Saperavi is one of the oldest varietals and most important in Georgia's commercial winemaking industry. This grape tends to produce big, rich wines with a dense tannic structure. This specific producer uses an old Georgian winemaking technique called Qvevri.

Qvevri is a large, ceramic egg-shaped vessel used for wine fermentation. The crushed grapes, stems, skins and seeds are placed in the qvevri then buried underground to maintain a stable temperature during the fermentation and aging process. This traditional method dates back 8,000 years.

Tune in now to get the full details on this winemaking style and try out this bold Georgian wine with me.

1:10 - Introduction to today's wine

2:00 - Old Georgian winemaking process

3:30 - Egg like vessel

4:44 - Natural wine practice

7:30 - Olfactory analysis

8:08 - Tasting notes

10:08 - Rating of the wine

11:11 - It's different

Today's wine: 2021 Togonidze wine Saperavi Red $29

(Plum market Aventura)

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Malvasja Istrijana is a native grape to Istria, Croatia located in the northwestern part of the Istrian peninsula bordering Italy and Slovenia. As we all know, wine is a product of the soil they come from and this area is known for it's mediterranean style climate aiding the grapes to produce a fresh, crisp, aromatic and mineral wines.

This producer is all about preserving indigenous Istrian varieties honoring the region and heritage. Gianfranco Kozlovic is the largest private producer of Malvasia in Istria and is a stickler for quality. This winery has been in the family for generations and is currently being run by the fourth generation. They produce around 150,000 bottles of this wine each year.

Tune in now and watch me taste Croatian wine for the first time while I spill all the details on the production, producer and wine.

Cheers!

1:11 - Croatian wine

2:00 - Introduction to the producer

2:44 - Northwestern Istria

3:05 - Indigenous grape

4:20 - Blend 2% fermented in oak

5:30 - Visual analysis

5:45 - Olfactory analysis

6:20 - Tasting notes

8:15 - Rating of the wine

Today's wine: Kozlovic Malvasia 2023 $25

(Plum market Aventura)

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I bought a wine preservation system… aka a Coravin. The Coravin system basically pours the wine out of a bottle without removing the cork and ultimately keeps the wine fresh in the bottle. Today I showcase this new tool I bought on a fabulous red blend from southeastern Spain.

Juan Gil has become one of my favorite Spanish wine producers this year. I love that they value quality and tradition while operating on sustainability by respecting the land, being energy efficient throughout the winery and using natural resources. They are fully organic and create high quality wines.

Tune in now to get the full details on how a Coravin works (watch me use it), hear me talk about Juan Gil and taste this amazing red blend with me.

1:45 - What is a Coravin?

3:45 - Introduction to the producer

4:35 - Organic wine

5:15 - My favorite red blend of 2025

6:40 - How to use the Coravin

10:25 - Argon gas

13:10 - Visual & Olfactory analysis

13:55 - Tasting notes

15:08 - What I would pair with this wine

15:24 - Rating on this wine

Today's wine: Juan Gil Blue Label Red Blend 2021 $35

PLUM MARKET

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Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale