The number of member wineries of the Natural Wine Association is increasing year by year. In the spring of 2023, the Association received applications from 32 wineries for membership. Through the initial interview and inspection, it was assessed how well the candidates met the requirements of the Association. Finally, based on the results of the inspection, the founders approved the application of 16 wineries.

To join the Association, one must have an organic vineyard and a natural wine cellar. Winemakers without vineyards and winegrowers without cellars will not be accepted into the Association. Sometimes, people who have neither a vineyard nor a cellar, but make wine from purchased grapes and rent a cellar, approach the Association. The Association denies them membership. Of course, those wineries that were found to have critical inconsistencies during the inspection process - such as using prohibited substances in the vineyard (herbicides, chemical fertilizers and systemic pesticides) or in the wine (industrial additives and flavoring agents) - which contradict the essence of natural viticulture and winemaking, are also denied membership.

We present to you the new members of the Association: 

“Bakurtsikheli” - a new member of the Association, Vano Beridze, who has been practicing organic viticulture for almost ten years, produces natural wine under this name. He has vineyards of Mtsvane Kakhuri, Rkatsiteli, Saperavi, Vardisperi Rkatsiteli, Ghvinis Tetri and other rare grape varieties in the best parts of Bakurtsikhe.

Winery “Angura” is located in Kvemo Kartli, one of the best viticulture microzones of Georgia - Asureti. The owner of the winery, Giorgi Chichinadze, uses only his own harvest to make wine. He grows Goruli Mtsvane, Assuretuli Shavi, Tavkveri, Chinuri, Rkatsiteli, Saperavi and Chkhaveri grapes in the vineyard. The winery itself is situated 20 kilometers away from the vineyards, in the Tbisi countryside, at an altitude of 800 m above sea level.

“Metreveli-Akhalauri Winery” LLC, whose founders are Sandro Metreveli and Vano Akhalauri, has become a member of the Association. They have vineyards in the villages of Iliatsminda and Shilda, where they mainly grow Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane Kakhuri grapes. They have a cellar in Kartli, specifically in the village of Ksovris. Thanks to Sandro Metreveli and Vano Akhalauri, the online daily shopping store VELI.store has been promoting natural wines in recent years and is a financial supporter of the ZERO COMPROMISE and Amerimeri  natural wine festival of the Association.

“Kasreli” LLC is an association of friends, whose wine cellar and vineyards are located in the village of Vachnadziani, Gurjaani municipality. They grow 10 varieties of Georgian grapes in the vineyards here: Rkatsiteli, Mtsvane Kakhuri, Khikhvi, Kisi, Mtsvivani Kakhuri, Chitistvala, Chinuri; Saperavi, Alexandrouli, Dzaganidze Shavi. They also have a newly built vineyard in Western Georgia - in the village of Tobanieri, Vani municipality, where they cultivate Imereti and Guria grape varieties: Krakhuna, Jani, Chkhaveri and Sakmiela.

The charitable union “TEMI” which is a non-profit (non-commercial) organization has returned to the Association. It was founded in 1991. Its purpose is to provide shelter to socially vulnerable citizens, create a family environment, create employment opportunities and improve their work skills. They produce wine only from their own vineyards (Saperavi and Rkatsiteli). The beneficiaries of the “TEMI” are involved in the wine production process, most of whom are disabled people. TEMI’s vineyards and wine cellar have been receiving biocertificates from Caucascert for several years.

“Lapati”, which belongs to the French winemakers Vincent Jullien and Guillaume Gouerou, has also returned to the Association. They have vineyards near their cellar in Sagarejo - in the city of Sagarejo. Recently, they bought a new plot - with an area of half a hectare, where they planted a Mtsvane Kakhuri in the spring of 2023. In addition to the traditional Kakhuri qvevri wine, they also produce pét-nats. Winery “Lapati” was one of the first among the small Georgian wineries to produce sparkling wine.

The “Charekauli” winery, which belongs to the brother and sister Giorgi and Keti Akhmeteli, is located in the village of Zemo Khodasheni in the Akhmeta municipality. They ferment and age the well-known Khodasheni Saperavi in tanks.

“Patara Marani” lives up to its name. This is a small production of the family of Lasha Dzidziguri and Thea Sturua. Their vineyards are located in Kakheti, Kardenakhi, in the famous microzones of Akhoebi and Tsarapi (Guli Tsarapi), and their cellar is in Tbilisi. They produce Rkatsiteli and Saperavi wines.

“Besik Meparishvili Winery” is located in the village of Zemopartskhma, Chokhatauri municipality. Besik Meparishvili has been following organic rules to take care of his vineyard for several years. He cultivates Guria grape varieties: Chkhaveri, Sakmiela, Chumuta and Tetri Kamuri. The cellar is located in the basement of the house, which was originally designed for winemaking. A new, capital cellar is being built next to the house.

Wine Well - the cellar of this name belongs to Aleksi Chankotadze. Both the cellar and the vineyards are located in the village of Akhalsofeli in the Kvareli municipality. Small plots of vineyards run along the yard of the house and continue to the Shorokheva River. He has Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane Kakhuri grapes, which he ferments in qvevri using the traditional Kakhuri method.

Winery “Iora” is a family organic production of Konstantine Topuria. He started planting vineyards in the village of Ninotsminda, Sagarejo Municipality, on the banks of the Iori River, in 2016. The vineyards and the cellar are in the same area. He grows Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Kisi, Buera and Mtsvane Kakhuri grapes. He mainly uses qvevri as wine vessel. The farm already has “Caucascert” certificates.

Winery “Martali Wine” LLC is located in the village of Shashiani, Gurjaani municipality. The founders of the LLC are Mikheil Bitskinashvili and Thomas Klaus Shubeus. The LLC owns vineyards in Akhasheni, one of the best microzones - on the fields of Papari and Shashiani. They have quite large vineyards where they grow Kakhuri grape varieties: Saperavi, Khikhvi, Kisi, Mtsvane Kakhuri, Mtsvivani Kakhuri, Rkatsiteli, Chitistvala, Muscaturi Rkatsiteli, Kviteli Mkhargrdzeli, Grdzelmtevana, Vardisperi Rkatsiteli and Budeshurisebri Saperavi. They make wines in qvevri and tanks.

Another new member of the Association is the winery “GD Wine”, which belongs to Davit Uchadze. The winery and vineyards are located in the village of Tkachiri, Imereti. The vineyard and cellar in Tkachiri are part of the ancestral home of Davit Uchadze’s wife - Lia Gegelashvili, with a yard. Next to the house and in front of the house, there are vineyards of Tsolikouri and variations of this variety - Bazaleturi Tsolikouri and Mtsvane Tsolikouri, planted in 2019. He makes wine according to the traditional customs in Imeretian Churi.

“Sherma - family winery” - the winery that operates under this name belongs to Shota Shermadini, who has a vineyard in the village of Mejvriskhevi, Gori municipality. The cellar is also located there. Shota Shermadini cultivates: Shavkapito, Goruli Mtsvane, Tavkveri and Tetri Budeshuri grapes.

The wine cellar and vineyards of sisters Tamar and Nino Mosulishvili are located in the village of Vejini, Gurjaani municipality. The sisters continue the family farming traditions of their father - Irakli Mosulishvili. They grow Rkatsiteli and Saperavi grapes, which they ferment in the old cellar of the 100-year-old house.

“Ilto’s Valley” is the family winery of Beka Martiashvili, located in the city of Akhmeta. He has a 2-hectare vineyard, where he grows Saperavi, Khikhvi, Mtsvane Kakhuri, and Rkatsiteli grapes.

‘Levan Sebiskveradze