I visited Georgia regularly between 2002 and 2006 when I chaired the Georgian National Wine Competition, but there has been a huge surge of interest and investment since then. Back then, the story was all about the Kakheti region, wines made in ‘Qvevri’, and the Saperavi grape. Today, a panoply of varieties, red and white, is celebrated, and there are many more styles than Qvevri. There are also many areas joining Kakheti as quality wine regions. Those featured in this tasting are marked on this map of Georgia’s vineyards:
Georgia is a land of great variation in terroir and climate. It is an extremely mountainous country – around 70% of the topography is mountain. It has one coast to the west, on the inland Black Sea. Here, more coastal vineyards enjoy a sub-tropical climate. Further east, hot, drying winds from the south help to create a more Continental climate. Kakheti in the east remains the main centre of production, producing 70% of all of the country’s wines. It is where all of Georgia’s larger players are based. The west tends to be home to more of the smaller, family estates.
Many producers draw on Georgia’s ancient winemaking traditions, the country tracing winemaking back at least 8,000 years and acknowldged to be the, or one of the, cradles of wine. Most famous is the use of Qvevri. Qvevri are large clay pots, buried underground, where both white and red wines are fermented and matured. Usually this is in contact with the skins. The use of Qvevri and similar amphora has seen a surge of renewed interest around the world, particularly among ‘natural wine’ producers. Many such white wines having a distinctly yellow to amber colour from their long skin contact.
Georgia was once the engine that supplied the Soviet Union with its wine. But since the decline of the USSR, followed by years of poor relations between Georgia and Russia, the vineyard area has shrunk. Conversely, quality has increased with fresh investment and an explosion of smaller, family-owned but commercially-operated wineries.
Georgia remains a niche producer in terms of UK recognition, but sales are growing. A few examples can be found even on multiple retailers’ shelves. I recently attended a ‘virtual’ tour with four producers, along with a tasting of the eight wines below.
Château Mukhrani
Murkhrani has a German-born chief winemaker, Patrick Honnef. Patrick met the partners who had bought the historic estate in 2002 while he was working in Bordeaux. The estate itself was founded in 1876 by Georgian nobility who had returned from France with a château winemaking concept. Like many others, the estate had fallen into disrepair during Soviet times, but has seen massive investment by the partners since. This includes planting of more indigeous varieties, up to the current 100 hectares.
Château Mukhrani, Qvevri White 2017
Kartli, Georgia, Dry White, Cork, 12.5% abvChâteau Mukhrani, Tavkveri 2018
Kartli, Georgia, Dry Red, Cork, 13.0% abvTblivino
Tblivino is one of the largest producers in Georgia. Once a Soviet ‘wine factory’, it is now owned by two brothers who have invested in all areas, particularly in vineyards. Under Soviet times the model was to buy grapes as a negociant operation, but not to own vineyards. It was essentially a bottling operation. Today they farm 350 hectares of their own vineyards and produce five million bottles annually. There is also a new second, state of the art winery in Kakheti, operating since 2012.
Tblivino, Qvevris Rkatsiteli 2019
Kakheti, Georgia, Dry White, DIAM, 12.0% abvTblivino, Saperavi 2018
Kakheti, Georgia, Dry Red, DIAM, 14.0% abvLukasi
Lukasi was founded in 2011 by a husband and wife team, Mamu Dolidze and Katevan Gersamia. Their first release was a 2013 vintage Saperavi, which quickly picked up awards in international competition. After winning a trophy in a major Japanese wine competition, Japan remains a very strong market, especially for the unusual off-dry pink Chkhaveri wine tasted here. Lukasi’s vineyards are located in various zones throughout Georgia. They also buy some fruit from growers. Winemaker is Zura Goletiani.
Lukasi, Chkhaveri 2019
Adjara, Georgia, Dry Rosé, Off-dry Rosé, Cork, 12.5% abvLukasi, Saperavi 2017
Kakheti, Georgia, Dry Red, Cork, 14.0% abvBaia’s Wines
Baia Abuladze is the eponymous owner of Baia’s Wines, and another woman in charge of a Georgian winery. It’s a great example of a re-energised scene after the decline of Soviet influence. Baia established Baia’s Wines in 2015, aged just 22. It is a small and very personal operation, their own vineyards covering just a couple of hectares and with a production of 8,000 bottles. After working a vintage with a biodynamic estate in the Mosel, their vineyards are farmed organically and without irrigation.
Nice information. Wish to get hands on the above mentioned wines if they are available online. Thanks
Thank you. I suggest you use wine-searcher.com to find any stockists in your region – it is the best guide to local availability of wines.