Iberieli Saperavi 2022

This is Saperavi in a lighter-extraction frame: dark-fruited, but more about clarity than sheer weight. Expect blackberry and sour cherry, with a touch of wild herb and spice. The structure feels firm and clean, finishing long with a mineral edge. It reads as “Kakheti, but precise.”

Winery: Iberieli
Origin: Tsinandali village, Kakheti
Vintage: 2022
Eye: Light Ruby
Alcohol: 12.00%

Food pairings:

Steak-frites (or entrecôte): juicy fruit + medium body suit grilled beef and crisp fries.

Carbonnade flamande: savoury-sweet stew flavours align with berry depth and spice.

Spanish chorizo & lentil stew: spice and fat meet firm structure and fresh edge.

Iberieli is a family winery run by Zurab Topuridze, with vineyards and winemaking rooted in both Guria (West Georgia) and Kakheti (East Georgia). The estate’s aim is to protect Georgia’s authentic qvevri tradition, making natural-leaning wines from native grapes with a clear sense of place.

Disclaimer: in Kakheti, Zurab’s vineyard sits near Alazani River on stony soils, and his preference for lighter macerations often brings a distinct stony minerality to the finished wines.