Connor Smith

9.1

Finger. Lakes. Saperavi.

If this ain’t American winemaking in the 21st century we don’t know what is! 🇺🇸🍷🇬🇪🍇

At least, that’s what we were thinking before reading up on Standing Stone and founders Marti & Tom Macinski. They actually first planted this fascinating Georgian grape here in ***1994*** (just 3 years after Georgia left the USSR, for those keeping score at home) intended for blending.

Increasingly impressed by the quality of the grapes, they offered their first varietal Saperavi in 2010 - as “The Dark Red”, since the grape name was as yet unrecognized by the federal government. Once it was, they became the first American winery to release a wine labeled Saperavi.

Fine tuned to the cold, high mountains of Kakheti in eastern Georgia, it makes sense why it would thrive in the Finger Lakes! The name Saperavi literally means “ink”, a sensible name for a grape with pitch-dark skin AND flesh! 🖤

Marti and Tom sold the winery and retired in 2017. But their enduring legacy may just be budding. We’ve heard of Saperavi planting projects underway in New York, Virginia, and Oregon.

Saperavi’s runaway affinity for the Finger Lakes may have been a bit of a happy accident, but the Macinskis deserve every bit of credit for thinking outside the box, putting it in motion, and bringing it to fruition! 🙌🙌🙌 — 7 years ago

Michael Everett

8.9

More Georgian! Dank — 7 years ago

Corinne Shields

9.4

Intense apple cider bite. Delicious! Not too thick for an ice wine. — 8 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.2

Great for margaritas,
🍟🍟🍟 — 8 years ago

Liz O'Neal

9.2

Fuck yes. Georgian orange wine. — 8 years ago

with Jeff

Kimberly Faith Waid

9.5

Really complex and fascinating medium bodied orange wine with notes of peach, spice, honey, and oolong tea. Aged in clay, Georgian wine. Natural. — 10 years ago

Roastmaster General

9.1

Skin contact is the best contact. Georgian beauty. What's your number? — 10 years ago

with Taru

Sabina Sobhani

9.8

Organic Georgian red wine. Tastes amazing and is semi sweet — 11 years ago

Jose Moran

9.1

Unicorn tears... Georgian skin contact — 11 years ago

Reinholds Zviedris

9.7

Really nice Georgian wine made from grapes that you can find only in this region. — 12 years ago

Christopher Losa

Owner/Wine Director Bar Bambino

8.9

really well done. classes Georgian skin contact white. rich, viscous, but citrus acidity to balance. rose water, thyme, roasted almonds. — 7 years ago

Teresa S

8.9

Rose and Luxardo cherry syrup all day on nose. Slightly effervescent - is that typical of Georgian saperavi? — 7 years ago

with dan and Kristin

Dmitri

9.3

To correct myself, this is Greek not Georgian. A great entry into oranges. — 7 years ago

romo

9.2

Georgian reds can be rustic and uneven, but this is drinkable and well-integrated. Reminds me of a Roussillon. For skeptics. — 8 years ago

Austin N

9.1

A nice display of Georgian Amber wine. Very interesting without overwhelming tannins. For lack of better terms, with less fruit and more funk. — 8 years ago

Hussain Chass

10

Had this Georgian Orange in Old Tbilisi at a boutique wine store behind Hotel Ambassadori. Sampled many wines there but this one really stood out for its uniquness. Smells like raw apple after you've finished the glass. Truly remarkable. — 9 years ago

Dorit Handrus

8.9

Ok now ready to rate...like many of the qvevri aged Georgian wines, this seems to develop 'backwards?' it starts kind of fallen apart w young ripe fruit, lacking mid-late structure, missing acid...and then...all shows up. — 10 years ago

with Jason and Jesse

Mark Fisk

9.3

Great dry/sweet balanced wine. — 10 years ago

Matt Sterr

9.0

Pleasantly oily and very smooth for a 90. Nicely warm on the finish. — 11 years ago

Erika Layden

9.0

Georgian wine - the first I've had from its origin but really good. Sweet and long finish — 11 years ago

Danielle Knott

9.0

Juicy at first then smoky. Jelly belly on the nose. Wow! Georgian lady wine makers — 7 years ago

with Salvador

Teresa S

9.1

Our first Georgian wine adventure! Honey citrus nose, Clay makes it seem tannic! Mineral, balanced, super fun. — 7 years ago

with dan and Kristin

romo

9.1

Georgian Pet Nat. 10% abv. — 8 years ago

Samuel Cheney

8.9

Best skin-contact Georgian orange I’ve had (available from the local wine shop). Funkier than Dilao. Excellent everyday natural wine.
Had this the day Ari got her haircut. Soundtrack: Incubus, Deftones, Smashing Pumpkins. — 8 years ago

Justin Hansohn

9.1

Never in my life have I encountered a beverage like this. This is truly like liquid stone and stone fruit skin in the absolute craziest way. I don’t really know what to do with it but I will be back for more if for none other than shear interest. Not a quaffing wine and by no means is this fun, this is the most serious wine I have ever encountered. Not sloppy and not flawed. Georgian shamanism at its most psychedelic. — 8 years ago

Karen Booth

9.0

Earthy, spicy Georgian wine made by monks. for a thousand years in clay casks ... drunk tonight from clay cups. Wow. — 10 years ago

Jim Gingras

9.1

Full bodied with structure and kind of meaty... hints of green peppercorn. Inky in color but fairly light on the palette. Tart cherry finish. Very nice for a our first Georgian wine and the region from which viticulture evolved. — 10 years ago

Alex Mcmahon

9.4

Georgian orange wine. Very tasty! — 11 years ago

Marissa Reibstein

9.0

Delicious! Nose of mushrooms, forest floor and black fruit. Lovely tannens, delicious blackberries. Georgian wine! — 11 years ago

with Marisa

Deborah Heath

9.5

In Tbilisi @ Vino Underground! Georgian native white grape/qvevri skin contact. Herbaceous, earthy, yeasty. — 12 years ago