Winemaking
Tsinandali Estate is the cradle of classic winemaking in Georgia. At the beginning of the 19th century, Prince Alexander Chavchavadze introduced European wine-making technology to Georgia, and created a new standard of Georgian wine. Tsinandali Estate is in fact where wine was first bottled in Georgia.
The Prince’s excellent wine collection of 16,500 bottles is preserved today in the historical Enoteca of Alexander Chavchavadze, within which is the oldest wine in Georgia, bottled in 1841 and named “the Saperavi of Tsinandali Estate, 1839.”
The Estate continues the tradition of Alexander Chavchavadze to this day: on the one hand, it follows the techniques of classic European winemaking, and on the other hand, it invariably preserves the 8000-year tradition of Georgian Qvevri winemaking. In Tsinandali, the high quality modern winery boasting Italian Albrigi tanks of NASA-welding technology and Burgundy wine barrels also houses Imereti and Makatubani wine amphora created exclusively for the Tsinandali Cellar.
At present, Tsinandali Estate produces up to 20 types of wine. It also has a vodka distillery, where the best Saperavi and Rkatsiteli chacha is made, as well as fruit double vodka. The highest standard Barison Italian distilling equipment ensures perfect quality, the special flavor and purity of the chacha and fruit vodka distilled at Tsinandali Cellar.
The Winemaker
Davit Maisuradze, the main winemaker of Tsinandali Estate and creator of exclusive, superb wines, headed the winemaking of Tsinandali Winery from 1988 to 1991. He returned to the renewed Tsinandali Estate in 2013. “Now, the situation is completely different technologically at Tsinandali Cellar,” he says. “Previously, selections were made in another way, and the cellar didn’t even have its own vineyard. Today, Tsinandali Cellar has the best vineyard, with a unique terroir, as well as the highest quality machinery and technological equipment, giving it the opportunity to produce the highest quality wine.”
In 2013, Maisuradze became the head of the most responsible business of Tsinandali Estate with a new aspiration and innovative ideas. His return yielded results: the particularly aromatic, high alcohol Natella, burgundy Sophia, rich and elegant Nino Veuve Griboyedoff, and other masterpieces.
Davit Maisuradze, together with Tsinandali Cellar, actively cooperates with the largest European wine companies, seeing him providing professional advice on wine production to Italian, French and German wine-producers.