A convivial evening of English game dishes matched with wines from Tblivino winery in Georgia
4.0 out of 5.0 starsIf I were to ask you to name some top European wine-making countries I am sure that France and Italy would immediately spring to mind, followed perhaps by Spain or Germany. Few people would think to mention Georgia, a small wedge of a country in the Caucasus on the eastern edge of Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and Turkey to the south. But despite its relative obscurity on the modern world wine stage, Georgia is the country with the oldest winemaking history in the world and home to over 500 different indigenous grape varieties. A recent dinner at The Jugged Hare pub and restaurant featuring a British game-based menu paired with wines from the Tblilvino winery in Georgia was a delicious introduction to the unique wines and winemaking styles of this underrated wine producing region.
The earliest known evidence of grape-based wine production in Georgia dates back to 6,000-5,800 BCE, meaning that the country has an 8,000 year old continuous winemaking tradition: the oldest in the world. Its isolated geographic location far further east than the wine producing regions of western Europe also meant that the species of grapes that thrived there faltered elsewhere. The tradition of small production, family owned wineries making very individual wines also meant that a great diversity of grape varieties flourished (hence the 500 indigenous grape varieties!). But the feature that most distinguishes Georgia from other wine-producing countries is its use of qvevri (also spelled kvevri): large egg-shaped clay vessels which are buried in the ground. Rather than fementing the crushed grapes in wooden, concrete or later stainless steel tanks, Georgian winemakers fermented, aged and stored their wines in these vessels. They are both porous enough to allow for slow oxidation as well as temperature controlled because of being underground – perfect for winemaking. In fact in 2013, UNESCO recognised the ancient Georgian qvevri winemaking method as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
One of the main reasons that Georgia disappeared almost entirely from the world wine stage was its invasion by Russia in 1921 and subsequent incorporation into the USSR. Under Soviet rule, Georgia was designated as one of the main wine production regions to supply the USSR with wine. Vineyards/wineries were all nationalised and organised into collective and state farms with centrally-set production targets. Volume and uniformity were emphasised rather than regional varieties and character, meaning that traditional family winemaking, local styles and many indigenous grape varieties became marginal. When Georgia regained independence after the fall of the USSR in 1991, the huge USSR demand for its wines disappeared overnight and it is estimated that 30% of its vineyards were uprooted in a search for more lucrative crops. But enough of the old traditions, grape varieties and qvevri survived among small family wineries to enable the growth of a thriving modern wine industry that is once again ready to make its mark on the international wine world.
To enjoy wines from a country steeped in traditional wine making techniques, what better venue than a pub that specialises in very traditional British game dishes: The Jugged Hare, tucked into a quiet corner of the City behind the Barbican centre. The pub takes its name from the dish of jugged hare, where the word jugged refers to the cooking method known as jugging. The dish is made by placing pieces of hare (a larger cousin of the rabbit that is shot in the wild rather than farmed) in a tall earthenware jug or covered vessel, which is then filled with red wine and herbs; placed in a pan of hot or boiling water and cooked slowly for many hours. This long, slow cooking helped to tenderise what could often be a tough, lean meat but also imparted rich flavours depending on the aromatics and cooking liquid involved. A recipe for this dish is recorded in Hannah Glasses’s classic cookbook The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy in 1747 and the dish was very popular in 18th and 19th century Britain. But it fell out of favour as urbanisation increased, the popularity of hunting declined, and people became uncomfortable with strongly flavoured meat. But at the Jugged Hare the tradition lives on!
At the recent wine and game dinner, we enjoyed a five course menu in the private dining room and were joined by representatives from Tblivino, one of Georgia’s most prestigious and pioneering wineries. Established in 1962, Tblivino employs both modern stainless steel tanks and traditional qvevri and is regarded as bridging the gap between tiny natural wine producers making only a few thousand bottles and huge Soviet era wineries. The winery has become an important ambassador for Georgian wine internationally and from the first glass we had, it became apparent why.
Our welcome drink was a glass of Tblivino Mtsvane, which was the only stainless steel tank fermented white we had all night. The name of this indigenous grape in Georgian simply means green and the wine was a perfect opener for the night. It showed notes of citrus, green apple and white peach with refreshing acidity, falling somewhere between the sharpness of a Sauvignon Blanc and the perfume of a Riesling, Starters soon appeared in the form of a plate of muntjac deer tartare, impossibly thin potato waffle and root vegetable chips and bone marrow toast. This was one of the loveliest tartares I have had in ages – the gaminess of the meat was spiked with mustard and the physics-defying crisps lent a welcome crunch. Sourdough toast slathered with bone marrow was also a revelation – why are all restaurants not doing this? A decadent, earthy delight.
This was paired with Tblivino Rkatsiteli Qvevris an orange wine fermented in clay qvevri. Orange wine is essentially white grapes vinified like red grapes in that they are fermented on their skins (rather than limiting skin contact as you do with most whites). This gives the wine the flavour profile of a white wine with the tannic structure of a red wine. Rkatsiteli (“red stem” in Georgian) is Georgia’s flagship white indigenous variety, hugely adaptable and able to be vinified into a variety of styles. When made in stainless steel it produces crisp whites but when, as in this case, made in qvevri it produces an amber coloured wine with an intriguing nose of tea leaves, citrus peel and notes of honey. On the palate it is grippy with good tannic structure and an intriguing nutty palate with hints of spice and sweet tea. But what I loved most about it was that it is “clean”, not made in the cloudy and funky “natural wine” style of many orange wines. It was a great pairing with the tartare, standing up well to the robust flavours of the dish.
