100% Khikhvi. A beautiful amber colour with characteristic aromas of citrus and tropical fruit. Ageing in qvevri brings greater roundness and maturity, along with notes of quince, beeswax and dried fruit. The structure also changes: the wine is less lively and elegant than with conventional vinification, but gains complexity and displays fine tannins.

Perfect with traditional Meskhetian cuisine, including local cheeses and pasta dishes. Khikhvi originates from this south-central region of Georgia, west of Kakheti. The wine also pairs very well with poultry, pizza and Asian dishes.

climate

Kakheti has a temperate continental climate with warm to hot summers and mild, dry winters, strongly influenced by the nearby Caucasus Mountains. As in Tuscany, days are warm while nights can cool considerably, encouraging slow, even ripening.

soil

Vineyards at an altitude of 470–490 metres in the Mukuzani appellation. A thick layer of soft limestone (carbonate rock) lies beneath a topsoil of clay and stones.

vinification

The wine is made using the traditional qvevri method. These large clay vessels, holding between 1,300 and 2,500 litres, are buried underground and filled with grapes, juice and sometimes stems. Fermentation begins spontaneously through the yeasts naturally present on the grape skins. The wine then matures for approximately six months without intervention in hermetically sealed vessels, before being separated from its sediment. It is subsequently returned to qvevri, or transferred to other tanks or barrels depending on the desired style, to continue ageing until it is ready for bottling.