Sisters Baia and Gvanca Abuladze are inspiring young women. In just three years, they have restored their family’s long wine tradition. Baia was just 22 when, in 2015, she successfully applied for a national grant to help women in Georgia set up agricultural wine businesses. (Women comprise more than half of Georgia’s agricultural work-force, but until quite recently, winemaking was seen as a male prerogative.)
Baia invested the small grant in a small winery, and, with the proud help of her grandfather and father, set about restoring and expanding their old family vineyards, and making and bottling their own wine. A shy, nervous Gvanca showed us their first vintage in 2016, and we were impressed.
The wines are made exclusively from their local Imeretian grapes, which are notable from their natural freshness and lively aromatics. Baia and Gvanca use traditional qvevri, and stainless steel to make a range of white, amber and red wines. Whites and Ambers are made from Tsitska, Tsolikouri and Krakhuna. Reds from Otskhanuri Sapere, Ojaleshi and Aladasturi.
These lively, fresh, charming wines are available in the UK from Taste of Georgia, Gvino UK, and Oxford Wine Company.
