater to just about any budget and preference, everyone is entitled to have their own expectation. Besides expectation, our palate is also driven by memory, as what we hope to experience is largely built upon what we have experienced before. Fundamentally, wine tasting notes are subjective and shaped by the critic’s personal preference. As for wine score, an ambiguous number that represents the quality of a wine, it often takes into account and other times neglects factors that we as consumers might not care about or agree with. For example, Robert Parker, the heavyweight of wine scoring, is known to be swayed by wine color. For Wine Spectator, a wine rating is based on expected quality at its peak, regardless of how soon that will be. For Wine Enthusiast, price is not a factor in its scoring system.

So how can we make sense of wine score and evaluate wine in a more logical manner? For users of mobile apps like Vivino and Delectable, how can we write useful tasting notes that contribute positively to our crowdsourcing community? In Part I of Navigating The Wine World, I’ll share my personal markers for a good wine. Please note that these markers are based solely on my personal preference, and not directly influenced by wine critics and educators, which means some of the certified wine professionals out there may disagree with the following pointers. The intention of this article is to offer suggestions on how to articulate why we like or dislike a wine, and not to state hard-and-fast, academic rules for wine appreciation.

8 Attributes to Consider When Evaluating Wine

1. The aroma on the nose and taste in the mouth should share the same, if not most of the same, traits. I mean, come on, have you ever tasted TWG tea? Or any tea that smells so good but tastes nothing like the way it smells? That’s cheating. A good-smelling wine with taste that derails from its aroma and delivers much less intensity on the palate than on the nose makes me suspicious. Is there an intention to disguise and yearn for attention? Is everything that the wine possessed invested in the first impression on the nose? I can’t deal with that sort of makeup; it gets me paranoid.

2. It must be dominated by fruit. While I’m not partial to fruit bombs like an entry-level Californian Zinfandel, the fruit flavor should always be subtle and present because it’s a fruit product we are having here—not tea, not cigar, not a leather couch. That is not to say that a wine shouldn’t express characteristics of tea, cigar, or leather. Those characteristics can be excellent to have. My only gripe is when a wine expresses predominant secondary or tertiary flavours, with little to no fruit, that’s when I can’t appreciate it. That beast is past its prime. Or does it have a prime to begin with?

3. It must have an end palate. The longer the end palate, the finer I perceive the wine to be.

4. It must have a structure and direction. I like wine that opens up gradually and elegantly, expressing a triangular structure on the palate—soft and gentle on the front palate, expressive and bolder on the end palate. The other side of the story is a wine without structure and direction, which makes me feel raped in the mouth because it pokes at points and moments that I don’t want it to or I’m not ready for.

5. It must maintain an equilibrium. The sugar, acidity, tannins, body, primary fruit flavors, and aging characteristics must be balanced. The word “balance”, like “moderation”, is subjective and you can only arrive at your own definition after drinking a lot of wine and tasting the extremes—such as a fruit bomb of a Zinfandel; a young Croatian Teran that burns the gut; a freshly released Barolo with harsh tannins; and a simple Merlot that falls tiredly on the tongue like an unseasoned, old steak.

6. It must have a personality. While all elements of the wine should coalesce into one—which means it shouldn’t be too sweet, not too bitter, not too rough, and not too much of anything—the bonus point goes to a wine with a touch of idiosyncrasy that reflects either the winemaker or the terroir. A good wine, like your crush, needs to have traits that surprise and tantalise you, perhaps not always in the most pleasant way. As wine educator Stephen Reiss mentioned in his book Juice Jargon: How to Talk About Wine, “No vice, no virtue.” Fine wine is a product of the erratic nature coaxed into a bottle by human, not a lab product that checks off an ultra-rational list of notions.

7. A reasonable Quality-Price Ratio (QPR) is absolutely essential. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that more dollar increases the probability—but not certainty—of a higher quality, but the best find is a memorable wine with a price that doesn’t hurt your brain and heart. Don’t feel self-conscious and think that you’re being a cheapskate if you pick up a bargain that you enjoy drinking. If you find an affordable wine that you love, you win because you just beat the system. And that’s the foundation and most fun part about Exotic Wine Travel: to play the system and get more deliciousness from every buck.

8. The age-ability of a wine hardly bothers me. Most days, I buy wine for immediate drinking and instant pleasure. However when a wine is good and it shows the potential of being even better in the future, then it deserves a few brownie points. If it is fair to judge our future spouses and new hires based on perceived potential, why not do the same for wine? On the other hand, just because we may not see specific growth potential in some people or some things, especially when they are already so awesome, doesn’t mean we should discount their worth. Oh yes, that RdV Lost Mountain 2011 will look so good in my cellar for another decade.

There you have it, these are the eight attributes I use when explaining why I like or dislike a wine. Take the time to explore your preference and don’t be duped by marketing effort into thinking that you need to be snobbish about wine or have to second-guess your own palate. Wine evaluation is akin to dating—look at it, smell it, taste it, taste it a few times, decide if you like it or not, and explain why. To learn more about the technical language for observing and discussing wine characteristics, I highly recommend this video by Wine Folly.

In Part II of Navigating The Wine World, we’ll offer some perspective on how to keep your wine pleasure rolling and your wine knowledge growing.

Related
Wine Travel and Lessons in Wine
The Story of Exotic Wine Travel After 20 Months on the Road

The post Navigating The Wine World Part I: How To Evaluate Wine appeared first on Wine Travel.