Pheasant’s Tears
Sighnaghi, Kakheti
2018 Pet Nat ‘Phoenix tears’ (Tsolikouri)
Made from Tsolikouri in the Shua Gora vineyard. Fermented in Kvevri without skins and aged in bottle for one year. This a a super rare collaboration with Nuria Renom, the famed former sommelier at Bar Brutal in Barcelona. No fining, filtering or added sulphites. In the glass, the wine is a clear medium gold. Aromas of autumn fruits and savoury flavours: ripe persimmon, nashi pear, celery, green olive, coriander seed. The palate showcases bold flavours with powerful fruit, accompanied by a slight astringent grip, super fine mousse and medium acidity. A saline note accompanying the intense fruit flavours: white cherry, green melon, chamomile and sweet chestnut. Bold and beautiful, powerful and balanced, a pristine example of what the Georgians can do with pet nat.
2017 Chinuri (light amber)
From brown alluvial soils over sandstone and limestone in Mukhrani, Kartli. Soft burnished straw colour. Labelled as a white wine but there was a short amount of skin contact to good influence. Scents of orange-toned fruits, compared with the usual white and yellow fruit. A little grape marc note is also present. Smokey apricot and dried orange with a definite clay note, adding further savoury complexity. On the palate it has good weight typical of Chinuri; offering generous apricot and spices. Seville orange notes upfront, with a smoky salt/mineral finish. Super complex for a “white” Chinuri.
2017 Chinuri (amber)
From brown alluvial soils over sandstone and limestone in Mukhrani, Kartli. The wine spent 1 week on skins and shows in the colour: a cloudy pale orange. Complex light amber nose, with scents of dried apricot, rosehip, dried mango, smoke, wet clay. A more earthy and autumnal expression. Medium bodied with great intensity straight up. Salt and lemony acid render the palate instantly dry, with flavours of sour orange, grapefruit and chalky light white tannins.
2018 Kisi (amber)
Kisi from Tivaani. Fermented on 100% skin and stem contact for 6 months in kvevri, then aged for a year further in kvevri as well. No fining, filtering or additional sulphites. Cloudy, deep apricot on sight. Aromas of gingerbread, hay, bruised pear, baked apple, cinnamon, white pepper. Taste: Light on its feet but with powerful tannins which are mouthfilling yet fine. Medium acidity levels, and flavours are packed full of super ripe orchard fruits and raw quince.
2018 Rosé Rkatsiteli (light red)
Made from Rkatsiteli grown in the Pheasant’s Tears vineyards in Tibaani on brown alluvial soil, sandstone and quartz. Fermented on 100% skins and stems in kvevri for 3 weeks, then aged for 7 months in kvevri. The resulting pale red wine is a clear soft ruby. A swirl in the glass yields aromas of red fruit - candy apple, redcurrant, wild strawberry; notes of licorice, nutmeg and lemon pepper also detectable. The palate reveals light and refreshing flavours with a Trousseau-like vibe, yet with bold tannin structure more akin to amber wine. It’s all thanks to that skin and stem contact adding that extra layer of complexity and depth. The wine overall is balanced by good acidity. The red fruits theme continues with red apple and pomegranate, as well as white cherry and slightly smokey savoury notes, including autumn leaves and beetroot. This is an intricately complex rosé with tons to offer.
2018 Mtsvane ‘Tibaani’ (amber)
Mtsvane is harvested from their estate vineyard in Tibaani. Fermented in kvevri for 3 weeks, on 8% skins before further aging in Kvevri for 1 year total. The wine is cloudy and we recommend decanting after setting for best results. A medium apricot colour, foreshadowing the flavours that emerge from the glass – apricot, feijoa, ginger blossom, pumpkin and burnt honey. The mouthfeel is plump and juicy, with a chameleonic interplay between the fine chalky tannins, the medium levels of acidity and a touch of bitterness that give the Mtsvane personality. Those juicy flavours are mostly sweet-fruited, from apricot and nectarines, alongside notes of tonic water, gold green tea and honey. Delicious and funky.
2018 Chkhaveri (red)
Chkaveri is a versatile pink-skinned grape from Guria is western Georgia. The fruit is grown in Pheasant’s Tear’s Kvashta vineyard, handpicked when ripe and put straight into Kvevri. It sees only a week of skin contact before being transferred to another kvevri to mature for 8 months. Best described as a refreshing light to medium-bodied red.
2018 Tavkveri
Once favoured at the royal table, Tavkveri fell into obscurity with Pheasant’s Tears being instrumental in reviving it. Tavkveri is a non-hermaphoditic female, red variety, so it needs to be inter-planted with other male vines to produce fruit – often Chinuri. The French say Tavkveri is reminiscent of Cabernet Franc and we have to agree! Sourced from the Mukhrani vineyard in Kartli, central Georgia, grapes are destemmed and spend 3 weeks maturing on skins in Kvevri. The wine is then transferred to another Kvevri for 6 months ageing. Deep plum colour with scents of blackcurrant, blood plum, ash, dark chocolate covered strawberries and liquorice. The palate offers more strawberry, red plum, cherries with hints of sumac and smoked liquorice. Tannins are super fine and bold. This wine is powerful and intense yet fresh and energetic. Drink it lightly chilled or at room temperature.
NV Chacha - 500ml
A true Georgian experience - Chacha is part of Georgia's soul. Made from grape pomace (skins, seeds and stems) after the amber wine has been racked from its kvevri, Chacha is the grappa of Georgia. No feast is complete without a glass of Chacha to accompany a toast or two. Pheasant’s Tears cut their Chacha back to around 45% alc/vol and age in old oak barrels. Passionate and fiery, with green apple and grape flavours to the fore as you take a shot. A soulful rustic spirit.