Kapistoni Budeshuri Saperavi 2021

Kapistoni is the Chochishvili family's winery in the village of Saguramo, a short drive north of Tbilisi, where seventh-generation winemaker Niko Chochishvili tends a marani of 58 qvevri, the clay vessels sunk into the earth that anchor Georgia's 8,000-year winemaking tradition. Fruit comes exclusively from ecologically cultivated vineyards in Kartli, where ancient indigenous varieties still thrive; Budeshuri is a distinct, higher-acid subvariety of Saperavi. The wine ferments about three weeks on the skins in qvevri and is racked monthly to fresh vessels before bottling unfiltered. The 2021 shows a nearly opaque dark ruby, with blackberry, black cherry, and ripe red plum shaded by dark chocolate, black pepper, and wild rose petal, full-bodied and velvety in texture. Ancient method, confident result.