My Sesame Street approach to this voyage of discovery has lead us this week to Georgia and apart from a few sip & spit tastings at various wine events I have never really spent any time with the wines from that country. This is something of an omission given that vines are known to have been cultivated in Georgia for over five thousand years. Some claim that Rkatsiteli was the first vine planted by Noah once his socks had dried out after his boating holiday. I thought he docked in what is now Turkey so there may be a gap in that story, but as I can't find any reference anywhere in Genesis we will leave it there.
Week R (2014) Chateau Mukhrani Rkatsiteli. 2012. M&S £9.49.
On opening the wine and pouring it revealed itself as a bright, clear medium intensity lemon yellow that looked shiny and fresh. On the nose it was rather lacking and not at all intensely aromatic.
I was expecting a similar performance on the palate but was surprised by hit of fresh fruit and floral flavours that were immediate and quite intense. But almost as soon as they arrived, they vanished leaving an unexpected watery sensation. This made the wine feel a bit thin, but at 13% abv it isn't, really.
The makers suggest it has honeysuckle and fennel tones with fresh ginger and Chinese five spice, but I didn't find those to be prominent so I will be charitable and blame my post Christmas cold.
It was enjoyable and easy to drink, had a good, if short-lived flavour, and was perfectly well made, it's just that it doesn't stand out in any particular way.
So not one for the regular list, but good to have tasted it.
We will stay in Georgia next week and see whether the experience we have had with a white grape is repeated or contradicted with a red.
Week R (2014) Chateau Mukhrani Rkatsiteli. 2012. M&S £9.49.On opening the wine and pouring it revealed itself as a bright, clear medium intensity lemon yellow that looked shiny and fresh. On the nose it was rather lacking and not at all intensely aromatic.
I was expecting a similar performance on the palate but was surprised by hit of fresh fruit and floral flavours that were immediate and quite intense. But almost as soon as they arrived, they vanished leaving an unexpected watery sensation. This made the wine feel a bit thin, but at 13% abv it isn't, really.
The makers suggest it has honeysuckle and fennel tones with fresh ginger and Chinese five spice, but I didn't find those to be prominent so I will be charitable and blame my post Christmas cold.
It was enjoyable and easy to drink, had a good, if short-lived flavour, and was perfectly well made, it's just that it doesn't stand out in any particular way.
So not one for the regular list, but good to have tasted it.
We will stay in Georgia next week and see whether the experience we have had with a white grape is repeated or contradicted with a red.
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