Gvinico

25/09/2025

📍 Mukuzani Wine Cellar — Between Two Worlds

👉 Read the full interview: https://gvinico.com/blogs/news/mukuzani-wine-cellar

Mukuzani Wine Cellar / მუკუზანი ღვინის სარდაფი - from a grandfather’s vineyard in Mukuzani to formal enology training in Germany, winemaker Vako Katamadze has built a unique path that now bridges Kakheti and the Rheingau.

In our latest interview, Vako shares:
🍇 How childhood nostalgia and family tradition inspired him to study winemaking in Germany
🍷 Why Pinot Noir thrives unexpectedly in Mukuzani
🌍 How he balances two wineries across two countries
🏡 His vision for turning Mukuzani Wine Cellar into not just a winery, but a place to stay, taste, and explore

This is a story of experimentation, terroir, and building something new on centuries-old soil.

20/08/2025

📖 Read the full article: https://gvinico.com/blogs/news/dimitri-wine

In the quiet village of Khashmi, just 30 minutes from Tbilisi, a one-hectare vineyard blooms with heartfelt legacy and reverence. Dimitri Wine/დიმიტრის ღვინო springs from a wartime letter written by its founder’s grandfather:
“Sell everything I own—my coat, my boots—and take care of the vineyard. Know that I love that vineyard no less than I love myself.”

Nestled in the Saperavi Khashmi PDO, this small, family-run winery produces around 3,500 bottles annually, honoring tradition with natural, unfiltered wines in qvevri.

Key flavors and highlights:
• Grown in a rare micro-terroir with distinct character
• Wines rooted in local soil, heritage, and handcrafted devotion
• A deeply personal expression of Georgian winemaking at its most authentic

More than just wine, it's a living tribute—one filled with memory and family resilience.

In this interview with winemaker Dimitri Ograpishvili, we learn the story of Dimitri Wine, a small family winery in Khashmi’s Karabulakhi terroir. He shares how the vineyard was reassembled from six distinct plots once tied to the royal Cholokhashvili estate, and how their low-intervention farming...

22/07/2025

🍷 Kardanakhi Estate – Reviving a Noble Legacy in Kakheti

📖 Read the full story: https://gvinico.com/blogs/news/kardanakhi-estate

In the historic village of Kardanakhi, where Georgia’s most legendary qvevri wines once flowed, a new chapter is being written.

Founded in 2020 by Kaha Baindurashvili and Nina Kochiashvili, Kardanakhi Estate brings together ancestral terroir, 19th-century qvevris, and zero-waste innovation.

🏺 The cellar was built in 1886, but its oldest qvevris—some up to 4 tons—are still in use
🌿 Vineyards in the Tsarapi and Akhoebi microzones, organically farmed and 35+ years old
💡 Modern architecture, natural cooling, and sustainable design—all while letting the qvevri lead
🎨 The “Blackbird Wine” label, designed by Marika Kochiashvili, captures the song of fermentation and the spirit of flight

With ~30,000 bottles a year, Kardanakhi Estate isn’t just preserving tradition—it’s reshaping it, with elegance and intention.

In this interview with winemaker Kakha Baindurashvili, we follow the journey from Soviet-era Hereti table wines in Lagodekhi to a revitalized winery in Kardanakhi. He talks about the shift from agriculture to winemaking, restoring a 19th-century Marani, and building a broad portfolio—from still wi...

26/06/2025

🍷 5 Unique Georgian Terroirs Worth Exploring

📖 Read the full article here: https://gvinico.com/blogs/news/5-georgian-terroirs

Georgia’s winemaking story doesn’t begin and end in Kakheti. Across the country, lesser-known terroirs are quietly shaping some of the most expressive, authentic wines found anywhere.

In our latest article, we highlight five distinct regions that reveal the country’s incredible diversity in climate, soil, elevation, and grape variety:

📍 Sazano (Imereti) – clay-limestone soils near the heart of Qvevri craftsmanship
📍 Shalauri (Kakheti) – cool-climate Saperavi from high-elevation slopes
📍 Uplistsikhe (Kartli) – Georgia’s driest vineyards near ancient rock-hewn cellars
📍 Vardzia (Javakheti) – alpine terraces and rare grapes reborn in forgotten terrain
📍 Aleksauri (Kakheti) – elegant, limestone-rich wines shaped by soil, not power

These places are more than coordinates on a map. They’re stories—of revival, resilience, and reimagination. Georgia may have the world’s oldest winemaking heritage, but its most exciting chapters are just being written.

Georgia’s viticultural identity is often distilled down to the emblematic landscapes of Kakheti—but that’s only part of the story. This article explores five terroirs that illustrate the country’s far greater diversity, from lesser-known pockets of Kakheti to regions that once thrived before...

