Red or rosé? Try rare and delicious Chkhaveri
Chkhaveri is a rare but fascinating grape. It was originally a “maghlari” vine, trained to grow up trees, and was described in Ampelography of Georgia as ‘light and pleasant’. Published in…
A grape by any other name: Tsitska
If you’re looking for a high-quality, soft and approachable white wine, then look no further than Tsitska. Indeed, in upper and central Imereti, Tsitska is principally used to make sought…
Nearly wiped out by phylloxera: try rare but resurgent Aladasturi
Aladasturi is a famous grape in Georgia, oft quoted in Georgian folklore and literature. The vine species appears in a number of Georgian poems, novel, songs, proverbs and sayings, though, as…
Georgian Wine Series: upcoming digital events
This month we’re kicking off the Georgian Wine Series, a collection of digital events co-hosted by Sarah Abbott MW on behalf of Swirl in the Cloud. The series will feature…
Tsolikouri: the white grape of Western Georgia
If Rkatsiteli is the white grape of eastern Georgia, then Tsolikouri is the white grape of western Georgia. Pronounced sol-li-kori, Tsolikouri is planted throughout Imereti. The region is packed with…
Georgian wine in the UK, and in the cloud – our May 2020 update
In May we launched an initial series of three Virtual Tastings on Georgian Wine, with Swirl in The Cloud. Hosted by Sarah Abbott MW, all three events were fully subscribed…
Krakhuna: the star of Western Georgia
In a country overflowing with ancient grape varieties, Krakhuna is one of the oldest. And is happily easier to pronounce than many other Georgian grapes! Indigenous to Imereti in the…
Chinuri: Georgian sparkling wine
The name ‘Chinuri’ is derived from the word chinebuli, meaning ‘excellent’ in Georgian. It refers to the grape’s reputation for excellence in terms of appearance, colour and flavour. Chini also means ‘reddish-green’,…
Racha-Lechkhumi’s secret grape variety
Racha-Lechkhumi is one of Georgia’s smallest wine regions, but also one of the country’s most important. Covering less than 2000 square miles of Northern Georgian, this little region is wedged…
Khikhvi: the ‘unsung hero’ grape of Georgia?
In a country overflowing with native grape varieties, it’s inevitable that the origins of some may fade into obscurity. Khikhvi is one such grape – it grows widely in Eastern…