Marani Casreli: Doctors Making Healthy Wine in Kakheti (Georgia)
Founded in 2014, Marani Casreli is located in Village Vachnadziani on the right bank of the Alazani River not far from Telavi, Georgia’s “Napa”. Casreli has 8 ha of vineyards and grows all its own fruit using organic practices. All wines are fermented and matured in qvevri. It is a project of five physicians under the leadership of Misha Dolidze (shown here).
The winemaking is all natural with no cultured yeasts, no filtering and no use of stabilizers. Misha varies the use of skins and stems depending on the vintage and grape variety. Perhaps due to the owners’ medical training, extra careful attention is paid to hygiene in the winery.
The wines were tasted at the winery with Misha. Casreli has recently begun planting 2 ha of vines in Imereti. Annual production is about 10 thousand bottles, almost all of which is exported, the USA being the largest market. The low production means the wines can be difficult to find. In America, we suggest you contact Neki Selections.
Importer: Neki Selections Tel: +1 718 790 9569
The Wines
Casreli 2021 Amidasturi Kakheti (Gurjaani) ($29) 91 Medium amber color. This Rkasiteli led blend reveals savory notes of honeycomb and dried peach on the nose. In the mouth, it’s balanced with good acidity and rich flavors that mirror the nose with the addition of some dried herbal notes. Finishes dry with a lingering sense of freshness. A blend of 70% Rkasiteli, 27% Kakhuri Mtsvane, and 3% Muscaturi Rkatsiteli, a 20th century hybrid of Muscat and Rkasiteli, all organically cultivated and cofermented on the skins (no stems) in qvevri for 7 months. 13% alc.
Casreli 2020 Kisi Kakheti (Gurjaani) 90 Hazy medium amber color. Light scents of apricot skin, honey and tea. Creamy texture and concentrated flavors with a long, rich finish, but also shows Kisi’s firm tannins. Spends 4 months on the skins.
Casreli 2021 Mtsvane-Kisi Kakheti 91+ Medium plus amber color. Reveals a floral nose with notes of yellow fruit. Fresh and bright on the palate showing flavors of ripe yellow apple, peach, walnuts and melon. A 50/50 blend of Mtsvane and Kisi fermented on the skins for 4 weeks then racked to stainless steel for aging. 14% alc.
Casreli 2019 Rkatsiteli-Mtsvane Kakheti (Gurjaani ) 91 Medium dark amber-orange. Another Rkatsiteli led blend, it’s aromatic with herbal fig, tea, and Cape Gooseberry notes. Creamy on the palate with honeyed apricot and dried orange citrus notes, finishing with fairly dry tannins. A 70/30 blend of Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane that spends 5 months on the skins. 12% alc.
Casreli 2021 Chitistvala Kakheti (Gurjaani) 93 Medium amber. Light butterscotch notes on the nose, typical of Chitiswala, along with orange zest and lemon curd. A beautiful wine with a lightly creamy mouthfeel, appealing, layered flavors with spice notes, lovely freshness, and firm tannins. A blend of Testi Chitisvala (60%), Kisi (20%), and Rkatsiteli (20%) fermented and aged 8 months on the skins, stems, and seeds. 13.7% alc.
Casreli 2020 Saperavi Kakheti (Gurjaani) 92 Semi-opaque ruby. Opens with incisive aromas of dark berry and cherry with a note of dark chocolate. Silky mouthfeel with flavors of dark cassis with hints of leather, roast meat, and minerals. Finishes very dry with rich extract. Sourced from young vines grown in the Shaloant Akhoebi vineyard at 450m elevation; destemmed, fermented with native yeast, bottled unfiltered. 14% alc.
Marani Casreli Vineyard
