Hallgarten lists first Georgian and Armenian wines

By Mathew Lyons

Published: 27 September, 2019

Importer Hallgarten & Novum Wines has added two new wineries to its portfolio from Armenia and Georgia, the first time it has listed wines from those countries.

Founded in 1957, Vachnadziani is Georgia’s largest wine producer and is based in the country’s Kakheti and lmereti regions. Hallgarten is listing seven single-varietal wines made from five indigenous local grape varieties: Rkatsitelli, Krakhuna, Mtsvane, Saperavi and Otskhanuri Sapere. Two of the wines have been fermented in traditional Georgian qvevri earthenware amphorae.

The ArmAs winery in Armenia is an 180 ha estate situated in Aragatsotn on the 45th parallel close to Mount Ararat. Its vines are planted at between 700 and 1,900 metres above sea-level in volcanic, limestone and clay soils. Hallgarten has added four of its wines, two from the Voskahat grape and two from the Karmrahyut grape.

Steve Daniel, head of buying at Hallgarten & Novum Wines said: “The wines from Armenia and Georgia have always fascinated me and I am thrilled to be able to introduce wines from two countries that have so much history.

“Each of the producers we have introduced utilise the country’s indigenous grape varieties, their unique terroir and a combination of modern and ancient winemaking techniques that result in wines of epic proportion.”

Hallgarten is also adding a single wine from Greece’s boutique Akriotou winery located in the Sterea Ellada region of Central Greece. The Orivatis, which translates as ’Mountaineer’, is a Savatiano made from 45-year-old vines grown at between 280 and 380 metres above sea level.

Daniel said: “I have found what I believe to a missing link in our Greek portfolio. In 2015, Vassiliki Akriotou created her first range of Akriotou wines at a micro-winery in the heart of Greece and now we have the sublime Savatiano, made from 45-year-old vines, in our portfolio.”

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