Experience the best of Georgian winemaking with Vachnadziani Winery's Qvevri Otskhanuri Sapere. This full-bodied wine boasts earthy aromas of plums and ripe berries, accented by herbal and floral notes. With a fresh and lingering dry finish, there's a smoky hint that makes this wine a perfect accompaniment to a wide variety of red meat dishes.

About the Producer

Georgia is considered to be the ‘cradle of wine', as 8,000 year-old indigenous Rkatsiteli grape seeds have been found in clay vessels. Vachnadziani was established in 1953 and is one of the oldest wineries in Georgia. During the Soviet years the vineyard fell into disrepair, but now the vineyards and cellars have received considerable investment. The aim is to preserve their ancient wine culture while combining it with cutting edge technology. With over 1,000 hectares of vineyard, covering the Kakheti region in eastern Georgia and the Imereti, Racha and Lechkhumi regions in western Georgia, Vachnadziani cultivates 25 vine varieties - the majority of which are indigenous. Their exciting and dynamic range reveals all the charm of this historic winemaking land.

Vineyard and Winery

The grapes are grown in the Imereti region in western-central Georgia, where the climate is humid, with hot summers and mild, warm winters. The vineyard is situated at an altitude of 220 metres above sea level, where the vines are trained according to the Vertical Shoot Position (VSP) method and are double Guyot pruned. The soils are humic-calcareous. The vineyard is planted on slightly inclined slopes, terraces and plains, all of which are orientated towards the north-west and the west. Cover grass is planted between the vines to reduce weeds; the soil is mulched and treated with organic mineral fertilisers. Otskhanuri Sapere is considered one of Georgia's oldest grape varieties and it translates as ‘Otskhana’s colourful’ which refers to the intense ruby colour of its wines.

The grapes were carefully sorted in the vineyard and then again upon arrival at the winery, berry by berry to ensure only the healthy, undamaged and best quality fruit was vinified. Skin-contact fermentation took place using the traditional Georgian method of clay jars known as Qvevri. These vessels have been recognised by UNESCO as a process of important cultural heritage. The Quevri in the Vachnadziani winery have a 950-litre capacity. The alcoholic fermentation lasted for one week, followed by a maturation period of five months without skin contact.