If you’re a wine lover, chances are you’ve heard a lot about Georgian wine. Georgia is considered by many to be the birthplace of winemaking (although Armenia also claims this honor.) A few years back I attended a tasting seminar on the qvevri (clay amphorae) aged wines from this region, and I was blown away: never had I tasted wines with such earthy texture and complexity. And, while I was impressed, I wasn’t exactly trolling local wine shops for bottles to take home.

Why not?

Maybe the seminar felt more like a wine-geek intellectual exercise than something I could apply to my everyday eating and drinking experiences. Lots of history and technical information but devoid of context.

Last week everything I thought I knew about Georgian wine changed dramatically: I dined at a New York City restaurant featuring the country’s food and wine by region. There’s my context!

Chama Mamma – A Restaurant Influenced by the Silk Road

Georgia’s culture reflects its unique geography. Situated between Eastern Europe and Asia, it lies along the ancient Silk Road, a route favored by traders traveling from one population center to another. Many of their culinary traditions were enveloped into Georgian life, creating a tapestry of aromas and flavors unique to this area.

While Chama Mamma’s décor is decidedly modern, the kitchen stays true to the ancient methods. The centerpiece is a custom-made, large clay oven known as a toné where the famous puri or bread is made. Each region of Georgia has its own traditional cheese bread also known as khachapuri. We sampled several, to rave reviews.

New to Georgian Wine? Order One of the Sommelier Flights

I loved that there were four sample flights to choose from, each showcasing three wines from different grape varieties. One flight featured white wines, another amber (aka orange) wines, the third focused on red wines from the Saperavi grape, and the final was a tricolor flight (one white, one amber, and one red) which was my pick.

All three wines were made by Chateau Buera

The vineyards of Château Buera in the Napareuli microzone lie atop alluvial, rocky soils on north-facing slopes and expand over five hectares of land. The Great Caucasus Mountains protect the region from extremely cold winter winds, leaving the Western ridge open to warm and humid air coming from the Black Sea. Both are important in maintaining a moderate microclimate ideal for healthy grapes.

Wine #1

• CHATEAU BUERA – RKATSITELI | 2022

Dry, medium bodied white wine with notes of green apple, lemon pith, lime, green tea, almond skin and salinity. Chateau Buera vineyards are farmed sustainably and are in the process of obtaining organic certification. Light in body but not in flavor. It was crisp and full of citrus and apple notes. Very nice with the watermelon salad. ABV 12%

Wine #2

• CHATEAU BUERA – QVEVRI AMBER – BLEND | 2019

Full bodied, qvevri wine with notes of peach, orange peel, pine resin, yellow apple and a hint of intriguing “amaro” bitter character. The wine is made with a blend of Kisi, Mstvane and Rkatsiteli grapes, using traditional Kakhetian wine making technique, with a 6- month fermentation period. This wine was rich and complex, a winner with each of the dishes on the table. A great place to start if you’re just learning about amber wines. ABV 12.5%

Wine #3

• CHATEAU BUERA – SAPERAVI RESERVE | 2018

Full bodied, dry red wine with notes of blackcurrant, blackberry, black pepper, oak, toast, vanilla and chocolate. Wine was aged in French oak barrels for 12 months and further aged in bottles for another 12 months before the release. Very well-balanced and perfect with the meat dishes. Just wish it had been served cooler. ABV 14%

After tasting through all three wines, I decided on a full glass of the Saperavi, sure to be a good match with the food that we ordered. It didn’t disappoint!

What We Ate: An Extravaganza of Aromas and Flavors

• Watermelon with Sulguni

Watermelon chunks with fresh Georgian sulguni cheese, opal basil dressing, fresh herbs and pomegranate. A refreshing start to the meal, light but very flavorful. We were all fighting over the last bits in the bowl!

• Chama Mama’s Seasonal Khachapuri

Seasonal Khachapuri with Chama Mama cheese blend topped with fresh tarragon and opal basil. This might be the best thing I’ve ever eaten: creamy, cheesy, crusty, with fresh herbs sprinkled over top. OMG this was delish.

• Kubdari with Adjika

National dish of the Svans region of Georgia this is bread stuffed with ground meat seasoned with adjika (a chili paste made from hot and sweet peppers) adding a smoky, spicy, sweet flavor. I’m now obsessed with adjika!

• Mixed Grill

Fine selection of meat – Kebab (chicken), mtsvadi (pork and chicken skewers), lamb chops. Served with pickled salad and tarragon tkemali. This is a great plate to share as it easily feeds four people. Add some crispy smashed potatoes with tarragon and one of the khachaburi and you have all you need!

Dessert

• Honey Cake

Simple and as good as it looks.

• Pelamushi

Traditional Georgian sweet grape pudding topped with glazed walnuts. Great flavor combo!

If You’re in New York City . . .

I highly recommend stopping in at one of Chama Mamma’s locations. We dined at the Upper West Side restaurant and really enjoyed our experience. For me, this meal was enlightening. I was able to understand Georgian wines through the context of the traditional flavors and ingredients found in the local dishes. I can’t wait to go back to try more of their wines!