22/05/2025

Meet Archil Utiashvili from თელავის ძველი მარანი-Telavi Old Cellar, a winemaker whose connection to wine is rooted in generations of family legacy. From reviving old vines to crafting age-worthy wines in Kakheti, Archil’s story is one of patience, respect for nature, and deep commitment to quality.

🌿 He brought a neglected 1970s vineyard back to life
🍷 Produces elegant, long-aging wines from Kisi, Saperavi, and more
🏔️ Grows organically at the foot of the Caucasus
📖 His Saperavi even caught the attention of Japanese researchers for its skin-enhancing properties!

Explore the journey of a winemaker who lets each bottle speak for itself.

🔗 Read the full interview here: https://gvinico.com/blogs/news/telavi-old-cellar

22/04/2025

In this interview with winemaker Bachana Abesadze, we discuss the origins and philosophy behind Eclipse Winery • მეღვინეობა ეკლიპსე. Bachana shares insights on their commitment to quality, experimentation, and exploring unique terroirs.
https://gvinico.com/blogs/news/eclipse-winery-a-quest-for-quality-and-terroir-exploration

11/04/2025

Today we're highlighting five rare indigenous grape varieties that have rightfully earned recognition and growing popularity among wine enthusiasts. Selected from hundreds of distinctive Vitis vinifera cultivars native to Georgia, these unique grapes showcase remarkable character, each expressing an authentic sense of place. Let's explore what makes these varieties special and deserving of attention.

Read more 👉 https://gvinico.com/blogs/news/rising-stars-revival-of-five-rare-georgian-varieties

26/03/2025

🍇✨ Meet the Family Behind Ibero Winery / მეღვინეობა იბერო ✨🍇
In the heart of Vachnadziani, three generations come together to create something truly special — authentic Georgian wine filled with soul. 🏡🍷

Ibero is where tradition meets fresh energy — and every bottle tells their story. 💬❤️

📖 Read the full story:
https://gvinico.com/blogs/news/ibero-family-values-holistic-approach-winemaking

13/03/2025

Skin-contact wines, often called amber or orange wines, are more than just a trend—they’re a centuries-old tradition with incredible depth and character. From subtle elegance to bold tannic structure, these wines showcase a spectrum of styles shaped by grape variety, maceration time, and winemaking techniques.

🔍 Discover the secrets behind skin-contact wines and how they differ in texture, flavor, and complexity. Read more 👉
https://gvinico.com/blogs/news/demystifying-skin-contact-wines-understanding-the-diversity-and-complexity

When we talk about skin contact wines—whether we call it amber or orange—it’s important to note that these wines, much like red wines or even Rosés, cannot be confined into a single category or style. Just as red wines can range from light and delicate Burgundian Pinot Noirs to bold and tanni...

20/02/2025

Davit Kachkachashvili takes us on a journey through the transformation of a family vineyard in ნუკრიანი / Nukriani. Moving from conventional farming methods to organic viticulture, Davit shares the challenges and triumphs of reconnecting with the land.
Read more 👉

In this interview, Davit Kachkachashvili takes us on a journey through the transformation of a family vineyard in Nukriani. Moving from conventional farming methods to organic viticulture, Davit shares the challenges and triumphs of reconnecting with the land. Davit Kachkachashvili - Winery owner pr...

03/02/2025

Did you know? 🍇 Despite Georgia having 39 official PDOs, with over half, 20 of them, located in Kakheti, we are only scratching the surface of this region’s rich diversity of terroirs. 🌿✨

Explore 5 exceptional Kakheti terroirs that deserve your attention! 👉
https://gvinico.com/blogs/news/5-kakheti-terroirs-to-pay-attention-to

Despite Georgia having 39 official PDOs, with over half of them, 20, located in Kakheti, we are just scratching the surface in uncovering the rich diversity and depth of terroirs this region offers. When discussing the intricacies and specialties of vineyards, there is no better example than Burgund...

24/01/2025

In this interview, we chat with Vazha Kasrelishvili from გებრალე - საოჯახო მეღვინეობა/Gebrale - Family Winery, a winemaker from Kakheti who has a passion for rare Georgian grape varieties. Vaja shares his journey from working in his family's vineyard to experimenting with nearly forgotten grapes.
https://gvinico.com/blogs/news/gebrale-exploring-experimenting-and-reviving-rare-georgian-grape-varieties

In this interview, we chat with Vazha Kasrelishvili from Gebrale Winery, a winemaker from Kakheti who has a passion for rare Georgian grape varieties. Vazha shares his journey from working in his family's vineyard to experimenting with nearly forgotten grapes. He also discusses his winemaking style,...