Otskhanuri Sapere
Otskhanuri Sapere means “Otskhana’s colourful.” Otskhana is a village in western Georgia. One of the oldest Georgian varieties, Otskhanuri Sapere grows only in the western part of the country, mostly…
Jani
The name means “powerful” and this high-quality grape was once the prize vine of Guria until plantings were lost to phylloxera. In the early 20th century, using a low training…
Shavkapito
Meaning “vine with a black cane,” Shavkapito originated in Kartli, in eastern Georgia. Its medium-sized, conical bunches typically have wings and moderate density. The round, medium-sized berries are round and…
Tavkveri
This red grape, evocatively named “hammerhead,” for the flat top of the bunch itself, is indigenous to Kartli but also grown in Kakheti. Tavkveri grows well in deep clay and…
Aladasturi
Another vine named for its presumed origin (the village of Aladast, in Guria), Aladasturi vines were widespread throughout central Georgia but were largely wiped out by phylloxera. Originally trained to…
Chkhaveri
A western Georgian variety, Chkhaveri is mostly planted near the Black Sea coast in Adjara and especially in Guria, but also in Imereti. Chkhaveri originally was a “maghlari” wine, a…
Supple, textured, scented reds: if you like this try…
Do you love supple, textured, scented red wines? Love cool-climate Syrah, a Rioja or other good Tempranillo? Or perhaps you favour a New Zealand Pinot Noir or supple European Merlot? With…
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…
Usakhelouri: the grape with no name
Usakhelouri was nearly wiped out. During Soviet rule, Georgia’s wine industry was geared entirely towards supplying bulk wine to Russia. This policy put Usakhelouri particularly at risk – it doesn’t…
Ojaleshi
One of Georgia’s oldest vine varieties, Ojaleshi, means “growing on a tree” in the Megrelian dialect of Georgian (ja=tree). It was the dominant variety in the mountainous district of Samegrelo…