W3 Wine School

Tsolikouri Qvevri (Georgian Republic)

The Tsolikouri grape is well-suited for both stainless-steel fermentation and qvevri winemaking.

In its amber or qvevri form, it transforms into a bold, textural wine suited to rich, earthy dishes.

Tsolikouri Qvevri Flavors

Tsolikouri Qvevri has a lively nose of dried yellow fruits, ripe quince, walnut and exotic spices:

Melon
Melon
Apple
Apple
Quince
Quince
Dried Fruit
Dried Fruit
Honey
Honey
Walnut
Walnut
Tea Leaves
Tea Leaves
Spices
Spices

Tsolikouri Qvevri Profile

Tsolikouri Qvevri is full-bodied, structured, with light tannins and earthy undertones:

SUGAR:Dry (3 g/l)
BODY:Full
TANNINS:Medium - Low
FRUIT:Medium - High
ACIDITY:Medium
ALCOHOL:13-14% ABV
Temperature Serving temperature:
12-14°C (54-57°F)

Tsolikouri Qvevri Food Pairing

Antipasti
Finger Food
Vegetables
Grilled
Vegetables
Pasta
Mushroom
Soup
Wrap
Wrap
Pork
Pork
Duck
Duck
Chicken
Chicken
Cheese
Cheese

Excellent Pairings

Roast Chicken or Duck with Herbs.
Mushroom dishes.
Grilled mushrooms.
Onions. Garlic.
Chicken and Poultry in Creamy Sauce.
Pork and Veal in Creamy Sauce.
Hazelnuts. Cashew. Pecans. Coconut.
Aged and Nutty Cheeses.

Georgian Specialities

Bahze

Chicken in Bazhe sauce

Bazhe (Walnut sauce dishes).
Eggplant with Walnut paste.
Chanakhi (Lamb and vegetable stew).


The Ideal Glass for Tsolikouri Qvevri

The Chardonnay Glass was designed for enjoying full-bodied white wines. They have a wider bowl and a tapered top to enhance the buttery and oaky notes found in aged wines.

The wide bowl steers the wine to the sensitive parts of the tongue, ensuring that the acidity creates a harmonious balance with the sweet aromas of the wine.

The wide bowl allows the full bouquet of aromas to develop. It also reduces the risk for over-concentrated aromas.

Tsolikouri Qvevri Cheese Pairing

Brie or Camembert

These creamy, rich cheeses complement the full, round mouthfeel of a full-bodied Tsolikouri Qvevri. The buttery flavors in both the wine and the cheese enhance each other beautifully.

Gruyère and Comté

The nutty, slightly sweet flavors of these cheeses pair well with the complex fruit and oak characteristics of a full-bodied white wine. The firm cheese texture adds a pleasant contrast to the richness of the wine.

Munster And Époisses

A rich and pungent washed-rind cheese provides a bold contrast to the refinement of a full-bodied Tsolikouri Qvevri.

Aged Gouda

Aged Gouda, with its caramel and butterscotch notes, matches the depth and complexity of a full-bodied Tsolikouri Qvevri. The wine’s acidity helps balance the cheese’s rich flavors.

Havarti

The creamy and mild flavor of Havarti pairs well with the rich and buttery texture of a full-bodied Tsolikouri Qvevri, making for a delightful and balanced pairing.

Aged Cheeses

The crystalline texture and savory, nutty flavor of aged chesses will complement the undertones of a full-bodied Tsolikouri Qvevri.

If You Like Tsolikouri Qvevri

You May Also Like:

Cassis (France)
Catarratto (Italy)
Chardonnay (France)
Condrieu (France)
Garnacha Blanca (Spain)
Grenache Blanche (France)
Marsanne (France)
Pinot Blanc (France)
Rioja White Oaked (Spain)
Rosazzo (Italy)
Roussanne (France)
Sémillon (France)
Trajadura (Portugal)
Treixadura (Spain)
Viognier (France)

Georgian Grapes

Tsolikouri

Tsolikouri

About Tsolikouri

Tsolikouri is a white grape variety native to the Imereti district of Georgia.

It is one of the most prominent and respected white grapes from Western Georgia. It produces elegant, structured wines and has a long-standing reputation in Georgian viticulture.

Nearly 90% of vineyards in western Georgia grow Tsolikauri.


Regions

Tsolikouri is indigenous to the Imereti region in Western Georgia, where it thrives in clay-limestone and alluvial soils, on hillsides with good drainage.

The grape likes humid subtropical climate with warm, wet summers and mild winters.


Fun Facts

According to former Soviet statesman Molotov, Tsolikouri was one of favorite wines of Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin.


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