What is Tibaani wine?
Amber Rkatsiteli wine from Inner Kakheti.
Short answer
Tibaani is a protected designation of origin for dry amber wine made mainly from Rkatsiteli in the Tibaani micro-zone of Inner Kakheti. Registration number 796, date in the file: 10/12/2007. The specification sets at least 12% alcohol and no more than 4 g/l sugar.
Why
- The main variety is Rkatsiteli, with up to 15% Kakhuri Mtsvane and Khikhvi from the same micro-zone.
- The micro-zone is on the right side of the Alazani gorge at 350–550 m, covering the villages Tibaani, Kvemo Machkhaani, Jugaani and Dzveli Anagi.
- Fermentation takes place in qvevri with the stems, and the wine stays on the must until 1 February of the following year.
Details
Tibaani is full-bodied, energetic and velvety, with a spicy character and fruit notes that develop with ageing. The colour runs from dark amber to straw. No fixed ageing period is set. On the vessel: what is a qvevri, on the style: amber wine in Georgia.
Processing and winemaking take place in Kakheti, and bottling is allowed elsewhere in Georgia. More on the grape: Rkatsiteli.
Tip
Look for TIBAANI and PDO on the label: the Latin-script name and the protected designation mark are required by the specification.
What may differ
The specification sets only limits: varieties, zone, minimum alcohol, maximum sugar. Wines from different producers differ within those limits, and the specification can be updated, so check the current version on wine.gov.ge.
Common misconception
Tibaani is a grape variety.
What actually happens
No, it is the name of a place. The variety is mainly Rkatsiteli.
People also ask
- What is Tibaani wine?
Sources
18+. This page is about alcohol and is for reference only. Drinking alcohol harms health.
Georgian wine: Madloba articlesRelated questions
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What is amber wine in Georgia?
The Georgian Law on Vine and Wine divides wines by colour into white, amber, rosé and red.
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The drinking horn in Georgia is called a kantsi; it is made of animal horn, and the richer ones are decorated with gold and silver.
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How many Georgian wines have a protected designation of origin?
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