This was followed by a fish course of crispy cod cheeks with smoked roe, buttermilk and dill dust. I loved the contrasts at play in this dish: yielding, fleshy cod cheeks encased in crisp breadcrumbs; and the mild creaminess of the buttermilk offset by the salty, smoky pops of the smoked roe. The wine pairing was another orange wine: the Tiblvino Kisi Qvevris, the white flagship of the Tbilvino range. This one is made from Kisi grapes and had an even deeper amber colour than the last. The nose was more expressive with stone fruit and blossom aromas while the palate was less tannic, more rounded and packed a punch of apricot and orange peel with a spicy, tea-like finish. It is a truly delicious wine and its more supple tannins and riper fruit made for a good match with the subtle flavours of the cod cheeks.
And then came the main event: the eponymous jugged hare. It is such an impressively presented dish here, arriving in a tall earthenware jug accompanied by a bowl of ridiculously creamy nutmeg mash and one of steamed cavolo nero. We dished up mash and cavolo nero and poured the stew over both: first the pearl onions and carrot balls tumbled out, followed by tender chunks of meat and an unctuously thick gravy. And if I was in any doubt as to whether this was a wild hare, I found a pellet of shot in one mouthful – photographic evidence below!
Such a robust dish calls for a substantial wine, and we were treated to two examples of Georgia’s iconic red grape: Saperavi. The first was the Tblivino 2022 Twin Vineyards Saperavi, the winery’s benchmark premium expressions of this grape. It is made primarily in stainless steel, with some oak ageing, rather than in qvevri, aiming to showcase the fruit and structure of Saperavi. There are vegetal and spicy notes on the nose, but also lush dark fruit and berries. The palate does not disappoint – it’s wonderfully fruit forward and full bodied with concentrated dark fruit, spicy notes and well rounded tannins but balanced by a fine acidity. The other Saperavi was the Tblivino 2021 Plot #3, made with the intention of showcasing the specific terroir where the grapes are sourced. This wine is also oak-matured for two years, meaning that the intense raisiny palate of dark cherries, blackberries and blackcurrants is balanced by spicy vanilla notes and some minerality. I was also surprised to hear that the ABV on these wines was 15% and 15,5% – they are so well made and finely balanced that the alcohol never dominates.
A cheese course came next, consisting of a selection of cheeses, smoked curds, lightly pickled carrot slivers and spectacular orange honey. Highlights included Cashel Blue from Ireland; Rosary Ash goat’s cheese from Wiltshire; and Black Cow Cheddar from Dorset – my favourite. The cheeses were paired with a third red wine, made this time with another indigenous grape: the Tbilvino 2024 single vineyard Aleksandrouli. Whereas the Saperavi had both been a deep velvety purple and almost opaque, this was an attractive deep ruby in the glass. The nose was also very different, featuring ripe red berries and damsons. The palate is dominated by red fruits like strawberries and redcurrants with ripe, integrated tannins and a lingering fruity finish. It was a good match for the cheese and not as heavy as the ports or dessert wines that sometimes fight with the strident flavours of the cheeses.
Our final course was described as warm chocolate mousse served with a milk chocolate and cognac brownie, blackberry jam and vanilla ice-cream. The brownie was probably my least favourite dish of the night: there was simply too much going on with the berries, the jam and oddly crunchy bits that I never quite managed to identify. But the warm chocolate mousse served in a little Kilner jar with instructions to pour it over the brownie was a revelation. Imagine the love-child of a Mars Bar chocolate sauce and a souffle and you are heading in the right direction! It was decadently warm, chocolatey and caramelly but had the light consistency of soft peak egg whites. I could easily have taken a jar home to enjoy later – they should seriously sell the stuff! Paired with this was a glass of Tblivino Rkatsiteli Chacha, a clear white spirit drink made from “chacha”, the Georgian word for the leftovers of winemaking: the skins, pips and stems remaining after pressing. These are distilled into a clear white spirit along much the same lines as grappa. The overwhelming impression on the nose and palate is alcohol, but once you get beyond that there is a surprising complexity: white pear, green apple skin and dried herbs, with a long clean, warming finish.
We finished the evening with petit fours in the form of delightful blackcurrant and red wine jellies served on a stand in the shape of a brass hare, a neat encapsulation of the evening’s two themes. The dinner was a wonderful introduction to Jugged Hare’s excellent seasonal game offering as well as a glimpse into the rich variety of world-class wines that Georgia produces.
The Jugged Hare is open 7 days a week 11h00-23h00. They also do Sunday roast sharing menu and run regular wine-themed evenings, with the next one being a Beaujolais Nouveau dinner in November.
If you’re looking for somewhere else to enjoy traditional game dishes this Autumn? Why not read our review of Wilton’s.
The Jugged Hare
49 Chiswell Street
London
EC1Y 4SA
Tel: 020 8161 0190
E-mail: info@thejuggedhare.com
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