Teliani Valley, Glekhuri Kisi Qvevri 2019

Get to know: Teliani Valley, Glekhuri Kisi Qvevri 

Tasting Note

Kisi is a native Georgian grape with sweet spice notes and great acidity, perfect for maintaining freshness. Fermentation in Qvevri adds great complexity and texture. Don't chill it, you'll just bring the tannins forward at the expense of the lovely flavours - serve cool, not cold!

Works well with light poultry dishes, charcuterie and salads.

Producer Info

The wine is made from the traditional Kisi grape grown in the villages of Akhmeta district in south west Kakheti. 100% Kisi grapes are grown in clay and stone soils, whole bunches are fermented in underground qvevri for 6 months, lending the wine it’s amber colour, distinctive flavour and mildly tannic structure.

There has been a winery in the village since the 1800s and to ensure that this long history of winemaking continued, Teliani Valley was established in the 1990s by a group of enthusiastic young winemakers. Originally a converted car workshop was their home, but with their tremendous vineyards and skill for making quality wines, they have gone from strength to strength and are now one of the biggest producers in Georgia, with annual production of 5 million bottles. Much of this is basic wine produced for the Russian market – Russia is right on their doorstep and they would be stupid not to – but they are astute enough to not want this to be the sum of what they do, and self-aware enough to imagine what could be possible if they develop the right philosophy for their business. Temuri Daksihvili, son of qvevri champion and one of the original founders of the company, Gogi Dakishvili, still oversees the production of the Glekhuri Qvevri wines.