“Saperavi Press”

From the village of Velistsikhe in Kakheti, Ivane Nareklishvili set out to found his own winery. As a third-generation winemaker, Ivane spent 25 years gaining experience working for a variety of wine producers. After spending time studying in Italy- and becoming engrossed in different techniques- he came to understand the future of Georgian winemaking exists in the blend of traditional Kakhetian and contemporary winemaking knowledge. With a modern winemaker’s eye for quality control, and the steady hand of minimal intervention, Ivane honed his ability to finesse a natural ferment to reveal the best of native yeasts and traditional techniques without risking errant slips or spoilage. From this, Qvevri Wine Cellar was born in 2015.

This symbol of balance and harmony is the philosophy behind Pi Winery and its founding family. In 2020, Teona Omarashvili teamed up with her uncle Levan, to officially brand Pi Wines after years of family centered winemaking. This wine pays tribute to the eternal- like the number π, and reflects a pursuit of perfection that never truly ends. With roots in ancient soil, each sip brings you closer to the elegance of nature’s own equation.

In a meeting of tradition and opportunity, Saperavi Brothers’ founder Kosta made a compelling presentation to a group of Georgian winemakers in Tbilisi, offering insight into the pathways- and challenges- of bringing Georgian wine to the United States.

Racha is a region in northwest Georgia that is known for its beautiful nature and traditional culture. A particularly mountainous region spotted with waterfalls and mineral springs, Racha has always been a popular holiday destination for Georgians. In the world of Georgian wine, Racha holds a host of under-appreciated grape varieties within its diverse soils and climate, surprising even the most knowledgeable wine drinkers.

Givi Adeishvili’s winemaking experience started in his childhood in the 1990s. Qvevri winemaking technology was abandoned in Georgia over the years under the legacy of the Soviet Union. During the Soviet period, people concentrated on mass production, and the quality of Georgian wine was forgotten along with rare grape varieties. Givi made it his life’s mission to to support the Georgian wine industry in the process of shifting from this Soviet legacy of winemaking back to traditional Georgian winemaking which includes the revival of the qvevri fermentation process.

Emphasizing the inherent craft behind qvevri winemaking, Ceramics Monthly highlighted these unique earthenware vessels of Georgia. They start by pointing out that the qvevri is traditionally involved in every part of winemaking- the fermenting, aging, and storing- and quote a common Georgian expression, “here it is born, grows up, matures, and resides.”

News from our producer Chelti!

The 2018 Chelti Heritage Saperavi was recently scored by Planet Grape Wine Review, a non-technical review for regular wine drinkers. Created by Catherine Fallis, the world’s fifth female Master Sommelier, Planet Grape Wine Review is the United States’ first female-led wine review.

German Master of Wine- Konstantin Baum- has highlighted Georgian wines on his numerous visits to the nation. He emphasizes the importance of Georgian wine historically and its emergence on Western markets for curious and excited wine lovers. He describes his adventures in Georgia on the backroads stretching to the vineyards, the surprisingly good food, and the process of Georgian wine production, including a peek inside the making of a traditional qvevri and the craftsman behind it.

From the Georgian film vault, “Qvevri”, a black and white short directed by Irakli Kvirikadze, comically highlights life in the wine growing region of Kakheti. Gogia brings home a qvevri (the Georgian winemaking jug) made in Imereti to Kakheti. The qvevri, traveling across the country, cracks along the way. Gogia convinces a qvevri maker to fix it, but he finds himself stuck inside of it instead.

A recent article by Kurt Johnson for Conde Nast highlighted Georgian wines as a symbol of national identity among the current landscape of the Caucasus region. Johnson set out to explore one of Georgia’s most famous wine regions- Kakheti- through an organized harvest with a local winemaker.

The New York Times recently traveled to the country of Georgia to investigate the nation’s attempt to move closer to Western markets, particularly the extensive U.S. market and American wine drinkers. At the heart of this entrepreneurial push are Georgian winemakers themselves- a pillar of the Georgian developing economy.

The Georgian people have taken to the streets for days on end to protest Prime Minister Kobakhidze’s recent declaration that it would not continue negotiations with the European Union for the next four years, a surprising turn from the past twelve years spent developing the nation to become a full-fledged member of the EU. Among the protestors are Georgian winemakers, who have been a foundational piece to the economic and cultural revitalization of Georgia.

An article published last year by Aurélien Foucault for Sommeliers International highlighted the women winemakers increasingly representing Georgian traditional winemaking. With an uncompromising love for wine, Georgian women have risen to challenge the male-dominated traditions of this centuries long tradition both on the vineyards and in the cellars.

Shalva Alelishvili, founder and chief winemaker of Ghvinia Wines, merges his broad background in business, the science of wine, and sommelier training to produce one of Georgia’s most promising wine labels. He set out to build a cellar in his family’s village of Meskheti, a mountainous region in southwestern Georgia. Meskheti is named for ancient tribes known to be the first inhabitants of the modern Samtskhe-Javakheti region. Historians credit these early settlers with the invention of iron metallurgy, connecting this land with the innovation of human culture.

“Nicknamed “Little Tuscany”, Kakheti, just a two-hour drive from the capital Tbilisi, is not only one of Georgia’s most beautiful regions, with endless views of mountains and vineyards, but also its most famous wine region, responsible for 70% of Georgia’s wine production.”

Reporting for CBS 60 Minutes, a team of journalists headed to Georgia on an investigation of the nation’s winemakers and ancient grapes. At one point in history, Georgia boasted 1,400 native grape varieties, most of which were destroyed during Georgia’s years under the Soviet Bloc. As a vital part of the nation’s cultural identity, a bold move has been made to recultivate the lost varieties.

With a picturesque view surrounding ​​the village of Vardisubani, in the Telavi region of Kakheti – a postcard of Georgia- Marmenio’s 2024 harvest is underway.

For Marmenio, winemaking is based on a philosophy: At Marmenio they love traditional Georgian winemaking, but they marry it with experimentation and a willingness to grow and learn.

Hundreds of people visited Chelti Winery’s booth at its center location inside the expo center, growing Chelti’s brand directly with samples of their high quality wine. The booth was managed by the knowledgeable Chelti team who spent every day of the WinExpo describing their winemaking from the vines to the bottle.