Rkatsiteli orange 2022 Chateau Khashmi

Chateau Khashmi is a family winery located in the village of Khashmi in the Iori Valley, 35 km from Tbilisi, Georgia.

They produce wine according to an ancient Georgian tradition that dates back 8,000 years.

To achieve the best possible wine quality, they thoroughly monitor the quality and ripeness of the grapes, harvesting them by hand at the precise moment when sugar and acidity levels are optimal.

Before crushing, sorting tables are used to select only the highest quality grapes and remove any imperfect ones.

After crushing, the wine ferments along with the grape skins, pulp, and stems in Qvevri—large, egg-shaped clay vessels (similar to amphorae) buried deep in the ground to maintain a stable temperature throughout the year and provide the best conditions for storage.

During fermentation, substantial manual labor is required; they closely monitor the maceration temperature and punch down the cap (the floating skins and pulp) at least every 3 hours during active fermentation. This prevents the cap from drying out and oxidizing, cools the fermenting juice, and results in exceptionally aromatic wines.

Once fermentation is complete, the wine is stored and aged under ideal, constant temperature conditions inside the underground Qvevri for at least one year.

The wines are made naturally, meaning nothing is added or removed during vinification. They are unfiltered and contain no added sulfites.