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  Kakheti is the most well-known grape growing and winemaking region of Georgia. Kakheti produces over 65% of all wine in Georgia. Kakhetian wines are made in Qvevri clay vessels with extended skin contact. 

The valley can be divided into three macro-zones: the Left Bank and Right Bank of the Alazani River, and a third region further south-east, the Kiziki Region. The Kakhetian Appellation itself is divided into fifteen Protected Designations of Origin (PDOs) all of which are along the Alazani Valley.

In the Northwest, near Napareuli, you are closer to the main Caucasus Mountains. The elevation is relatively high (≤ 750m) and there is more moisture and precipitation. (“more, more, more”) In the South East, toward Gurjaani, the elevation is lower (≥ 200m) and drier with less rain.  (“less, less, less”)  

Precipitation ranges from 600-800mm annually. Winters are moderately cold and cloudy with little snow, except in the mountains. Spring or autumn hailstorms may occur one to three times a year.

The underlying soil layers are volcanic sediments that formed during magmatic activity. Shales and Sandstone -  with veins of quarts and granite that run along the faults of the Alazani and Iori River.  The soil are predominantly alluvial clays and calcium rich subsoils.

For more in-depth information read “Wines of Georgia” – Lisa Granik MW  

 Before phylloxera, the entire region of Lower Kakheti was covered with grapevines. Especially near The Iori River Basin. Although the peaks reach 1,100m, most vineyards are planted between 480-750m in the Sagarejo area – including the appellations of Khashmi and Manavi. 

The cooler terroir, in this region, delays the harvest by a week or two compared to elsewhere in Kakheti. Also, in comparison to Upper Kakheti, This area is much less likely to suffer from hail storms. 

Within this region are alluvial, carbon-rich soils with approximately 5-30% lime. An old saying goes:  “If you are eating sunflower seeds in this area, and spit the seed out, it will grow a sunflower.” 

For more in-depth information read “Wines of Georgia” – Lisa Granik MW  

  Kvemo Kartli region is located in eastern Georgia, about 60 km south of the capital city Tbilisi.  Kvemo Kartli includes the municipalities of Bolnisi, Dmanisi, Tetritskaro, Tsalka, Marneuli, Gardabani and the city of Rustavi.  Known to the Classical authors as Iberia, Kartli played a crucial role in the ethnic and political consolidation of the Georgians in the middle Ages.  Lower Kartli has many different climates, but the most prevalent ones are Dfb, Cfa. The climate is transitional from moderately warm steppe to moderately humid.  Kartli is one more notable wine making region in Georgia. It is known for its classic modern style and high-quality sparkling wines. The vineyards are cultivated in extensive basins of the rivers – Mtkvari and its tributaries, Liakhvi and Ksani. In this part of the country, vineyards are grown at 750-800 m. above sea level.  

Alluvial-carbonaceous, brown meadow, carbonaceous humus, gravel, loess, etc.

Like in Kakheti both traditional and Classical wine-making techniques are common in Kartli.
PDO: BolnisiFor more in-depth information read “Wines of Georgia” – Lisa Granik MW   

 Kartli is a historical region in central-to-eastern Georgia traversed by the river Mtkvari , on which Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, is situated. Known to the Classical authors as Iberia, Kartli played a crucial role in the ethnic and political consolidation of the Georgians in the middle Ages.  

The climate is transitional from moderately warm steppe to moderately humid. Summer is usually hot.  

 Kartli is one more notable wine making region in Georgia. It is known for its classic modern style and high-quality sparkling wines. The vineyards are cultivated in extensive basins of the rivers – Mtkvari and its tributaries, Liakhvi and Ksani. In this part of the country, vineyards are grown at 750-800 m. above sea level. 

Alluvial-carbonaceous, brown meadow, carbonaceous humus, gravel, loess, etc.

Winemaking Methods:

Like in Kakheti both traditional and Classical wine-making techniques are common in Kartli.

 PDO Wines:

Atenuri is only one Shida Kartli PDO wine made from Chinuri and Goruli Mtsvane grape varieties

For more in-depth information read “Wines of Georgia” – Lisa Granik MW  

 Imereti is a region in Western Georgia.  The Imereti region is known for its remarkable location extending from the humid subtropical, ending 2 850m high up with alpine meadows, numerous health spas and a large number of mineral water springs.  Imereti is one of the most diverse regions of Georgian wine making, climatic conditions and soil composition are very different, and so the wines are also different every. 

 The Imereti lowland is part of the Kolkheti Valley with a sub-tropical sea climate. Winter here is mild, while the summer is hot. The average annual temperature is 11-15 degrees Celsius. The climate of upper Imereti is humid sub-tropical, with winters that are colder and have more precipitation. 

Raw Humus calcareous-Rendzic Leptosols.
Yellow Brown forest-chromic cambisols and
stagnic alisols. Subtropical podzols.

