Brought back from the edge of extinction: Jani
Jani was very nearly lost to the phylloxera outbreak of the late 19th century. How appropriate that the name ‘Jani’ means ‘powerful’ – because it took great power and determination…
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Making it easier to find Georgian wine – our expanded stockists database
The range and diversity of Georgian wine available in the UK has soared in recent months, as small specialist importers expand their customer base, and as large national distributors add…
Our webinar on 7th August is the latest in the Georgian Wine Series
We have a few spaces remaining for the latest webinar in the Swirl in The Cloud series featuring Georgian Wines. The next event is a webinar on 7th August at…
Usakhelouri: the grape with no name
Usakhelouri was nearly wiped out by the communists. During Soviet rule, Georgia’s wine industry was geared entirely towards supplying bulk wine to Russia. This policy put Usakhelouri particularly at risk…
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…