This isn’t your grandfather’s red.
Or maybe it is—if your grandfather was a medieval forest mage who fought off invaders with fermented wild berries and moral complexity.
Otskhanuri Sapere 2023 by Klerti is a red dry wine that doesn’t care about your expectations.
Forget smooth. Forget jammy. Forget your favourite Bordeaux or that supermarket Primitivo.
This is Georgia.
Specifically: Imereti, the green western heart of the country. And this grape—Otskhanuri Sapere—has been growing here longer than most European countries have had plumbing.
Vinified in qvevri, the ancient underground clay amphora, this natural wine is earthy, intense, and vibrating with tension. It’s a red that walks on the edge, like a jazz solo that never fully resolves—but you follow anyway, glass after glass.
The colour? Deep ruby with hints of wild garnet. The aroma? Ripe blackberry, forest floor, a whisper of blood orange and dry spice. Tannins? Yes. Acid? Also yes. This wine is built like a conversation between wolves.
And yet—there’s elegance. Purpose. It knows what it’s doing. Just don’t expect it to explain itself.
Tasting Profile
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Colour: Intense ruby with purple reflections
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Aromas: Blackberries, sour cherry, wild herbs, damp earth, clove
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Palate: Dry, with firm tannins and vibrant acidity; a linear structure with a slightly saline finish
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Texture: Grainy, almost tactile—a wine you chew and think about
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Finish: Long, savoury, and provocatively raw
Food Pairing Suggestions
This wine doesn’t whisper over a salad—it needs real food:
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Grilled lamb chops with rosemary
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Duck breast with berry sauce
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Wild mushroom stew
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Charcuterie, hard cheeses, and Georgian kharcho
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Anything dark, spicy, or brooding
Serve at 16–18°C after decanting for 30–60 minutes. This wine wakes up slowly, like a suspicious cat.
⚙️ Technical Information
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Producer: Klerti (L.T.D. Klerti)
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Region: Imereti, Georgia
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Grapes: 100% Otskhanuri Sapere
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Vintage: 2023
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Vinification: Traditional qvevri method
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Alcohol: 14.38%
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Storage: Stored in the European Union for fast, sustainable delivery
This is a wine for bold palates, curious minds, and those who’ve had enough of “safe.” If you like natural reds with backbone, or you’re exploring Georgia’s oldest grapes, Otskhanuri Sapere might just rewire your understanding of what red wine can be.