2019 Marnaveli - Saperavi Oaked Kakheti (750ml)

Marnaveli is a Georgian producer that has made wine and brandy for more than two decades, built on sourcing fruit from across the country rather than farming a single estate. The winery partners with growers throughout Georgia, working with both well-known grapes and rare indigenous varieties, drawing on the country's 8,000-year winemaking tradition.

This wine is made from 100 percent Saperavi, a deeply pigmented indigenous grape whose name translates to "dye," grown in Kakheti, Georgia's largest and most historic wine region. Kakheti's varied microclimates and fertile soils give Saperavi its deep color and firm structure. Rather than the qvevri clay vessels common in traditional Georgian winemaking, this cuvee ages in oak barrels, softening tannin and acidity while adding notes of vanilla and spice.

In the glass, this Saperavi shows a deep, almost opaque dark cherry color with a faint purple rim. The nose offers black plum, blackberry, and mulberry fruit alongside leather, vanilla, and baking spice from the oak. On the palate it is full-bodied and velvety, with well-integrated tannins and a long, warming finish that suits grilled or roasted red meat, hearty stews, and aged cheeses.