Madrasa

Let's take a trip to Azerbaijan today. One of the former Soviet republics, it's bordered by the Caspian Sea (the world's largest lake) to the east and is seemingly just a combination of a bit of shoreline, the rugged Caucusus Mountains and the valleys between the ranges of the Caucusus. Prominent among thpse valleys is the Kur-Araz Lowland and as we approach it, we find Shamakhi where the Cuacusus begin to decline.

The drive from Baku to Shamakhi is difficult. The first 20 kilometers are easy, but after that, we simply look for mountain pass after mountain pass in our efforts to head mostly west. Vehicles driving this route don't last long. The roads are poor and the terrain is miserable, but there appears no other way to get here.

And, the weather here is atrocious. Winters are cold and snowy and when it does warm up, the snow often hides itself as rain. On the other hand, summers are quite warm and nearly sandpaper dry. Not every grape can grow here, but the Azerbaijani have experimented with a few and have some of their own. One of those is Madrasa, presumably epobymous with the village.

Madrasa is a particularly sweet pink grape. Sugar concentration can approach 25%, so it's often the primary grape in light and sweet local red blends.

In many ways, it's an ideal grape for the region. It's hardy enough to withstand the brutal winters and with its short growing season, it's ready for harvest usually in August allowing for picking before the seasonal rains begin to cause rot and mildew.

The wine itself is interesting, a sweeter wine loaded with freshly pollenated pink flowers and red currants. Light in tannins, the texture is soft, almost velvety, and balances easily. And, despite the natural extreme sweetness of the grape, after aging for two years before bottling, the resultant wine is somewhat dry.

Pair Madrasa with traditional Persian food such as Baba Ghanoush, Kookoo Sabzi, and Falafel.