NAME OF WINE: Chinuri Skin Contact White Qvevri 6
NAME OF ESTATE/DOMAINE: Iago Bitarishvili
VINTAGE: 2019
ABV: 12.5%
NAME OF VIGNERON: Iago Bitarishvili
LOCATION: The village of Chardhaki in Kartli
GRAPE/BLEND: 100% Chinuri
SUSTAINABLE/ORGANIC/BIODYNAMIC: Organic
CERTIFICATION: The family has farmed organically here ever since 1998. Iago’s vineyard was the first vineyard in Georgia to receive certification for Organic farming (he received it in 2005 from Caucascert)
SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS/VEGANS: Yes
ALLERGENS (EGGS AND/OR MILK): NONE
------SHORT HISTORY: This estate has been owned by the Bitarishvili family for 20 years, it is Iago who is the current owner and family member who farms its land. His family were given this vineyard by the state, following the land reforms in 1992. Iago has twenty-two qvevris, fourteen for fermentation, for ageing, eight for ageing. The wines develop differently in different qvevri. Some of the qvevri are 250 years old.
(MICRO)CLIMATE: The climate is slightly cooler than the region of Kakheti in Eastern Georgia.
TERROIR IN GEORGIA: This ranges from very rich sandy alluvial soils in the East, to red and yellow clay in the West.
VITICULTURE: All the grapes comes from one vineyard around 3 km from his cellar. 15 cm of brown carbon-rich soil then 20 cm deep clay with limestone.
VINIFICATION:
• All Iago’s wine is fermented in terracotta qvevri which are buried in the floor of the cellar. • The must, skins and all are poured directly into 2000 litre qvevri • Punch downs - minimum 2 times maximum 4 times per day at first • After three weeks fermentation and malolactic fermentation the chacha (skins, stems) fall to the bottom of the qvevri • Juice is then decanted (by pump) into clean qvevri after 6 months • Wine is finally transferred to tank for bottling • Bottled without filtration, fining or added sulphur
Further Useful Information
Alice Feiring’s video of Iago cleaning his qvevri with a bark scrubber:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DcxOS-VYAM