The Chinuri grape is a versatile, indigenous grape variety primarily grown in the Kartli region of Georgia. This region, encompassing the Mtskheta and Mukhrani districts, has an illustrious history of viniculture dating back several centuries.
Chinuri is best known to provide the main constituent in a method of traditional Georgian white sparkling wine, but it is also used in the production of both dry and semi-sweet still white wine. It is lauded for its adaptability, capable of being used in both single-variety wines and blends, allowing winemakers great flexibility in their creations. It is noted for its high acidity and potential for high sugar levels, which delivers a robust and balanced taste profile within Georgian wines.
The grape itself has a medium-sized berry with a thick, durable skin, capable of withstanding the varying climatic conditions of Kartli, making it the perfect grape variety for this region's farming. These grapes are typically harvested in the middle or in the latter half of October.
The characteristics typical of wines made from the Chinuri grape include a pale to medium lemon colour, a pronounced bouquet of fruity and sometimes floral aromas, accompanied by a palate of green apples, pears, and quince, sometimes showing notes of minerality and often finished with a distinctive stony note.
Cultivation of Chinuri grapes has been a longstanding tradition in Georgia, embodied in the practice of using clay qvevri vessels for fermentation, maturation and storage, a technique dating back thousands of years which is a living cultural heritage and a testament to the country's rich history of winemaking. In the commercial market, wines made from the Chinuri grape often cater to those who favour full-bodied wines with rich and complex flavours.
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