United Stars Alazanis Valley Off Dry Red 2018

Lynn van der Linde rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

Made from Republic of Georgia indigenous grape variety,
A fun taste of a grape variety rarely seen in Canada.
Fruity aromas of raspberries, cherries and a hint of cotton candy, carry through to a
cherry flavoured finish. Medium bodied, with a hint of sweetness, making this a perfect pairing with a wide variety of foods, including soft cheeses, margherita pizza and veggie burgers.

Molly Amoli Shinhat reviewed this wine as follows:

Made with indigenous Saperavi grapes, grown in the Alazani Valley in the Kakheti region, this wine is a lush, deep ruby colour. On the palate, it's a perfect homage to red fruit - raspberry, strawberry, red currant, cranberry, and stewed fruit. With high acidity and medium tannins, it shows a slight tartness.

At 40 g/l residual sugar, this wine is medium dry or semi-sweet, i.e. well on its way to being a dessert wine.

It hails from the Republic of Georgia, oppressed for decades under the former Soviet regime. That most certainly would've included the winemakers most of whom, somehow, found ways to preserve the 8,000-year-old ancient traditions of Qvevri winemaking. It involves burying massive containers made of pure unglazed terra cotta called "qvevri" completely in the ground. Typically they hold between 100 and 4,000 litres, but some have been unearthed that hold as much as 10,000 litres.

Unlike the Greek amphorae, qvevri were not used to transport wine. Instead, the vessels were used to ferment and store wine, with complete burial in the earth providing temperature control to the winemakers. In the West, Georgia is widely believed to be wine's birthplace, and it's the only place in the world where qvevri winemaking is practiced.

There are a handful of qveri makers left, and this wine comes from the region where some of them live, and where in the late 1990s, qvevri winemaking went through a renaissance.

While sweet wines from Georgia, including this one, are typically not made using Qvevri techniques, this wine comes from a long-storied, ancient winemaking place.

Wines this sweet pair well with dessert. In this case, fruit, red fruit in particular - a cranberry, strawberry or raspberry tart or flan? - or dark chocolate.

On second thought, why not both?

Jane Staples rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Made from Georgia’s indigenous Saperavi grape varietal, this is a semi-sweet wine with ripe dark berry aromas- strawberries, blueberries and cherries – and a smooth, well-balanced fruity palate with polished tannins. Very pleasant overall, to pair with spicy curries or to sip after dinner with crisp shortbread cookies.
Tasted Sept. 2020

Andrea Shapiro rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Made from the Saperavi grape, grown in the Alazani Valley of Kakheti, Georgia. This region has a warmer climate and thereby bestows the grapes with added, delectable sweetness which is intently reflected in this wine. Shimmering ruby coloured in the glass with garnet tones throughout. Intriguing elements of dark cherries, blossoms and spicy, earthy, fig and plum chutney notes. Fine and flavourful with a splash of blood orange citrus lingering into the finish. A fine pairing with soft cheeses and light desserts, or on its own as an after dinner sipper.

Jennifer Havers rated this wine as 87/100 with the following review:

This wine is made from Saperavi, a grape indigenous to Georgia. Aromas of red raspberry and cherry and a hint of candied strawberry. Medium bodied and smooth, with light tannins, tart and fresh berry notes, and a hint of white pepper and candied fruit. Enjoy with rich meat or game dishes.

Craig Haynes rated this wine as 87/100 with the following review:

A gorgeous, bright purple - ruby hue and vibrant candied red fruit aromas defined this creation from the Republic of Georgia’s Kakheti region. Medium bodied with supple tannins, this red was crafted with Saperavi, a dark skinned with pink flesh varietal indigenous to the Republic of Georgia. Pair with hearty spiced meat dishes. Enjoy.

Reviewed on September 12, 2020