# Chateau Lipartiani Dry Red (2015)

- **Producer:** Winery Khareba
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Saperavi, Aladasturi
- **Region:** Kakheti, Georgia
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €55
- **Vegan:** No
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, blackberry, blackcurrant, herbaceous, chocolate, vanilla, cloves, smoke, leather, tobacco, forest floor

## About this wine

Chateau Lipartiani is a premium dry red wine produced by Winery Khareba in Georgia. The brand name honors the prominent historical Lipartiani family, a cadet branch of the House of Dadiani who ruled the Salipartiano fiefdom in western Georgia since the Middle Ages. The label's reference to the 'IX Century' traces back to the medieval figure of Liparit in the 9th Century. Sourced from the prestigious micro-zones of Kakheti at the foot of the Caucasus mountain range, this wine represents the pinnacle of Winery Khareba's international-style portfolio, marrying Georgia's ancient viticultural heritage with modern European winemaking traditions.

## Interesting facts

- The brand name honors the historical Lipartiani family, whose lineage traces back to the 9th century.
- This wine is crafted in a modern Bordeaux style rather than the traditional Georgian clay Qvevri method.
- It won a Gold Trophy and 'Best Wine' for Central & Eastern Europe and Asia at the Citadelles du Vin in Bordeaux.

## Food pairing

This full-bodied, highly structured Saperavi blend requires rich, protein-heavy dishes to soften its robust tannins. The high acidity cuts through the fat of marbled meats like ribeye or roasted game, while the intense dark fruit and spicy oak notes complement hearty, well-seasoned Caucasian and European meat dishes.

## Wine making process

The grapes, consisting of Saperavi and a small portion of Aladasturi, are hand-picked in September at optimal phenolic ripeness. Unlike traditional Georgian wines fermented in clay Qvevri, Chateau Lipartiani is crafted in a modern European style. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks under the guidance of consulting winemakers from Bordeaux and German cellar master Ingo Simon. The wine is then aged in premium French oak barriques for 8 to 12 months prior to bottling, enhancing its structure and complexity.