Labara Ojaleshi 2023

Drink it now or cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant, but best to open it an hour before service. Labara Winery was founded in 2017 by Dato Gagua and Shalva Sikharulidze, who left the US and returned to their home country to pursue their passion for winemaking and introduce the Georgian wines of Vartsikhe to the world. This small village located in the Imereti region has a long winemaking tradition. The climatic conditions here favor quality viticulture. The estate, which has approximately 12 hectares of vineyards, produces natural wines from indigenous grape varieties using both modern technologies and traditional Georgian methods. Labara Ojaleshi is a dry red wine made from the native Ojaleshi grape, grown in the estate's vineyards in Samegrelo, in the Salkhino microzone. After manual harvesting, fermentation takes place in traditional qvevri (terracotta jars traditionally used in Georgian winemaking) buried underground for a month. In the glass, the wine reveals a vibrant dark ruby color and an intense and complex aromatic profile with notes of black cherry, berries, and blackcurrant, followed by hints of tobacco and wild herbs. On the palate, it is concentrated and medium-bodied with firm, chalky tannins and a lively, well-balanced acidity. It has a rounded and soft texture and a long, lingering finish with fruity overtones. It is excellent with game birds and chicken cacciatore.