Yes, it’s been a while since Tochinoshin won his yusho but I finally have an opportunity to write about Georgian wine. You see, here in Montgomery County, MD, we have weird alcohol laws. Our town was actually dry for a long time after prohibition and even now there are strict laws that limit the sale of alcohol. My wife was in DC the other day and picked up a Georgian sparkling wine and a Georgian red wine.
I’m no oenophile so I’m not going to talk about fancy tasting notes. I did pick up a bit of a yeast-like smell that I often smell with sparkling wine and champagne. My wife is a certified wine expert in Japan and her only issue with it was that the bubbles were not quite as active as she likes, particularly the next day. I must say, it was not flat and seemed pretty active to me. But today it is noticeably less “bubbly” than other second-day sparkling wines I’ve had. Anyway, I liked it. It tastes good and only cost $11 for the bottle.
She also bought a red wine so I’ll post about that in the next few days after we drink it. But tonight we had gorgonzola pasta with our bubbly.
You drank white wine with Gorgonzola? You truly are a barbarian. 😀
Sparkling, no less!
I LOVE gorgonzola! There are few things I wouldn’t have with it. I’d even eat it with a banana. Banana seems to mess up the flavor of just about everything.
You and your wife are obviously people of great discernment. A dry sparkling white wine is an excellent choice to accompany any cheese, or cheese dish. It is surprising how many people only drink champagne and similar wines at parties, and other occasions when endless, tedious toasts and speeches are in order. These are food wines, folks!
The wine is named after one of Georgia’s great national heroes, Prince Pyotr Bagration. He distinguished himself in the war with Napoleonic France. Badly wounded at Borodino, he died soon thereafter, age 47. He is one of the few military commanders who gets a positive mention in “War and Peace”.
As a fellow Marylander, I salute you over in Montgomery County, with its government-owned liquor stores. I myself grew up in Pennsylvania, with its similar “state stores” and “beer distributors” (by the case only)! Although, that particular law has recently been relaxed up there.
Wasn’t wine was invented in Georgia?
That’s what they say.