2022 Marnaveli - Rkatsiteli Qvevri (Amber wine) Kakheti (750ml)

Marnaveli built its reputation on sourcing grapes from across Georgia rather than farming a single vineyard, working with growers throughout the country to represent the full range of the nation's indigenous varieties. This philosophy has let the winery draw on Georgia's roughly 8,000 years of winemaking history while producing wine and brandy for more than two decades. Marnaveli's lineup spans both modern, stainless-steel-driven wines and traditional styles made the ancient way, including this amber bottling.

This wine is made entirely from Rkatsiteli, one of Georgia's oldest and most widely planted white grapes, grown in the Kakheti region. Rather than the typical crisp, unoaked treatment the variety often receives, this cuvee is vinified in the traditional Georgian style, fermenting on its skins inside qvevri, the large clay vessels buried underground that have shaped Georgian winemaking for millennia. After fermentation the wine spends about six months aging in oak barrels, a step that builds further texture before bottling.

Extended skin contact gives this Rkatsiteli its deep amber color and a structure closer to a red wine than a typical white, with real tannin alongside its acidity. Expect dried apricot, honey, walnut, and a touch of spice, carried through to a long, warming finish. Serve it with grilled fish, roasted poultry, or traditional Georgian dishes.