Mildiani Family Winery, Qvevri Bouquet Khikhvi, Kakheti, Georgia 2018

Grapey perfume on the nose, with citrus, blossom, orange jelly and apricot. Ripe and textured on the palate, with more quince jam, mango, apricot juice and a pinch of white spices, balanced by polished acidity and a touch of tannin. The finish is beautifully long with dried yellow fruits. Aged on skins for 6 months, this is a complex yet refined qvevri wine that's instantly enjoyable.

Khikhvi is likely to be a love-it-or-hate-it variety, but the pleasure lies entirely in its perfume, somewhere between the spices of the bazaar and the perfumes of the Orient. There is something about its decadent nose of jasmine tea, lilies and orange blossom honey that marks it out as one of the most distinctive and immediately recognisable varieties in qvevri wines. Having had time in bottle, the tannins are essentially resolved, and the finish is long and rich, with notes of plum jam.