How Georgia's wine industry revived after years of obscurity

Long before the time of Christ, Georgia’s ancestors were turning grapes into wine, setting the stage for modern wine regions like Beaujolais, Tuscany, Rioja, and even New Zealand. These ancient winemakers laid the foundation for today’s global wine culture.

Yet, wines from the birthplace of wine have remained mostly undiscovered by the West – until now.

Georgian wine is slowly recovering from nearly a century of isolation and Soviet destruction, when industrialized winemaking prioritized mass production over quality. This tiny nation was once the main supplier of wine to the entire USSR.

However, under Soviet rule, the focus was on high-yield crops like Saperavi and Rkatsiteli, while the many indigenous grape varieties with remarkable potential were abandoned in favor of mass production.

Despite recording 563 varietals, the Communist regime only permitted seven types of wine to be produced.

To meet the Kremlin’s production quotas, sugar and water were added to wine. Villagers adopted this practice to stretch their limited supply of wine.

Lost traditions

“We lost many of our traditions,” reflects Vakhtang Barnovi, a retired agriculture engineer from Akhalkalaki, a town in central Georgia.

“We used to do a ‘green harvest,’ where we would prune the weaker grapes from the vines, allowing the stronger ones to grow larger and sweeter. The Soviets disregarded this and harvested all the grapes, regardless of their quality.”

After the collapse of the USSR, Georgia continued to send low-quality wine to Russia, its primary market.

“Everyone knows the Russians will drink anything,” says Barnovi, referencing a popular saying. If it was in a glass bottle, it was poor quality. The good wine came in recycled plastic bottles and jerry cans from friends and relatives in rural areas, while some wineries, like Sagarejo Georgia, focused on producing quality table wine for local restaurants.

March 2006 marked a pivotal moment when Russian President Vladimir Putin imposed a ban on Georgian wine, wiping out 90% of the export market almost overnight.

The move was intended to punish Georgia for its pro-Western stance, but instead, Putin’s embargo inadvertently helped the Georgian wine industry by forcing the country to improve its wine quality and seek new, more stable trading partners.

“It was a major jolt for both small and large wineries,” admits Malkhaz Kharbedia, president of the Georgian Wine Club.

The resurgence of Georgian wine

While larger wineries expanded their reach into China, Central Asia, and parts of Central Europe, smaller, family-owned vineyards began bottling their wines for sale. They tapped into a unique niche that no one else could match: an 8,000-year-old tradition of making natural wine in kvevri, large clay vessels buried underground.

“Before 2007, there was almost no bottled kvevri wine in Georgia,” says Kharbedia – the practice had been abandoned during the industrial era of communism.

Though kvevri wine represents only about three percent of Georgia's wine exports, it generates 100% of the excitement. Almost every article about Georgian wine highlights kvevri, along with amber wine – a type of white wine made with extended skin contact, which is bolder and more tannic than typical white wines.

In the West, this style is known as 'orange wine' and is considered a trendy novelty. But for Georgians, it’s been a centuries-old winemaking technique.

Georgia is home to over 500 indigenous grape varieties, many of which are just beginning to be rediscovered and revived.

Kakheti, in the east, is the country's largest wine region, making up around 60% of its vineyards. Shida Kartli, located in central Georgia, is an underrated wine-producing area once known for supplying wine to the Georgian monarchy, which ended in the 19th century.

Imereti, in the west, has a milder climate that produces grapes with higher acidity, typically pressed into wine without skin contact. Racha, a small mountainous region, is famed for its refined vintages, despite being the country’s smallest wine producer.

Top 10 Georgian Wines

Saperavi

Known as 'dye' in Georgian, Saperavi is the flagship red wine of Georgia. Mainly grown in Kakheti, this dry red is often called 'black wine' due to its dark skin and red pulp, which create a deep purple hue. It’s so hearty that some call it 'liquid food.' Papari Valley (+995 599 475 832) produces a consistently exceptional kvevri Saperavi.

Rkatsiteli

Hailing from Kakheti, Rkatsiteli is Georgia’s most popular white wine. Traditionally, it undergoes long skin contact, giving it a full-bodied, honey-golden color. It’s often blended with Mtsvane, another white grape, and sometimes made in the 'European' style, with no skin contact. Chona’s Marani in Telavi produces a stunning kvevri Rkatsiteli and Rkatsiteli-Mtsvane blend, both of which feature an intensely floral aroma and a nutty finish.

