When I was contacted by South Australian wine journalist Dan Traucki informing me that he was putting together a Saperavi tasting with wines from around the world I was intrigued. He had already gathered a diverse group of samples but was very interested in obtaining bottles from the “New World” producers here in North America. The North American entries were provided by the three pioneering wineries of the Finger Lakes Wine Region of New York that have advanced the development of this versatile grape for decades. The wineries are McGregor, Dr. Konstantin Frank and Standing Stone. At last count Dan had received 33 bottles with more arriving daily.

This event will give us a good idea about how the Saperavi grape is adapting to the different growing regions that it has been introduced into and how it is expressing the nuances of the terriors.

I have high hopes for the North American Saperavi and its potential to impress when it has its turn in the spotlight. It is said that “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” and I believe the FLX Saperavi will shine bright.

Dan had scheduled the tasting for Tuesday January 31, 2017 and you can follow his twitter @dandanwineman or mine @wpawinepirate for updates and links to any articles relate to this event.

McGregor Winery Saperavi Samples

Standing Stone Vineyards Saperavi Samples

Dr. Konstantin Frank Saperavi Samples