Apsny wine is another pride of Abkhazian winemakers, along with Lykhny. The term “Apsny” itself is translated as “country of the soul” and is the self-name of Abkhazia. This red semi-sweet table wine with a strength of 9-10%, made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Saperavi grapes, has been produced since 1970. The drink received the gold medal of the Moscow International Forum in 2001, several grand prix and other awards at international competitions.
The label of Apsna flaunts the image of a man with a wine horn – this is the “Bomborsky wine-drinker”, a statuette found by archaeologists on the territory of Abkhazia. The age of the relic is at least 4000 years, which means that winemaking in the country was developed already in the second millennium BC.
Apparently, wine was made in Abkhazia even earlier – about 8 thousand years ago, since the shards of wine jugs found during excavations date back to 6 thousand BC. These vessels were filled with wine and buried in the ground, where the drink ripened, enriched with additional flavors and aromas. Today, this technology has survived only in the Georgian region of Kakheti.
Features
Apsny wine has a sweet-tart rich taste with a slight sourness. The bouquet will not break up into separate notes, but is perceived as one harmonious whole, in which shades of black currant and a pronounced taste of natural grapes are well felt.
The subtlety and “smoothness” of the bouquet is largely determined by technology, since the wine does not contain additives and is included in the category of naturally sweet varieties. It is curious that the director of the Sukhumi winery, Nikolai Achba, is the grandson of the famous Abkhazian winemaker and descendant of an ancient princely family, also Nikolai Achba. There is a legend that the director knows the family secret and successfully applies the old technique in production.
Despite the fact that the title of “prince of Abkhazian wines” firmly holds Lykhny, it is believed that it is a sip of Apsna that allows you to truly feel the originality of the Abkhazian feast.
Production features
Apsny wine is produced only at the Sukhumi winery, which is part of the Wines and Waters of Abkhazia concern. The company has been operating since 1930, was reconstructed in 1999 and now boasts modern equipment.
Apsny is a natural semi-sweet wine, which means that sugar is not added to the drink, but the sweetest grape varieties are used. Berries are harvested at the very end of October when the maximum sugar content is reached. After the wine has gained the desired strength, the container with the must is cooled to 2-3 degrees, which interrupts the fermentation process. Thus, part of the natural sugar remains in the drink, and the wine acquires a particularly delicate taste.
How to drink Apsny wine
Abkhazian Apsny wine is cooled to 16-18°C before serving and drunk from classic red wine glasses. The drink goes well with grilled meats, grilled vegetables, cheeses, fruits and even hot dishes. An open bottle is recommended to be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than a day.
Red wine lovers warn that it is easy to lose count of glasses from Apsna: wine is easy to drink, and intoxication comes so gently and imperceptibly. Sometimes the effect of a feast appears only at the moment when an inexperienced taster tries to get on his feet.
Since Russia is the main market for Abkhazian wines, it is not difficult to find Apsny on the shelves of chain supermarkets. The cost of a drink is about $15, and in Abkhazia itself you can buy a bottle of semi-sweet red 2-3 times cheaper.