The Revival of Meskhetian Winemaking

My region, Samtskhe-Javakheti (Meskheti), was under Ottoman rule for four centuries. During this period, vineyards and wine villages were destroyed, and many of Meskheti’s local endemic grape varieties disappeared. Later, under the Russian Empire, many of the surviving Meskhetian varieties were replaced by other, more industrial grape varieties. This brought the ancient tradition of Meskhetian winemaking to an end.

I have dedicated myself to researching, studying, identifying, and multiplying the oldest surviving Meskhetian vines and to bringing this forgotten winemaking tradition back to life.

For much of the past decade, I have been trekking through the mountain forests of southern Georgia in search of ancient vines growing as nature intended — climbing trees, rocky cliffs, and the remains of abandoned villages.

I have discovered vines more than 100 years old, and one extraordinary vine that is our family heritage is more than 400 years old. It is still alive and continues to produce grapes. Since 2003 till now, I have been able to identify only 24 of the rare grape varieties growing in the forests and abandoned settlements of Meskheti, near the border with Turkey., while the others remain under study.

Every year, I make different wines from these ancient varieties at Natenadze’s Wine Cellar, creating wines from grapes that have survived centuries of history.

Wines from the Wild

In Meskheti, this represents the first winemaking to take place after centuries of interruption.

I forage grapes from wild vines growing in mountain forests and from the remains of ancient, abandoned villages. Most of these vines are more than 100–200 years old, while the oldest and largest is more than four centuries old.

These are not ordinary vineyards. Many of the vines grow high in trees, on cliffs, among volcanic rocks, and in places where vineyards have not been cultivated for generations.

This is why I call them wild wines — wines made from grapes gathered from vines growing naturally in the volcanic mountains of Meskheti, with minimal human intervention in their origin.

In many ways, these wines are among the most natural wines in the world.

The Mountains of Meskheti

The vineyards and wild vines are found at elevations ranging from approximately 1,000 to 1,650 meters above sea level.

Meskheti is a mountainous, dry continental and volcanic region, characterized by basalt stones and limestone soils, harsh winters, cool nights, and a challenging growing environment.

These conditions give the grapes a distinctive character and allow the wines to develop remarkable freshness, elegance, and balance.

Production is extremely limited, ranging from approximately 500 to 6,000 bottles per year, depending on the grape variety.

Ancient Grapes, Qvevri, and Tradition

Meskhuri wines are made in qvevri, using traditional Georgian winemaking methods.

The wines are naturally expressive, harmonious, and elegant, often characterized by relatively moderate alcohol and well-balanced acidity. Their character comes not only from the grape varieties themselves, but also from the altitude, volcanic soils, wild environment, and centuries-old vines from which the grapes are gathered.

When you taste a Meskhuri wine, you are tasting more than a wine.

You taste the history, landscapes, legends, and forgotten traditions of Meskheti.

Bringing Meskheti Back to the Wine Map

Georgia is widely recognized as one of the world’s oldest wine-producing regions, with an approximately 8,000-year-old continuous winemaking tradition. Georgian scientists believe that Meskheti may have played an important role in the early history and origins of Georgian wine.

After centuries without winemaking in the region, we produced our first wine in 2009, marking the beginning of the revival of winemaking in Meskheti, Samtskhe-Javakheti.

Since then, the work has continued — finding forgotten vines, identifying ancient grape varieties, propagating them, and transforming their grapes into wine.

Today, our wines are available in several countries around the world and have been featured in some of the world’s most respected wine magazines.

But the journey is far from over.

There are still ancient vines hidden in the forests, forgotten varieties waiting to be identified, and stories of Meskheti waiting to be rediscovered.

Every bottle is a small part of that revival.

Cheers,

Giorgi Natenadze