Iago’s Wine Marina Rosé 2022

Marina Rose comes from Iago's Wine in Kartli, central Georgia, a project tied to Marina Kurtanidze, who helped found the country's first woman-led winery. It blends two native Georgian grapes, Chinuri and Tavkveri, farmed organically and made naturally. The wine ferments and ages in kvevri, the traditional buried clay vessels that have shaped Georgian winemaking for thousands of years. The Kartli plains sit at altitude with a continental climate, giving the fruit good acidity. The kvevri allows slow oxygen exchange through the porous clay during five months of ageing, which builds texture and a savoury depth while the lack of added inputs leaves a slightly wild, characterful edge. The wine is pale coral, sometimes with a faint amber tint from the clay. The nose shows red berries and cherry alongside dried herbs and citrus peel, with an earthy, saline undertone. The palate is dry, textured and savoury, light to medium in body, with a faintly grippy, mineral finish that sets it apart from a conventional fresh pink. Serve lightly chilled at around 10 to 12 degrees. It suits seafood, salads and savoury vegetable dishes.