Pheasant's Tears Poliphonia 2022 [Georgia / Rosé / Dry]

■ Appearance: An alluring, slightly hazy dark pink-ruby color with vibrant reflections.

■ Aroma: A delightful aroma of bursting citrus, crushed raspberries, and wild black cherries, intertwined with rustic notes of rosehip, damp earth, and leather.

■ Palate: Brimming with a sap-like vitality, offering a truly unique flavor. Sharp acidity accentuates dark berry and cola notes, supported by cottony fine tannins and a distinctive, long-lingering herbal twist on the earthy finish.

An 8,000-year tradition and the chorus of 157 voices

Pheasant's Tears, founded by John Wurdeman, is a winery that upholds Georgia's 8,000-year-old winemaking tradition and is a pioneer of the global natural wine movement. Based in Kakheti, they produce pure and authentic wines that celebrate the earth, using only traditional clay vessels called "Qvevri" buried deep underground.

The name "Poliphonia" is derived from Georgia's traditional polyphonic singing, where diverse voices blend into one. This wine is made from a collection vineyard, like a botanical nursery, consisting of 157 grape varieties gifted as "endangered saplings" by the Georgian Ministry of Agriculture's scientific research station. Instead of typical row planting, the varieties are mapped and planted "tree by tree" in small sections of 1 to 10 vines each, within a small 1-acre plot.

They adopt the ancient farming method of "field blend" (mixed planting and co-fermentation) practiced by ancient farmers for risk diversification (an insurance against total loss). All 157 varieties are harvested on the same day and naturally co-fermented (fermented together) by wild yeasts in beeswax-lined Qvevri buried underground. After a short maceration, the wine is bottled unfiltered, unfined, and with minimal intervention.

With its lively acidity and fine tannins, this "chilled red wine" profile effortlessly accompanies everything from light appetizers to savory meat dishes.

• ■ Yakitori (salt or sauce) – The wine's delicate tannins, earthiness, and subtle smoky nuances perfectly match the savory aroma of charcoal grilling and the richness of the sauce.
• ■ Roasted Duck with Berry Sauce – The wine's red fruit flavors and vibrant acidity harmonize with the sweet and sour berry sauce, neatly cutting through the duck's rich fat.
• ■ Mushroom Risotto – The wine's wild herbal notes and leather aromas beautifully complement the earthy scent and rich umami (amino acids) of natural mushrooms.

Serving temperature: 12℃〜14℃ (Enjoy the wine's full richness at this temperature range.)

Tibaani Village (Kakheti Region)

Overlooking the majestic Alazani Valley, this unique micro-vineyard functions as a "living museum" of ancient grapevines, essentially an agricultural research project in the guise of a commercial vineyard. Deep sandy loam spreads beneath limestone and chalky topsoil, providing the complex mineral profile necessary to support such a vast array of grape genetics.