The winemakers we work with are artists, highly skilled and educated in Georgian winemaking. They are not engineers.
That may sound like an odd statement to make, but many winemakers in today’s wine industry tend to lean more towards engineer as they seek optimization, automation, cost control and consistency in large scale production.
However, when creating natural and low intervention wines, there is less dependence on technology and greater use of human knowledge, time-honored traditions and artistry. Predominantly, it is a partnership between the winemaker and Mother Nature. Therefore, our winemakers focus on the artistry required, backed by their deep knowledge and skills to craft a delicious tasting wine true to the terroir where the grapes are grown.
Additionally, our winemaker partners are often the owners of the vineyard and winery. Their personal reputation in the winemaking community is on the line. They work with passion as their first mantra, not a quarterly profit number.
Ancient and Modern Natural Winemaking In Harmony
Winemaking techniques in Georgia range from ancient traditional to classic modern techniques. Its history is deeply rooted in the use of the ceramic clay vessel ‘Qvevri’ and skin contact fermentation resulting in whites with characteristic shades of ‘Georgian amber’, robust flavors, and ‘red-wine-like’ tannins. Compared to European varieties, these wines contain a higher percentage of antioxidants and polyphenols, both of which are beneficial to health.
A Unique Clay Vessel Is The Backbone of Georgian Wine
It is said that history is the backbone of any culture. In Georgia, the backbone of the distinctive winemaker’s craft is a uniquely designed clay vessel called a Qvevri (pronounced “kway-vree”). This distinctly shaped vessel has been used to make wine for over 8000 years. The Qvevri is used for the fermenting and aging process (much the same way as a barrel would be used in Europe or America). However, unlike other winemaking processes, the Qvevri is buried in the ground where the cool and stable temperature allows the fermentation and aging to be carefully managed according to centuries old techniques.