Dictionary
Appellation
Certain geographical location where grapes for wine are grown. There are 20 distinct appellations in Georgia. Saperavi USA gets its wines from the Georgian appellations of Kakheti, Mukuzani and Kindzmarauli.

- There are lots of wine rules. In Georgia, different wines can only be called certain things depending on where they’re coming from. Kind of like you can only call it champagne if it’s coming from that region of France.

- There’s also the rule, that’s universal, that if you’re the person to finish a bottle, you have to buy the next one.

Biodynamic Wine
Wine without any chemicals, sulfates, or yeast added. It is organic and natural.

- Susan, you know I only drink biodynamic wine now. It’s organic.

- Did you bring some to share then?

- Do you have a headache from the Saperavi wine we drank last night?

- Not at all, I suspect it must be because it’s biodynamic.

Georgia
The country, not the state! Nestled between the Caucasus mountains and the Black Sea. Georgia is, rightfully so, known as the birth place of wine. The winemaking tradition has been going on there for over 8,000 years.

She told me she was going to Georgia and I assumed she meant the state! Did you know there was a country named Georgia? ‘Cuz I didn’t.

We should take a trip to Georgia, the country. I hear the vineyards and the mountains are beautiful.

The best wine ever is from Georgia. Trust me. My dad told me after he went one time.

Green Harvest
The act of picking only the best grapes from the vine. About 70% of the grapes on each vine are removed during this process, allowing the vine to put all its energy into the remaining grapes.

- Dang girl, you must have been green harvested because you’re perfect, like the grape of a fine wine.

- Get away from me.

- Who knew grapes could be so competitive?! During a green harvest the strong grapes get to stay and the wimpy ones get tossed, like musical chairs.

- Sorry bud, I don’t think you’d make the cut.

Nabakhusevi
“Hangover” in Georgian

- Man, I am really feeling this nabakhusevi.

- Well it’s a good sign that you can even pronounce that right now. Try this Georgian soup. It cures all.

Saperavi
Georgia’s most popular red grape variety literally translates to “dye” in Georgian. It’s a teinturier grape, which means its skin, flesh, and juice are red.

Did you try the Saperavi? I drank so much of it my tongue is permanently bright purple. Look!

There’s a wine out there that won’t give you a headache because it’s so low in sulfites. It’s called Saperavi. Seriously, you gotta try it.

Most red wines get their color from red grapes that have translucent flesh but Saperavi wine comes from red grapes that are red on the inside and outside. Isn’t that cool?

Supra
A Georgian feast that consists of family style dining, traditional toasts, never ending courses and even more wine.

At supra last night they filled me up with so much food I had to unbutton my pants.

That yogurt dill soup we had at supra yesterday was so delicious. No one would ever dare try and recreate it.

I feel bad for you that you’ve never had khachapuri. It’s a supra staple item and it’s only the softest, cheesiest bread I’ve had in this lifetime. ‘Nuff said.

Tamada
The toastmaster of a supra.

- You’ve been appointed the toastmaster.

- Oh, dope. I love toast.

- No, you have to make a toast. You’re the Tamada so it has to be epic too.

- Oh boy, pass the wine.

Tannins
The feeling in your mouth, it’s the textural element of wine. Tannins are what gives a dry taste and adds complexity or bitterness.

- Wow, that wine has some serious grip to it.

- What does that mean?

- Wine with a decent amount of texture or tannins can be described as grippy.

- Ok, snob.

Teinturier
Grapes whose flesh and juice are both red in color due to certain pigments that accumulate within the grape itself.

- What makes Saperavi wine so dark?

- Saperavi is made with teinturier grapes, so they’re wicked red all the way through. Not like the grapes we’re used to.

The Punchdown
The process by which the layer of skins, seeds and stems of grapes that float above the juice or wine is broken up by pushing them back to the bottom to continue the fermenting. In Georgia, this is done manually with a stick-like device.

- I can’t wait to watch the Punchdown when we get to the winery.

- Who do you have money on?

- People aren’t getting punched down, dude. Grapes are. Punchdown is a wine term for the fermentation process.

Qvevri
A traditional clay pot that has been buried in the ground and used for the fermentation, storage and aging of traditional Georgian wine. It is a process that hasn’t changed in 8,000 years!

- Some Georgian wine comes from grapes that have fermented in a giant clay pot in the ground called a qvevri for like five to six months.

-Ohhhh, earthy.