2016 Lapati Super Ravi Mukuzani, Georgia Lapati was established by natural wine makers Vincent NOTES & PAIRINGS Jullien and Guillaume Gouerou, to produce wine with local The Saperavi Super Ravi (in French, the word "ravi" means grape growers in a natural and environment­friendly way using "happy") cuvée is made by placing whole clusters of the traditional Qvevri wine­making method. They completed Saperavi from the village of Mukuzani into two qvevris. After their Marani (traditional Georgian cellar) in Sagarejo, Kakheti in sealing the qvevris with clay, the wine ferments for 2 weeks 2015 and currently produce about 3,500 bottles. Everything is with carbonic gas. There is not much compression in a qvevri made in qvevri. Naturally sparkling wines comprise more than so this carbonic maceration is particularly gentle. After 2 half the production. weeks, the qvevris are opened, everything is destemmed, crushed, then the final juice goes to age into one qvevri. The VINEYARDS 2016 vintage was bottled directly from qvevri in March of About half of the grapes comes from their own vines in Kakheti 2017. and Shida Kartli. The remainder comes from growers who are also farming organically. They only buy what is necessary to ANALYTICS & PRONUNCIATION allow them to fully fill the four one­ton qvevris they have buried PRODUCER: Lapati in the marani. They intend to eventually increase the APPELLATION: Mukuzani production but not beyond 10,000 bottles as they want to VINTAGE: 2016 personally handle all aspects of production. GRAPE COMPOSITION: 100% Saperavi CLIMATE: Moderate continental WINE MAKING MACERATION & AGING: In qvevris. Fermentation for 2 The Saperavi Super Ravi (in French, the word "ravi" means weeks with carbonic gas "happy") cuvée is made by placing whole clusters of Saperavi ALCOHOL: 13.1% from the village of Mukuzani into two qvevris. After sealing the RESIDUAL SUGAR: 1.75 g/l qvevris with clay, the wine ferments for 2 weeks with carbonic­ ACIDITY: 4.5 g/l acid gas. There is not much compression in a qvevri so this carbonic maceration is particularly gentle. After 2 weeks, the qvevris are opened, everything is destemmed, crushed, then the final juice goes to age into one qvevri. Their naturally sparkling wines are bottled under the Kidev Erti label. It means "one more" in Georgian and sounds like the French phrase "qui divertit" literally, "what entertains". The wines are indeed entertaining and irresistible. Both the pale Chinuri and rosy cross of red Tavkveri and white Gorula are from Shida Kartli vineyards and underwent the same vinification. Fruit harvested in mid October was foot trodden in a traditional satsnakheli (canoe shaped press hewn from a single tree trunk) and poured into qvevri. After 2 weeks the wines were bottled at sugar levels that would give 6 bars of pressure. To order or get more information call or fax +1 (650) 941­4699. Blue Danube Wine Company PO Box 1011 | Los Altos, California 94023 | USA www.bluedanubewine.com.