Kisi

A Kakhetian white believed to be a cross between Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane, Kisi was nearly wiped out by the Soviets due to its low yields. More delicate than Rkatsiteli, it is occasionally made into a semi-sweet wine. Pheasant’s Tears, a small winery, creates quality natural wines, including a subtle Kisi with notes of ripe pear and saffron.

Chinuri

Also known as Chinebuli, meaning 'exquisite,' Chinuri is the signature white of Shida Kartli, often used in the production of sparkling wines. It’s typically marked by flavors of green apples, wild mint, and honey, with a straw-like color after skin contact. Samtavisi Marani (+995 568 500 500) is known for crafting this wine to perfection, living up to its name.

Shavkapito

A recently rediscovered red from Shida Kartli, Shavkapito varies depending on where it’s grown, producing either a full-bodied or lighter wine. It’s a great choice for fans of sour cherries and blackberries. Although not widely bottled, Alapiani (+995 555 272 017) in Tbilisi makes an exceptional version of this royal wine, once favored by Georgian kings.

Tavkveri

Another red from Kartli that nearly faded away, Tavkveri requires another vine for pollination. When paired with a white grape like Chinuri, it creates a light red; when planted with Shavkapito, the result is a fuller-bodied wine. It’s often crafted into rosé or sparkling wine. The Wine Artisans in Tsedisi are among the few winemakers turning this grape into a true gem.

Tsolikouri

A beloved white wine from Imereti, Tsolikouri is known for its rich body, citrus notes, and a fragrant bouquet of wildflowers. Gaioz Sopromadze Wine Cellar (+995 595 786 131), continuing a family tradition dating back to 1914, crafts this wine with care. Served chilled, it’s the perfect companion for a relaxing summer day in a hammock.

Tsistka

One of the oldest grape varieties in western Georgia, Tsistka is prized for its smoothness, making it ideal for sparkling wines and blends with Tsolikouri. Baia Abuladze, a young winemaker, creates exquisite Imeretian wines, with her Tsistka offering a crisp profile and hints of honeydew.

Kvanchkara

A historic blend that traces its origins to the 1870s, when Prince Dimitri Kipiani crafted a semi-sweet wine by blending red Aleksandrouli and Mujuretuli. Rumor has it that Joseph Stalin favored this wine, which led Soviet citizens to develop a taste for semi-sweet wines, causing counterfeit versions of Kvanchkara to flood the market. Russians still expect sweet wines from Georgia. Royal Kvanchkara revived the former Soviet winery, which had been taken from Kipiani, and continues the prince’s legacy.

Ojaleshi

One of Samegrelo's oldest grape varieties, Ojaleshi translates to “grapevine growing on a tree” and yields a deep, spicy red wine. In Tbilisi, Oda Family Wine (+995 598 900 379) is produced by Keto Ninidze, who, alongside her husband Zaza Gagua of Vino Martville, is committed to reviving the once-destroyed west Georgian wine culture. They have planted rare, native vines for future bottling, and their Ojaleshi offers a smooth and velvety grace.

Where to buy wine in Tbilisi

For a great selection, visit 8000 Vintages at N26 Sulkhan-Tsintsadze Street (+995 558 84 88 11) or 60 Irakli Aidze Street (+995 558 84 88 11).

Vinoteca located at 31 Kote Abkhazi Street, contact: (+995 322 47 60 11)

Vino Underground is at 15 Galaktion Tabidze Street, contact: (+995 599 50 64 27)

Sulico Wine Bar can be found at 27 Mikheil Zandukeli Street, contact: (+995 577 51 00 44)

g.Vino Wine Bar is situated at 6 Erekle II Street, contact: (+995 032 293 21 21)

Dadi Wine Bar is located at 4 Shalva Dadiani Street, contact: (+995 557 96 20 95)

US-based importers of Georgian wines

Terrell Wines specializes in Georgian wine imports

Corus Imports brings Georgian wines to the US market

Georgian Wine House offers a selection of Georgian wines in the US