The winery manages just under 10 hectares of one of the most natural vineyards globally, situated on the slopes of the Gombori Range with views of the Greater Caucasus. They cultivate two local grape varieties—among the oldest in the world: 85% Saperavi (red) and 15% Rkatsiteli (white). Papari Valley started as a small family winery, producing wines using the traditional Kakhetian method. The entire process takes place in buried clay vessels called qvevri, following a tradition practiced by Georgian winemakers for millennia.
The winery is equipped with 21 qvevri (with a total volume of 29,500 liters, ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 liters each). A fascinating detail is that each qvevri is bottled separately, allowing you to taste the exact same vintage but from a different vessel.
The founder of the winery is Nukri Kurdadze, a physics professor from Tbilisi. His goal is to merge the classic Kakhetian method with modern winemaking—preserving an 8,000-year-old tradition while implementing ecological innovations. He produces unique natural wines using organic grapes and a hands-off approach. Fermentation occurs spontaneously using wild yeasts from the vineyard. The wines are unrefined, unfiltered, and free of any additives.
Applying his background in physics, Nukri utilizes a two- or three-terrace qvevri system. This system allows the contents of the vessels to be transferred from a higher-level qvevri to a lower-level one using gravity alone.
The ground floor houses a total of 21 qvevri, with additional terraces built above it. The grapes ferment on the top terrace. Afterward, gravity gently transfers the young wine to the lower-level qvevri for aging. This innovation is entirely unique and has truly paid off for the winery.
The Saperavi red wines are highly concentrated, while the amber (orange) wines from Papari Valley are exceptionally elegant. Now, all that is left is to try some of them from our Papari Valley selection and toast to your health!
Explore the complete selection of unique Qvevri wines from Papari Valley in our online shop.
