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Saperavi red wine variety

Saperavi is a red wine grape variety that is a native of Georgia in the former Soviet Union.

It was the most popular grape variety planted in many of the wine producing republics in the former Soviet Union.

The characteristic of the grapes of this exciting variety is the dark pink flesh and very dark skins, hence wines made from this variety are deeply coloured. In fact the name of the variety means 'dyer' in the Georgian language.

Another notable characteristic of wines made from this variety is the high acid levels which makes it suitable for blending.

Saperavi is also used to make semi-sweet wiines and port-style fortified wines.

As you might expect, the variety is also capable of surviving extremely cold winters, hence it has attracted the attention of winegrowers in high altitude locations and inland regions.

There are reports of the wine having great aging potential.

Saperavi in Australia

Only a few Australian wineries are now using the variety. It has been around for a decade or so and there are still only thirty or so producers. While Saperavi has its enthusiasts the rather slow uptake shows a lack of interest in the variety by growers and probably consumers as well.

Alejandro Riverland
Anderson Winery Rutherglen
Bassham Wines Riverland
Bent Road Granite Belt
Berg Herring McLaren Vale
Billy Button Alpine Valleys
Brown Brothers King Valley
Calico Town Rutherglen
Chateau Mildura Murray Darling
Cirami Estate Riverland
Clay Pot Wines Alpine Valleys
Clovely Estate South Burnett
Dell'uva Wines Barossa Valley
Domain Day Barossa Valley
Eaglerange Wines Alpine Valleys
Fairbrossen Perth Hills
Gapsted Wines Alpine Valleys
Glenbosch Estate Rutherglen
Hugh Hamilton McLaren Vale
King River Estate King Valley
La Cantina King Valley King Valley
Lino Ramble McLaren Vale
Massena Wines Barossa Valley
Matriarch and Rogue Clare Valley
Monak Wine Co Murray Darling
Oak Works Riverland
Patritti Wines McLaren Vale
Peter Drayton Wines Hunter Valley
Ridgemill Estate Granite Belt
Rolf Binder Barossa Valley
Serrena Que Estate Granite Belt
Sirromet Granite Belt
Smidge Wines Langhorne Creek
Spook Hill Wines Riverland
Symphonia King Valley
Ten Miles East Adelaide Hills
Trentham Estate Murray Darling
Two Hands Barossa Valley

edited 29 May 2023

Patritti Saperavi from the Barossa Valley

Saperavi wines and food

Wines made from Saperavi can be paired with a variety of foods.

The strong flavour and firm texture suggests that it would be suitable with game dishes or hearty winter fare.

The classic Georgian meat dish mtsvadi would make an ideal accompaniment to a robust flavourful Saperavi wine.

[Photograph: Courtesy of Georgian National Tourism Administration]

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