Community Review

United Stars Alazanis Valley Off Dry Red 2018

Alazanis Valley, Kakheti, Georgia

Community Score: 4.4/5
Community Reviews: 7

Price: $17.00

Sweetness: Medium
Alcohol: 11.5%

Drink: 2023-2025

Bottle size: 750 ml
Winery: United Stars

Molly Amoli Shinhat reviewed this wine as follows:

Made with indigenous Saperavi grapes, grown in the Alazani Valley in the Kakheti region, this wine is a lush, deep ruby colour. On the palate, it's a perfect homage to red fruit - raspberry, strawberry, red currant, cranberry, and stewed fruit. With high acidity and medium tannins, it shows a slight tartness.

At 40 g/l residual sugar, this wine is medium dry or semi-sweet, i.e. well on its way to being a dessert wine.

It hails from the Republic of Georgia, oppressed for decades under the former Soviet regime. That most certainly would've included the winemakers most of whom, somehow, found ways to preserve the 8,000-year-old ancient traditions of Qvevri winemaking. It involves burying massive containers made of pure unglazed terra cotta called "qvevri" completely in the ground. Typically they hold between 100 and 4,000 litres, but some have been unearthed that hold as much as 10,000 litres.

Unlike the Greek amphorae, qvevri were not used to transport wine. Instead, the vessels were used to ferment and store wine, with complete burial in the earth providing temperature control to the winemakers. In the West, Georgia is widely believed to be wine's birthplace, and it's the only place in the world where qvevri winemaking is practiced.

There are a handful of qveri makers left, and this wine comes from the region where some of them live, and where in the late 1990s, qvevri winemaking went through a renaissance.

While sweet wines from Georgia, including this one, are typically not made using Qvevri techniques, this wine comes from a long-storied, ancient winemaking place.

Wines this sweet pair well with dessert. In this case, fruit, red fruit in particular - a cranberry, strawberry or raspberry tart or flan? - or dark chocolate.

On second thought, why not both?

Read Natalie's Full Review

WANT TO LEARN HOW TO

PAIR WINE
& FOOD?

Join me in a free online video class to learn the secrets to perfect pairings.

SAVE MY SEAT!

Wine of the Week

As featured on

Pongráz Sparkling Wine
Cap Classique Rosé,
Western Cape W.O. ...

Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean offers North America's most popular online wine and food pairing classes. She was named the World's Best Drinks Writer at the World Food Media Awards in Australia.

Natalie has published two books with Random House, both selected as one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year.

Join 327,156 thirsty wine lovers who get access to all of her wine reviews by becoming a member of her site. Take a free online pairing class with her here.

FEEL LOST IN THE

LCBO?

Know the wines you want before you even get to the store with my wine reviews. Join now. It's free.

Red, White & Drunk All Over

Best Books of the Year

Natalie MacLean writes about wine with a sensuous obsession... and often laugh-out-loud funny... Terrific.

Rex Pickett, Sideways

Ms. MacLean is the disarming Everywoman. She loves wine, loves drinking ... ultimately, it's a winning formula.

Eric Asimov, The New York Times

GOT A SMARTPHONE?

Access my reviews on mobile with the bar code scanner.

GET NAT'S APP

Unquenchable: A Tipsy Search

Best Books of the Year

Natalie MacLean is a new force in the wine writing world ‐ a feisty North American answer to Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson. She can write beautifully about wine.

The Financial Times of London

There are very few people in the wine world who "get it" and Natalie is one of those who brings more fun to a buttoned-up and stodgy game.

Gary Vaynerchuck, Wine Library TV

Starting a Wine Cellar?

Expert advice for all budgets

From wine racks to underground caves, insider tips on size and space, number of bottles, ideal conditions and reputable resources. learn more

Welcome Back!Sign in here:

Not Registered?Become one of our thirsty clan 327,156 strong:

Community Review