Othskanuri Sapere

Amiran Vepkhvadze, half attorney, half vigneron, inherited a few vines in Zestaphoni, part of the Imereti region in Western Georgia. The vines are Otskhanuri Sapere, a rare, indigenous varietal to the region. Each year Amiran sold his precious grapes to the local winery, and each year the amount he was paid decreased. Eventually Amiran decided to make his own wine, and little by little he expanded his vineyards. The vines are trained in overhead pergola style to protect them from the humidity of the sub-tropical climate.

Archil has been making wine in Kvaliti, Imereti since he was a child, and he knows his craft well. The vines are kept trellised high off the ground and Archil also plants corn to help protect the grapes from the intensity of the Georgian sun. Archil makes a few different wines from Tsolikouri, Krakhuna, Tsitska, and Otskhanuri Sapere. The press Archil uses is an old school tree trunk press which is over a hundred years old. The juice from the press runs directly into the qvevri.