Friday, July 11, 2025 red wine review is a lovely, dry red wine from Georgia that is crafted with the Saperavi varietal. It is brand new to the LCBO and arrived at Flagship Exclusive outlets (plus maybe a few other stores) and online in the recent LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.
Bedoba, which means "Day of Luck", is a boutique wine producer whose original cellars date back to 1737 and the Konchosvilli family who had close ties with the church. Bedoba's modern incarnation was established by Georgian winemaker Nugzar Ksovreli, from the Kakheti wine company, and Swiss winetrepreneur Thierry Fontannaz.
Thierry's fascination and utmost respect for Georgia's ancient winemaking techniques moved him to create Bedoba from Nugzar's iconic Saperavi wines of the Khaketian area of the winery, which belonged to the Konchoshvili family. The Bedoba wine cellar dates back to 1533, when Kakhaber Konchoshvili, winemaker of Kakhetian King Teimuraz II, founded a wine cellar where traditional Kakhetian wines were produced and sold.
The Bedoba brand was born in praise of an inclusive and eclectic culture at the European juncture between East, West, North and South. Parts of the European, Persian, Arabian, Anatolian and Far Eastern cultures have influenced Georgia's own identity, and resulted in one of the most hospitable countries in the world, as the welcoming and benevolent culture is a joy for all who have had the privilege of experiencing it.
The Georgian tradition of BEDOBA is the granting of luck on the second day of the new year, an extension of New Year's Day celebrations, to ensure that there is a dedicated time in which good luck is welcomed for the new year. In short, Bedoba is a wonderful way to manifest good intentions and happiness in Georgian homes and establishments, and presumably wine drinkers around the world as well!
This red wine is crafted with the dark-skinned and red-fleshed Saperavi varietal, from vines that are 30+ years old and cultivated using sustainable and organic techniques. The trellis-trained vineyards are planted on 8 metres of black slate soil in the sub-regions of Kindzmarauli and Kvareli, within Kakheti. After hand-harvesting the grapes from mid-September to late-November, most of the grapes were partially destemmed, then crushed in stainless steel vats, where fermentation took place. A large proportion of the grapes were whole-bunch fermented in qvevri amphoras. After about 6 weeks of stainless steel fermentation, the juice was drawn off and some of it was racked into 225 L first- and second-fill oak barrels, as well as 5,000 L wooden barrels, where the wine underwent malolactic fermentation, and was then racked off the lees and transferred into a new set of barrels and vats for further maturation. The qvevri fermented grapes remained in amphoras until March, and were then pressed and transferred into new qvevris for further ageing. Both portions were blended together to create the final cuvée of 100% Saperavi.
In this part of Georgia, the weather is typically influenced by the nearby Great Caucasus Mountains, allowing for a dry harvest with typically mild temperatures during the day, but cold nights, which is ideal for avoiding any kind of rot. Let's see how this 2021 Saperavi from Georgia is tasting tonight...
100% Saperavi. The fragrant, medium-high intensity nose has deep aromas of sweet and ripe dark fruits, blackberry, black cherry, cassis, vanillin, and spices, with minerality permeating throughout. It's medium+ bodied, dry, and well-structured with delicious ripe blackberry, black cherry, spice, and stony mineral flavours accented with touches of cassis, herbs, and vanilla. Some floral notes on the mid-palate, along with crisp, well-structured, and slightly tangy acidity, and smooth, refined tannins. Gently grippy with blackberry, cassis, and savoury mineral notes on the long finish. Recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts
While this appears to be the only wine produced by Bedoba at the moment, other wines may be available at some point through their Agent - Kylix Wines.
Bedoba, which means "Day of Luck", is a boutique wine producer whose original cellars date back to 1737 and the Konchosvilli family who had close ties with the church. Bedoba's modern incarnation was established by Georgian winemaker Nugzar Ksovreli, from the Kakheti wine company, and Swiss winetrepreneur Thierry Fontannaz.
Thierry's fascination and utmost respect for Georgia's ancient winemaking techniques moved him to create Bedoba from Nugzar's iconic Saperavi wines of the Khaketian area of the winery, which belonged to the Konchoshvili family. The Bedoba wine cellar dates back to 1533, when Kakhaber Konchoshvili, winemaker of Kakhetian King Teimuraz II, founded a wine cellar where traditional Kakhetian wines were produced and sold.
The Bedoba brand was born in praise of an inclusive and eclectic culture at the European juncture between East, West, North and South. Parts of the European, Persian, Arabian, Anatolian and Far Eastern cultures have influenced Georgia's own identity, and resulted in one of the most hospitable countries in the world, as the welcoming and benevolent culture is a joy for all who have had the privilege of experiencing it.
The Georgian tradition of BEDOBA is the granting of luck on the second day of the new year, an extension of New Year's Day celebrations, to ensure that there is a dedicated time in which good luck is welcomed for the new year. In short, Bedoba is a wonderful way to manifest good intentions and happiness in Georgian homes and establishments, and presumably wine drinkers around the world as well!
This red wine is crafted with the dark-skinned and red-fleshed Saperavi varietal, from vines that are 30+ years old and cultivated using sustainable and organic techniques. The trellis-trained vineyards are planted on 8 metres of black slate soil in the sub-regions of Kindzmarauli and Kvareli, within Kakheti. After hand-harvesting the grapes from mid-September to late-November, most of the grapes were partially destemmed, then crushed in stainless steel vats, where fermentation took place. A large proportion of the grapes were whole-bunch fermented in qvevri amphoras. After about 6 weeks of stainless steel fermentation, the juice was drawn off and some of it was racked into 225 L first- and second-fill oak barrels, as well as 5,000 L wooden barrels, where the wine underwent malolactic fermentation, and was then racked off the lees and transferred into a new set of barrels and vats for further maturation. The qvevri fermented grapes remained in amphoras until March, and were then pressed and transferred into new qvevris for further ageing. Both portions were blended together to create the final cuvée of 100% Saperavi.
In this part of Georgia, the weather is typically influenced by the nearby Great Caucasus Mountains, allowing for a dry harvest with typically mild temperatures during the day, but cold nights, which is ideal for avoiding any kind of rot. Let's see how this 2021 Saperavi from Georgia is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
BEDOBA SAPERAVI 2021 - Georgia (#41298) (XD) - $26.95100% Saperavi. The fragrant, medium-high intensity nose has deep aromas of sweet and ripe dark fruits, blackberry, black cherry, cassis, vanillin, and spices, with minerality permeating throughout. It's medium+ bodied, dry, and well-structured with delicious ripe blackberry, black cherry, spice, and stony mineral flavours accented with touches of cassis, herbs, and vanilla. Some floral notes on the mid-palate, along with crisp, well-structured, and slightly tangy acidity, and smooth, refined tannins. Gently grippy with blackberry, cassis, and savoury mineral notes on the long finish. Recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts
While this appears to be the only wine produced by Bedoba at the moment, other wines may be available at some point through their Agent - Kylix Wines.
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