Imeretian wines were mentioned by Georgian historians already in the 17th and 18th C.C. Imereti is one of the most diverse lands for Georgian wines. 70% of it is mountainous. Climate and soil are very different. The wines are correspondingly different throughout the region. The most popular wine in Imereti is Tsitska-Tsolikouri- these two varietals pressed together often result in a very good wine. Among the white wines Krakhuna is also distinguished; red wines made of Otskhanuri Sapere variety have also become quite popular.

Traditional winemaking here as well as in other regions is linked with Qvevri, which is called Churi in Imereti. Unlike Kakhetian traditional wine here less must is added to chacha. After fermentation, the wine is left in Churi for about 2 months, and then removed the pulp, transfer to the barrels and process. The wine of Imeretian type has beautiful yellow color, full, quite harmonious and cheerful.

For more in-depth information read “Wines of Georgia” – Lisa Granik MW  

Lechkhumi, whether driving up from Kutaisi (Imereti) or from Racha,seems even more remote and desolate. At the extreme western foot of the Racha Ridge, steep river gorges slice through the mountains. In many places there’s barely room for a road (which will not be graded or paved), much less a home or a village. There are, however, small pockets of viticulture in a few tiny villages, perched on the mountain sides below the Khomli limestone mountain massif looming above these small homes.

Newer brick and cinder-block homes with corrugated steel roofs may be alongside older, two-story rickety wooden frame structures, set back from the roadway; laundry waves in the breeze next to rows of gnarly vines, some wire-trained, others staked. The tiny plots can be flat or steeply sloped.

Newer brick and cinder-block homes with corrugated steel roofs may be alongside older, two-story rickety wooden frame structures, set back from the roadway; laundry waves in the breeze next to rows of gnarly vines, some wire-trained, others staked. The tiny plots can be flat or steeply sloped. The many vineyards are from 736 to 887 metres above sea level. 

Traditional fermentations tended to be short and could be in churi or small wooden barrels for six to twelve days, depending on the weather. There was no consistent single style for red or white wines. The various villages kept their wine on the solids for different time periods. In Lailashi the white wines would stay on their skins for only two to five days; other villages might keep the red grapes for an

additional week or longer. As in Racha, fermentations often stopped when the yeasts were shocked by falling temperatures. Both red or white wines could be dry or off-dry depending on the autumn weather.

For more in-depth information read “Wines of Georgia” – Lisa Granik MW  

Hours away from urban centres, Racha is a mountain highland area nestled in the upper reaches of the Rioni River. Hemmed in by mountains on all sides, it is indeed set apart. The highest peaks reach 4,300 metres. Racha covers 2,854 square kilometres, much of it forested; the vineyard area is 1,600 hectares. The jagged, sheer, tree-topped cliffs of limestone and clay are visible as one travels from Imereti and hint at what lies underneath the vineyards. There are so-called ‘refrigerator caves’ nearby, icy within all year round.

Racha mainly has calcareous clay soils as well as flint mixed with clay and sand mixed with clay; the recent earthquakes have revealed huge limestone escarpments throughout the region. The soils even have special local names: Tiri-soil, Lisi-soil, Akhalo-soil, etc., reflecting their diversity. In Khvanchkara, the soils are skeletal, rich with humus, quartz and limestone. Some plots in Ambrolauri have Terra Rossa soils over limestone. On the north side of the Rioni, there is more lime at the higher elevations. The soils on the lower south side are more carbonic.

In mountains of Racha grows the most expensive wine in Georgia - Usakhelouri. Lately viticulturiest form Kakheti started growing Usakhelouri vineyards in Kakheti too, let's see how well it will do.

PDO: Khvanchkara  (Semi Sweet Red Wine)

For more in-depth information read “Wines of Georgia” – Lisa Granik MW  

Samtskhe-Javakheti, a region in south-western Georgia, is quite large, but sparsely populated.

The region joins two earlier principalities that are divided by the Mtkvari River as it flows from Turkey through Georgia. Samtskhe-Javakheti has long been a major trade route between the Middle East and Turkey; Samtskhe, to the west, is the ancient sub-region of Meskheti and is the primary viticultural area. It was here, at the turn of the thirteenth century, when Georgian power was at its zenith, that King Tamar’s forces trounced large Muslim armies and established sovereignty in an area that ultimately included parts of modern-day Armenia and Turkey. From that point onward and through the Middle Ages, viticulture carpeted the hills; endless rows of terraced vines covered the river gorges and slopes along the Mtkvari River and its tributaries. 

Most of the region enjoys a subtropical mountain climate. Frosts can be severe; the terraces were designed to protect the vines from frost damage. Winters are cold and harsh but with little snow. Ages ago, growers buried the vines to prevent winter kill. The summers, however, are long and warm. Conditions in Akhaltsikhe – the capital city – are unique, however, being Georgia’s most arid viticultural area: average annual precipitation is only 400 to 520 millimetres, and the summers are especially dry. Irrigation is essential.

