Around the World: Part 3
Directions
The Last Leg
Poor You. International travel is SO exhausting. But just bear with us a little longer, and then you’ll be able to go home and stay there as long as you like…
World of Wine part 3: Rkatsiteli to Žilavka
Rkatsiteli
Hello Georgia! Not Georgia on my mind Georgia, but Black Sea, Caucasus Mountains, ex-Soviet Republic, GEORGIA. The birthplace of Joseph Stalin, and – infinitely more endearingly – the Birthplace of Wine. We’ll start our exploration of Georgian wine beneath the latticed balcony of a pastel shaded tilting villa, in a tiny Tbilisi bar. Rkatsiteli has been cultivated in Georgia for thousands of years, and it remains the country’s most popular white. Spicily aromatic, with fresh and zesty green-apple flavours and hints of quince and white peach, it’s exactly what we need to wash down our delicious Georgian Labda (potato pancake).
Saperavi
As ancient Georgians hunkered down for the winter, they sealed fresh grape juice in clay pots buried beneath the earth. Imagine their delight when, in dappled spring, they unearthed their stash to discover… WINE! Many Georgians still make wine in these egg-shaped, beeswax-lined clay Qvevri – as they’ve done for around 8,000 vintages. After a hard day’s exploring, we’ll be ready for a nice glass of GEORGIA’s flagship red. Intensely coloured (thanks to the pink flesh of its berries), Saperavi is luscious and silky, with black fruit, licorice, chocolate, and spice – and a decent grippy finish. Waiter! More khinkali please!
Torrontés
Our love of spice-laden Asian and Indian cuisine has led us to seek out Torrontés – an aromatic white wine with heady floral aromas and a surprisingly dry palate of lemon and peach. But where the bloody hell are we? ARGENTINA, of all places! There are three variants of Torrontés: Mendocino, Sanjuanino, and Riojano – all native to South America. Riojano - the most delightful of the three - thrives in the far northern region of Salta. Seduced by pithy guitar riffs at our local peña, we’ll decide to save our Torrontés for Curry night, and settle instead for empanadas and local beer.
Ugni Blanc
Back to FRANCE to sample something really special! Ugni Blanc (known as Trebbiano in Italy), is France’s most widely planted white grape variety. But not because of a particularly distinctive or complex flavour profile… In the Charentais and Gascony regions, Ugni Blanc produces vast quantities of light, crisp, neutral-tasting white wine for distillation into brandy – to ultimately become luscious Cognac. Cognac is not only a delectable sprit – it’s also one of the most beautiful towns in the south-west of France. At Cognac’s fabulous covered market, we’ll pick up local cheeses and treats to savour while sipping an evening Cognac on the banks of the stately Charente. Sigh.
Voskèat (or Voskehat)
We could have walked to ARMENIA from Georgia, but we took a shortcut through Argentina and France. Nevertheless, it’s good to be back in the bosom of the former Soviet republic. In the capital, Yerevan, we’ll clamber up The Cascade’s massive stone staircase for a gob-smacking view of Mt Ararat. After that, we’ll be hanging out for a glass of Armenia’s ancient and aromatic white wine. Depending on the vintage, fragrant Voskèat can deliver anything from restrained stone-fruit to full-on tropical flavours.
Welschriesling
Welschriesling is a true International Wine of Mystery, going by at least 30 different aliases in almost as many countries. Which is no bad thing for inveterate travellers like us. It means we can enjoy it in Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia – and more. Often, the variety lends itself to light, aromatic, somewhat simple wines. But in AUSTRIA, Welschriesling makes lusciously sweet and textured Trockenbeerenauslese wines. Wisely abbreviated to TBA, these wines are among the rarest and most highly prized in the country.
Xynomavro
OK, red lovers – you’ve been uncharacteristically patient while we sampled all those fragrant and fruity whites. This one’s for you. Meet Xynomavro – a big bugger of a wine, and the leading red variety of GREECE. Widely planted throughout the north, it’s dark in colour, highly acidic and very tannic. As you might imagine, it makes for a challenging mouthful while young. But Xynomavro ages as charmingly as any WineDown reader, softening and developing complexity as it goes. The slopes of Mount Olympus, where Xynomavro thrives seems an appropriately lofty location for our tasting. If it was good enough for Zeus, it’ll do us.
Žilavka
A fitting final destination for our notional odyssey is the gorgeous fairytale town of Mostar, in the HERZEGOVINA end of Bosnia Herzegovina. The region’s (wine) treasure is Žilavka – a hardy and versatile white grape that makes fresh, gently floral wines with good body and texture and, with skin contact, can also produce fantastically complex ‘orange’ wines. (It’s also prized for the rich, nutty flavours it brings to Bosnian brandies.) A riverside café with views of Stari Most at sunset, is the perfect spot enjoy a quiet glass of Žilavka, and ponder how magnificent the world is – and how marvellous it will be to go home.