Nose
Intense aromas of white fruits and fine herbaceous flavours.
Palate
The palate is complex and mineral, with elegant dry fruits and herb notes. Long finish with silky tannins.
Growing Conditions
Our vineyards have been cultivated for generations. The bibliographer Vakhushti Batonishvili mentioned our Kondoli vineyards as a source of noble wines, in his book of 1742 “Life of Georgia” For three centuries these have been the benchmark of quality, showcasing the best of Kakheti region. The terrain is composed of alluvial, strongly skeletal, loamy soil on a limestone bedrock. Climate is transitional from humid subtropical to continental under the influence of the Great Caucasus Mountains from the left bank of Alazani River and Tsiv-Gombori mountain range from the right. Cold air flows down the valley from the Caucasus glaciers, forming an ambient microclimate for quality viticulture with large swings between day and night temperatures, thus, ensuring perfect grape ripening conditions. Of the 240 hectares of Kondoli vineyards, 30% are given to white grapes and 70% to reds. Most of the area is planted with indigenous Georgian vine varieties, such as Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Alexandreuli, Mtsvane and Kisi. We dedicate a small area to international varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Chardonnay and Riesling. A further vineyard site (30.5h), planted purely with Saperavi vines, is situated on the opposite (left) bank of Alazani River, in the heart of famous Kindzmarauli Specific Viticulture Area. We also have a smaller vineyard in the Napareuli appellation. The vine training systems are traditional for the Kakheti region: bilateral cane or spur pruning. The vine density per hectare is 2400-3400 and the grape yield can be no more than 9 tons per hectare for standard range of wines. Climate type: Moderate continental Grape source: 50% Kondoli Vineyards, 50% Tsinandali AOC Grape yield: 10-12 ton/hectare
Harvest
Rkatsiteli grapes are hand-picked at the optimum of their maturity in the second decade of September.
Winemaking
After soft de-stemming without crushing, grapes are transferred to Qvevri for fermentation. The process lasts for about 3 weeks, followed by the malolactic fermentation. Later the Qvevris are refilled, sealed and left for 6-month long skin maceration. In Spring clarified wine is transferred to the stainless steel tanks for few months, followed by bottling. Wine type: Qvevri Amber dry Res. Sugar <3 g/l;
Appearance
Light amber color wine with orange highlights, made in Qvevri, traditional ancient technology.