interview with the owners of Eclipse L.L.C., a winery from Tbilisi in Georgia, who became customers of Artenova in 2020
Why did you choose to use Jars made by Artenova?
“The decision to order specifically from Impruneta stems from a variety of factors, it is no secret that getting ceramic jars made domestically in Georgia would have been a lot easier both logistically and financially; yet here at Eclipse we take on a quality first approach. We believe that Georgian grape varieties as well as European grapes grown in Georgia will be able to compete with the main wine producers in Europe due to our rich history of wine making and thousands of soil types available for our usage. We use Bucher-Vaslin equipment in our processes, Limousin oak barrels for our barrel wine and Impruneta qvevri jars as a belief that quality is not to be sacrificed”.
family workshop in Torrejoncillo, north of Caceres, goes back seven generations. three are still working, father, Antonio Moreno, two sons, Antonio and Juan Carlos, and at least one grandson that I saw, but as I wasn’t introduced to the three guys making pots, one of them, the skinny one with the beanie hat, could likely be another grandson.
What is a supra? This is the Georgian word for a “feast.” Food and drink are especially important to the cultures of the Caucasus. The supra is comprised of a vast array dishes oftentimes representing the various regions throughout the country. Let’s not forget the wine. The supra is also accompanied by large amounts of wine and a dinner can last for several hours.During a Georgian supra, the role of the “tamada or toastmaster,” is an important and honored tradition. Since the dinner is more of an event rather than a meal, the tamada is expected to keep the festivities moving along and ensure that the wine keeps flowing. Since the tamada is in essence an entertainer, it is not unusual for our toastmaster to sing songs or recite poetry, and of course, make the obligatory toasts.
They get these massive clay pots called qvevri, and they bury them in the ground. Then they whack everything juice, skins, stems in there, seal it up with clay and let it all separate out. The wine is then drawn off the top very carefully using a special jug on a stick. They use a really old grape variety called Rkatsiteli which comes out freakin’ orange! Then there’s another one, which is red and called Saperavi. They’re both native to Georgia. The first time I tasted the orange wine, I was quite taken aback; that stuff is just totally unlike any wine I’ve ever tasted; kinda funky but, you know what? I got into it. By the end of that trip I think we were all a bit Georgian.
The region tour allows you to visit a number of Georgian wineries, taste the wines from the modern wineries or home made wine and experience the people and landscape where the grapes are harvested. Visit the flourishing vineyards and wineries of Kakheti and enjoy the delicious wine and warm hospitality of the local population!The richest wine-growing and wine-making region of Georgia, populated with hospitable, openhearted and straightforward people, who live surrounded by mountain chains, old castles, beautiful churches and drink wine as early as mother’s milk – Kakheti province is a “must do”.
For the Gamtskitsulashvili twins, the clay vessels are a source of income but also of great pride. They are everywhere: even some of the hotel rooms are decorated with examples of the vessels, split in two to reveal the unique way they make their wine.
According to Gela, making wine in the big clay kvevris infuses it with a special aroma and rich taste. “This way we have learnt from our ancestors and it differs from the European way,” says Gela.
it’s impossible to deny the vibrancy of the fruit and natural sweetness of the wine. And there’s really few phrases which would describe that feeling well, except perhaps “the overwhelming sense of being alive”.Is it just because it’s a natural wine? Having tasted a sizeable selection of other natural wines and non-qvevri Georgian wines, I’m not so sure. There was definitely something about the qvevri which gave the wine its special characteristic, unrepresented anywhere else. Perhaps that’s why qvevri wine production has gained increasing popularity outside of Georgia with Josko Gravner in Italy being one of the most well known amongst the international wine crowd. Sadly, production and export is so limited that it’s extremely rare to find qvevri wines for sale.
“We have a list of the best ‘maranis’ which are already prepared to receive international visitors. The majority of such places are located in Kakheti. But some other regions including Racha, Imereti, Guria, Qartli and Ajara have great potential,” Sidamonidze stated.The list is published on the special webpage http://www.winetours.ge. There is detailed information about Kakheti, the biggest region of vineyards in Georgia. Information about 16 maranis at Kakheti with all details including price, possibilities of accommodation, Georgian cuisine, souvenir shops and guides are available on this webpage. All necessary information about tour operators is published on this webpage as well. Each tour operator offers their own programme with different services and prices.
I was looking forward to visiting Kutaisi, the second biggest city in Georgia, and I was not disappointed. David the Builder lived there, and, according to legend, Jason sailed in the Argonaut on the local Rioni River to get the Golden Fleece. The Bagrati Cathedral was built at the end of the 10th century and is worth a visit. Nearby are the ruins of a military fortification, a small church and an 11th century wine house where you can still see kvevri, or clay wine vessels, in the ground. Each kvevri is about three and a half feet across. Our guide said that surely the Jews in Georgia used this traditional wine-making technique.
domaine Georgia 