Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Martvilis Marani – Ojaleshi 2023
Samegrelo – Georgia 🇬🇪

Overview
Made from 100% Ojaleshi, a rare indigenous grape grown mainly in Georgia’s Samegrelo region, this 2023 bottling highlights one of the country’s most distinctive native reds. Traditionally semi-sweet but now often made dry, Ojaleshi is known for its floral aromatics and refined structure. (Educational note: Ojaleshi thrives on the steep, humid hillsides of western Georgia, where its cooler, wetter climate shapes its lighter body and elegant perfume.)

Aromas & Flavors
Expressive notes of wild strawberry, raspberry, and pomegranate with layers of rose petal, violet, and subtle spice. Secondary hints of forest herbs and wet stone underline its terroir.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied, with soft tannins and lively acidity. Smooth, balanced, and fragrant, finishing clean with lingering red fruit and floral tones.

Food Pairings
Excellent with roasted duck, lamb kebabs, or tomato-based stews. Also pairs well with grilled trout or Georgian walnut-stuffed vegetables (pkhali).

Verdict
A graceful and aromatic red that showcases the charm of Ojaleshi — lighter, perfumed, and utterly distinctive. The 2023 vintage is vibrant and ready to enjoy, making it a perfect ambassador for western Georgia’s wine renaissance. 🍷

Did You Know?
“Ojaleshi” translates to “grows on trees”, a nod to its ancient practice of being trained to climb high trees and fences in western Georgia.

Hidden Gem 💎
Ojaleshi remains one of Georgia’s rarest and most regionally specific grapes. This bottling from Martvilis Marani captures both tradition and revival, making it a true gem for adventurous tasters. — 18 days ago

James Webb

9.2

Excellent, barnyard with roses lining the fences and cherries scattered about. Nice perfume and depth of nose. Palette is soft and acid nice right now, very drinkable. Finish short to medium — 7 years ago

Brandi Moody

9.7

Pleasant, delicate surprise from the Herman Story family. Your next Paso find! — 9 years ago

Deborah M

9.0

Officially winter here and I immediately wanted to enjoy a bigger wine. It’s funny how the temperature outside can easily influence my wine choices. First time trying this one.

Mending Wall is a collaborative effort between three families that includes winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, Outpost Winery (Frank Dotzler) and Pulido-Walker (Mark Pulido & Donna Walker). It is located on the edge of St. Helena, at the foothills of Howell Mountain. The name comes from a Robert Frost poem. There is a line in the poem ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’

The 2017 is approachable now. Big, yet soft Cab. No need in waiting years, enjoy now with a short decant. Worth mentioning that it had a lot of sediment for a relatively young wine.

Shorter days, colder nights, bigger wines. Happy weekend.
— 3 years ago

Jung Yong Lee

9.5

First touch: taste like apple jelly ranchers with a sweet finish. Smooth finish — 5 years ago

Lindsey King

9.2

Whoa. Powerful flower wine! Wild! Bitter orange and rose and strawberries with loads of nice architecture. It’s like being in a garden with really tall fences. — 7 years ago

Matthew Steilen

9.0

Wow. South African value that swings for the fences. Big time concentration, density, mouthwatering purple fruits and sharp tannins. I got the last bottle of this at the store. If you see it, grab a few. — 9 years ago

John Tan

8.9

Horizontal tasting at home. Man U West Ham.

Sweet, honey nose. Deep orange. Medium body. Lively.

“Taking its name from the Slovenian word for "fences" the Skerk 2017 Ograde draws its fruit from hills that lie along the old Iron Curtain, roughly 230 meters in altitude. A blend of Vitovska, Malvasia, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio, this is an outright orange wine that shines in the glass with copper and amber intensity. It delivers a unique bouquet with elements of candied fruit and caramel, alongside softer shadings of beeswax, apricot confit and even a distant touch of crushed stone, button mushroom and rosemary essence. In all, this hot-vintage rendition certainly shows a sweeter, voluptuous mouthfeel and phenolic padding that is extra rich. There is some dusty, tannic dryness on the close.” RP94, 2017 — 4 years ago

S.R.Alexander

9.0

Swing for the fences Saturday. Pink Bandol sets the tone. Floral, seashells and bright. — 5 years ago

with Kim and Eric

LM Segal

9.8

In a night of Merlot-based wines, all but one was Bordeaux, yet this was the crowd WOTN. This beast was alive, with tensing muscles and a viscous, beating heart. The nose had mint leaf that dazed and assaulted, on the palate the softest, most powerful tannins strung together dark chocolate, fig and a mineral essence in an elegant, silky string of pearls. So long, can go for years.

How crazy is it that on a night of several of the best wines I've enjoyed in a while - with a great group of brothers 'o the vine - I get home to see the inimitable @Martin G Rivard enjoy a night that made mine look like a plonk fest. And my first reaction: I love this guy and haven't even met him yet. Hilarious! Cheers, Martin. We all know it's not a competition but that doesn't mean you shouldn't swing for the fences every time and have fun doing it! — 9 years ago