As noted earlier, the Javakheti plateau is a distinct tectonic unit in

Georgia and covers both Samtskhe and Javakheti. Long-extinct volcanoes gave form to the area, and two seismic faults channelled lava flows through the region. Historically, the plateau was divided into three viticultural zones: Aspindza in the east, more central Akhaltsikhe (30 kilometres to the west), and Adigeni, another 30 kilometres further west. By car, they are under an hour from the border crossing to Turkey. The vineyards are some of Georgia’s highest with vines planted on slopes facing south, south-east and south-west at 900 to 1,700 metres elevation. Some now divide the area into three subzones based on altitude: 900 to 1,000 metres, a middle zone at 1,000 to 1,200 metres and an upper zone at 1,200 to 1,400 metres.

For more in-depth information read “Wines of Georgia” – Lisa Granik MW  

  Along the Black Sea, Guria has a subtropical climate, the most humid in

Georgia. The best Gurian wines always came from grapes grown in hilly or mountainous areas on slopes with a sunny exposition. Few vineyards were by the seaside, where it was too humid; throughout the province cereals, vegetables and tea filled the plantations. Curiously, though it is cooler due to its proximity to the water, Guria is largely known for red rather than white varieties: Ojaleshi, Chvitiluri, Jani, Skhilatubani, Chkhaveri and Aladasturi are among the most highly regarded. The wines tend to be nimble with a light tannic structure and high acidity.

For more in-depth information read “Wines of Georgia” – Lisa Granik MW  

Samegrelo is in north-western Georgia. Most of the vineyards are on foothills or in river gorges. Like Guria, the Black Sea influences the climate, in terms of both maritime breezes and humidity; it’s classified as subtropical.  

The soils are primarily fertile, red, ferrous soils, rich in humus, typical of subtropical zones. Loamy soils, clay soils and argilo-calcaire soils abound. The hillsides and the mountains tend to have more limestone.

Winemaking is similar to that in Guria, with outside marani. A fence or grove of trees would separate one family’s churi from their neighbours. Some might be in the nature of a barn, without floor or ceilings, with the satsnakheli (ochinakhi in Megrelian) against a wall, the churi – here called a lagvani – in the centre.

European techniques appeared in Samegrelo in the nineteenth century when a member of the Dadiani family married Archille Murat, a Frenchman who brought French techniques – including lower training, basket presses and oak barrels – to the family property at Salkhino. The reputation of

Megrelian wine reached its zenith at this time, before succumbing to fungal diseases and phylloxera.

No doubt the possibilities of Megrelian terroir have yet to be exploited.  improved viticultural

practices in Samegrelo could be a game changer. 

For more in-depth information read “Wines of Georgia” – Lisa Granik MW  

South of Guria, with the Black Sea on its western coast, Adjara enjoys the

same subtropical climate as its northern neighbour.  Adjara is most known for the coastal town of Batumi. Nevertheless, there are wine fairs, wine bars, concert events, cafés, an amusement park and world-class accommodation to attract many, even if their dip in the Black Sea gets rained off.  

Adjara’s soils differ from those elsewhere in Georgia, largely as there is less calcareous soil and less humus. In higher areas of the Adjaristskhali Valley, closer to the mountain forests, there are clay, heavy clay soils, and some gravelly areas. The area from Keda to Khulo is volcanic in origin (as in Meskheti, further east), but the river valley is alluvial. In the Black Sea Region, alluvial soils are rare. The soils are red (but not Terra Rossa) alisols and subtropical gley podzols – humid soils where the water does not drain away readily. Both of these soils tend to need soil amendments for successful viticulture.

The Adjarian wines most frequently encountered (which is not that frequent) include Tsolikouri, which currently is the most widely planted variety; and Chkhaveri, fermented into a light, off-dry rosé. Adjara also has its own indigenous variety, Satsuravi. Others, such as Batomura, Brola, Burdzghala, Chodi, Javakhetura, Jineshi, Mekrenchkhi, Skhalturi and Shavshura primarily grow in collections and are not commercially available.

For more in-depth information read “Wines of Georgia” – Lisa Granik MW  

 Abkhazeti covers an area of about 8,660 square km at the western end of Georgia, on the north shore of the Black Sea. To the east, the region is bordered by Svaneti. To the southeast, Apkhazeti is bounded by Samegrelo; and on the south and southwest by the Black Sea. The topography is varied as it ranges from the lowlands around the black Sea to the high peaks in the north. The region is extremely mountainous (nearly 75% is classified as mountains or foothills) and settlement is largely confined to the coast and a number of deep, well-watered valleys. 

 Because of Apkhazeti’s proximity to the Black Sea, its climate is very mild, considering the northern latitude. The Caucasus Mountains are greatly responsible for moderating the region’s climate, as they shield Apkhazeti from cold northerly winds. 

 The soil in Apkhazeti is largely carbonaceous humus and ash-grey forest soil; that of the region’s most northerly end, however, tends to be yellow earth and carbonaceous humus, whereas among the foothills around Ochamchire and Gali to the south most of the soil is red or yellow earth as well as carbonaceous humus. The soil of Apkhazeti’s river valleys is mostly alluvial. 

 Apkhazeti is considered the historical region of winemaking. The region is situated on the seashore , but its mountainous part and river gorges are good for viticulture. Vines in Apkhazeti were trained to grow up trees until the XXth century. Vine here grows best of all up to the height of 400 to 800 meters.